There’s no such thing. Citizen bloggers, OK, I can live with that. Don’t we have enough media mishmash already? No one is objective, not even we journalists, not even social studies teachers or historians. But good journalists are aware. Who do we interview? Do we give a mix of opinions? Too many so-called “citizen journalists” are spinning opinion as truth. Blog away but don’t presume to know the truth.
I recall former high school students insisting something nutty they heard on a radio talk show was factual. “I heard it on Michael Savage,”one student blurted out when I asked her to cite her source.
And Wikipedia isn’t a reliable source either.
Tucson Writer Editor 
Congrats on your first blog post!
I suppose one can say Wikipedia isn’t “reliable” in the sense of being authoritative enough to be cited as evidence in an academic or legal setting, but I find it immensely useful.
For real-life day-to-day finding out crap, it’s totally adequate for my needs, and I’m getting a little chapped about people pooing its poo these days.
It certainly is an interesting topic to discuss. I have been astounded by the reporting from citizens during the Tahrir protests and the Occupy Wall Street protests. In times like these, to get first-hand accounts from those on the ground has been really moving for me.
But also, I do understand the necessity to have journalistic training to be able to sift through the information and pull out the facts, ask the right questions and write or tell a compelling, accurate and balanced story.
And, I agree with you, Wikipedia is not a source. It can be a first landing place to get an introduction to a topic, but one needs to go to original sources to find out the truth.