For the on-line writer they take on the role of journalist when they report on events which they witness first hand. One of the aspects here if being topical, up-to the minute, and being seen as close to the action. But not one of the instigators, a simple bystander caught up in the flow. You would be precisely the person a camera crew would be looking to find to give the facts as they happened.
Having known many journalists during the course of my life they do have responsibilities beyond the simple reporting of what is seen. If you have attended any journalism classes then you will know that impartiality plays an important factor for them with respect to writing any story. Yet every person tells a story about an event from the perspective from which they saw actions unfold; they cannot help it, this is a part of what makes us human and it is doubted there is any such thing and an impartial human being.
No self proclaimed internet journalist will be impartial, they will have been affected by the things they see in accordance with where they witnessed the event from. What is occurring is they are writing the news as it impacts them. They may also bring with them their own innate knowledge and experience, which can introduce a conclusion that may not be relevant to the events that are unfolding in front of them. Yet this lack of impartiality can be OK because there can be dozens of people telling the same story from their own perspective. looking at all the different witness statements it will be possible for the reader to gleam what happened.
One aspect which can limit a journalist from a newspaper (or even a TV station) is telling a story that is not approved by the sponsor, or even one that opposes that sponsors interests. We know that pressure will be applied to kill the story. Yet on-line reporting does not suffer the same limitation. Anyone can post a blog about any topic they wish it is a part of the great debate that can happen in cyberspace today.
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