No, this is not my attempt to billboard my face across my blog.

But this article from PBS’ Mediashift by Alfred Hermida got me thinking.

“Journalism Students Need to Develop Their Personal Brand”

Do I really have to become a “product,” as the article suggests, to become a good journalist?

I beg to differ. I think this shift towards all journalists owning a domain name represents the establishment of credentials. In a Internet-crazy and Internet-dependent world, it’s necessary to stake one’s claim and become a specialist. No longer are jack-of-all-trades, every-man or -woman types sought after. We consumers want expertise and we want it fast. If our website doesn’t have the precise information that we’re looking for, then a cursory click is all we might receive as bloggers. But no, I want people to be able to come to me to be a reliable source of _________. I guess figuring out what the underscore is is the next step.

So staciechan.com, here I come.