One Man's Blog is Another Man's Newspaper

As far as citizen journalism goes, there is really no limit to how much opinion is involved. However, where do we draw the line between a ranting blog and an informational news website? Once I checked out a citizen journal called The Beast, I realized that this line cannot be easily drawn—at least in some cases. Don’t get me wrong, this blog is extremely helpful in informing people about what is going on in the Oakland area, but that is about all that it offers.
When I think of news and journalism, I think of articles that increase my knowledge about what is going on around me. Now, granted that this blog does include articles that increase knowledge, there is no real news shown on the page. Anyone can write articles about where to go and what to do while visiting a city—that is what travel agencies are for, though. The articles written on The Beast are not about any certain issue, but rather an entertainment forum for potential visitors or bored citizens of Oakland. If the articles pertained to any sort of issue, there would be actual comments posted with the articles, however no one has responded to the majority of them.
After checking out the actual website for Oakland, I discovered that it contains more material about issues in the area than The Beast. The organization of the Oakland website is even more clear and concise than The Beast. I found no direction whatsoever in The Beast, but rather an ongoing list of random articles. If citizen journalism is supposed to include opinions and stories that may not necessarily make it to larger newspapers, then I feel that The Beast should not even be classified as citizen journalism. What are we gaining from this site other than a brochure about the area?
In conclusion, I recognize that some people may find this site helpful since it does indeed provide insight about the city. However, I don’t feel that it even offers a sufficient amount of information to help anyone. The Beast definitely cannot be categorized as an editorial page, seeing that it provides really no opinion about pertinent issues within the community. When I read a worthy editorial, it makes me want to form an opinion of my own and express it. When I read this page, it simply makes me want to fall asleep.