Considering this assignment revolves around the concept of ‘blogging,’ I thought I should actually take the time to define the term ‘blog....’
‘Blogs’ are online diaries, in relation to personal, political, academic, link-based, technological or miscellaneous matters, posted and accessed through the World Wide Web (Burgess, 2006, March 29). Authored by independent individuals, blogs provide a platform for bloggers to create user customization, interactivity and intercreativity (Bruns and Jacobs, 2006, p.65.) They also allow debate, deliberation and expressions within environments providing opportunities for authors to reach out and connect with audiences through a controlled, directed channel (Bruns and Jacobs, 2006, p. 64).
Wikipedia (2008) defines a blog (an abridgment of the term web log) as a website, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. The most popular blogs tend to be newsworthy, and contain some form of media, whether it is video’s or images. These video’s usually come from the website youtube, where produsers have uploaded content to share on this networking system.
Wikipedia (2008) defines a blog (an abridgment of the term web log) as a website, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. The most popular blogs tend to be newsworthy, and contain some form of media, whether it is video’s or images. These video’s usually come from the website youtube, where produsers have uploaded content to share on this networking system.
However, blogs originally started off as personal diaries, whereas now they are used by political communicators and candidates to express views on war and controversial issues. Secondly, Marketing, PR and Advertising companies have started to use blogs are a form of wide exposure, realising how the new era of citizen journalism has created a new market. In January 2005, Fortune magazine listed eight bloggers that business people "could not ignore": Peter Rojas, Xeni Jardin, Ben Trott, Mena Trott, Jonathan Schwartz, Jason Goldman, Robert Scoble, and Jason Calacanis (Wikipedia, 2008.)
The collective community of all blogs, personal and corporate, is known as the blogosphere. This means that through the internet, all blogs are interconnected and socially networked. Even more specific is a ‘bloghood’, which is a collection of local blogs in a geographic region.
As mentioned before, blogs provide a platform for interactivity and intercreativity. Blogs can be judged through ratings systems, either by leaving comments on specific posts or by rating the post through such buttons as ‘like’ or ‘hide.’ The posts and blogs that are liked, have a so called ‘hype’ surrounding them in the Blogosphere, and are therefore given a higher popularity level, which in turn, advertisers the blog more. Successful blogs create high readership and generate ‘produser’ (Bruns and Jacobs, 2006, p.64) interaction.
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However, in order to become a successful blog, it requires the author to consistently update content that relates to readers interests, use sources that support their argument, draw in readers who leave comments and valid opinions and provide relevant links to other websites and blogs…all which are mentioned in the definition of a blog. The most successful or best-known blogs are referred to as ‘A-Lists’ (Bruns and Jacobs, 2006, p.60).
So there we have it…what a blog is, what their uses are, who uses them and why. Axel Bruns and Joanne Jacobs (2006) argue that blogs seemingly are everywhere, however, until 10 weeks ago, I really had no idea what one was, nor will I continue to use mine after this unit is done. However, I don’t participate in Citizen Journalism nor does it interest me. I like reading my newspaper each morning whilst drinking my morning coffee and will continue to do so. It is convenient, there at my doorstep waiting and does not require me to turn on a computer and stare at a screen. Blogging has its uses and will continue to exist as this hype in the ‘blogosphere’ continues; however, until virtual communities, Web 2.0 and fast paced broad band fully takes over the world, blogging will never dominate traditional media…
Well that’s my view anyways…what’s your’s??
The collective community of all blogs, personal and corporate, is known as the blogosphere. This means that through the internet, all blogs are interconnected and socially networked. Even more specific is a ‘bloghood’, which is a collection of local blogs in a geographic region.
As mentioned before, blogs provide a platform for interactivity and intercreativity. Blogs can be judged through ratings systems, either by leaving comments on specific posts or by rating the post through such buttons as ‘like’ or ‘hide.’ The posts and blogs that are liked, have a so called ‘hype’ surrounding them in the Blogosphere, and are therefore given a higher popularity level, which in turn, advertisers the blog more. Successful blogs create high readership and generate ‘produser’ (Bruns and Jacobs, 2006, p.64) interaction.
.
However, in order to become a successful blog, it requires the author to consistently update content that relates to readers interests, use sources that support their argument, draw in readers who leave comments and valid opinions and provide relevant links to other websites and blogs…all which are mentioned in the definition of a blog. The most successful or best-known blogs are referred to as ‘A-Lists’ (Bruns and Jacobs, 2006, p.60).
So there we have it…what a blog is, what their uses are, who uses them and why. Axel Bruns and Joanne Jacobs (2006) argue that blogs seemingly are everywhere, however, until 10 weeks ago, I really had no idea what one was, nor will I continue to use mine after this unit is done. However, I don’t participate in Citizen Journalism nor does it interest me. I like reading my newspaper each morning whilst drinking my morning coffee and will continue to do so. It is convenient, there at my doorstep waiting and does not require me to turn on a computer and stare at a screen. Blogging has its uses and will continue to exist as this hype in the ‘blogosphere’ continues; however, until virtual communities, Web 2.0 and fast paced broad band fully takes over the world, blogging will never dominate traditional media…
Well that’s my view anyways…what’s your’s??
Reference
Bruns, A., and J. Jacobs. 2006. Uses of Blogs. New York: Peter Lang Publishing.
Burgess, J. 2006, March 29. Blogs. [Public Lecture: Brisbane QUT]
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