Is my Degree merely a piece of paper?

Citizen Journalism is a term thrown around a lot in the new 'digital age'. It is a term that assumes numerous things:
1. That to write an opinion about society, or to make a record of an event is journalism.
2. That people not being payed for journalism are citizen journalists.
3. That citizen journalism has a different value or authenticity than non citizen journalism.
4. That citizen journalists are different in that they either lack skills or have different skills to professional journalists.
5. That professional journalists are a defined social group.
The first note to point out is that journalists are a varied group. Some went through university, like myself, and have a piece of paper to prove they have received a certain level of training. Some received traineeships learning in the business and some simply fell into the job after a successful sports or acting career. Some are paid, some belong to a media empire and others freelance. There is no mould for the journalist, just as there is no mould for journalism.
As I am a self-proclaimed, almost university qualified journalist does that mean I am more qualified to write a piece on the Galapagos turtle than an expert on Galapagos flora and fauna? In essence I am asking, do I as a 'qualified journalist' have more authority than a citizen journalist?
This discussion has so far been based on my opinion and the questions I have about this issue, exactly what other bloggers would be writing. Yet is my blog a more reliable source because I am a professional journalist, rather than a citizen journalist?

These are just some of the questions my blog will deal with. I hope you enjoy investigating the ins and outs of this industry with me.
To be continued...