There’s been a request to explain the difference between a news story and a blogger.

It should be rather obvious but for those who might be confused, a news story is supposed to be written impartially, giving both sides of an issue and not inserting the opinion or opinions of the writer, normally a reporter.

A blogger is basically an online columnist who is discussing a specific topic but normally from his perspective. He doesn’t have to be impartial or give both side of an issue. His blog is usually his opinion, although he may also utilize facts in expressing it.

This may be a rather simplistic explanation but it’s about as accurate as you’re going to get.

The Internet has opened up so many new realms of possibilities for writing that definitions continue to be given and then revamped.

Because a blog or blogger usually expresses an opinion, readers must be careful not to misinterpret the writing as a news story.

I would think most people looking for basic information on a topic would prefer to just go to a reliable news source.

I would suggest checking out The Oakland Press website for straight news stories. We also have a long list of bloggers if you want to get a different perspective on various topics.