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?
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.
