Influencers vs. Journalists: There's Only One Difference

If Goldman Sachs is to be believed, the influencer industry will be worth up to $500 billion by the time you read this.

Since I've been both an influencer and a journalist, I thought today I would try to explain what the difference is.

An influencer is someone who talks about the news.

A journalist breaks the news.

And they do so in such a way that you can retrace their steps.

In fact, a good journalist will even tell you who they reached out to and whether or not that person replied in their work.

This means if you want to call an influencer a journalist and a journalist an influencer? It's a Berenstein Bears versus Berenstain Bears situation. It's fun to argue over, but what you call them also doesn't matter. Neither does their chosen form, style, and presentation.

As long as the person you're calling a journalist can show you their work? They're a journalist.

As the media ecosystem reconstitutes itself, we cannot allow for snobbery to discourage those who wish to document the actions of fascists and weirdos.

All are encouraged to do so. And for those of you who are interested in doing so, as long as you're following the Society of Professional Journalists code of ethics? You can call yourself whatever you want.

I'll have no problem calling you a journalist.