Blogging for Schwags and Maintaining Impartiality

The LA Times is currently running a good and timely story that deals on one sensitive issue related to blogging and bloggers. Mommy bloggers getting woed by food firms with schwags and other freebies in exchange for some write-up and publicity buzz  for their products.

It’s a pretty interesting read especially since blogging in exchange for a “taste of company products” and other freebies that come with it is no different from tech bloggers receiving demo units of new gadgets for review. Tech bloggers would die to get those sample demo units and review them on their blogs ahead of rival bloggers.

So what are we now bloggers? Purveyor of truth or corporate pimps?Blogger sorties is prevalent today. Even in the Philippines, I’ve seen and heard bloggers attending this and attending that, receiving this and receiving that. Don’t get me wrong here, I’ve got nothing against these bloggers. It’s a free country after all – a free world in fact.

But then don’t we all have the responsibility to our readers? Shouldn’t we maintain impartiality when reviewing or endorsing or even just mentioning about a product in our blogs? How can we do so if the company who owns the product we own just send us free samples of those products?

See Also

Does maintaining impartiality really possible in such instances?

Check out the LA Times article. You will be surprised at how the food blogging scene has become such a very nice niche for bloggers.

Picture of Arnold Zafra

Arnold Zafra

Arnold Zafra is a freelance blogger/writer from Manila. He believes that 2010 will be the year of the ebook readers so he created a new blog dedicated to the upcoming Asus Eee Reader. You can follow him on Twitter.

RECENT ARTICLES

TRENDING AROUND THE WEB

If you love being retired, you probably stopped doing these 7 things

Global English Editing

10 emotional labor tasks women take on that quietly wear them down

10 emotional labor tasks women take on that quietly wear them down

Global English Editing

People who mentally zone out while reading usually display these 7 habits (without realizing it)

People who mentally zone out while reading usually display these 7 habits (without realizing it)

Global English Editing

If you still write shopping lists on paper instead of using your phone, psychology says you have these 7 distinct qualities

If you still write shopping lists on paper instead of using your phone, psychology says you have these 7 distinct qualities

Global English Editing

7 unusual bathroom habits that suggest a strong personality

7 unusual bathroom habits that suggest a strong personality

Global English Editing

People who always let others merge in traffic usually display these 8 remarkable traits, says psychology

People who always let others merge in traffic usually display these 8 remarkable traits, says psychology

Global English Editing