Steve Yelvingtion on recent criticism of unfiltered citizen journalism portal YourHub.com: "I \think asking members of the community to write traditionally structured news stories, and then presenting those stories unfiltered as if they are newspaper-style journalism, is a mistake... That's why I have grown to prefer using the terms 'participatory] and 'conversational.' A site that is built around strong community interaction will develop its own methods of fixing this problem -- quickly. An active community filters itself through a process of criticism and response."

Evelyn Rodriguez, who chronicled her ordeal experiencing and recovering from the tsunami of late 2004, shares a conversation she had with a Reuters reporter about the use of blogs as a vehicle for telling "microstories": "'This story [tsunami recovery and rehab] is like trying to photograph the Grand Canyon,' I told him. 'It's more nuanced and complex than the aftermath.' I lamented no photograph can possibly do the Grand Canyon justice. No telephoto lens, no panoramic lens, no IMAX film. It all falls short of the 360 degree experience in the flesh. 'If it's like the Grand Canyon, then every shot will be a great one,' Ed rejoined... And bingo! there he had it. The closest 'strategy' I've come up with for sharing the avalanche (or dare I call it a tsunami) of material I have is to simply write keep writing vignettes. Dozens, hundreds if need be."

Tom Abate, who will be speaking at the New Communications Forum later this week, considers the shared challenge for journalists and bloggers in previewing his remarks: "I will suggest that the differences between journalists and bloggers are not so important as thinking about how to accomplish the higher mission of journalism. In an advertising-supported environment how does any media undertake the unpopular and difficult issues? I'll have some thoughts about how the people we now call bloggers should rename themselves something along the lines of personal publishers -- and add some thoughts about how these small businesses can create the systems that will enable them to make a living -- and a difference."