Travel blogging, professionalism, and the changing boundaries of knowledge production

Abstract

Bloggers have long been seen as challenges to journalistic authority. This study focuses specifically on professional travel bloggers and their own self-understandings of what it means to be a professional. Is this understanding distinct from the professional structures that guide journalism? How might these different self-understandings impact the knowledge produced by each group of media workers? The implications of this project are particularly important given that people rely on travel media to help construct their own understandings of distant locations. It is crucial to understand the epistemic foundations of that location-based knowledge. Findings from this purposive survey sample indicate that travel bloggers’ specialized knowledge comes largely in the form of self-marketing and creating a recognizable brand. In keeping with previous findings from blog content analyses, showcasing authenticity is also seen as crucial for blogging success.