What is a blog?
A blog is a user-generated website where entries are made in journal style and displayed in a reverse chronological order.
Blogs often provide commentary or news on a particular subject, such as food, politics, or local news; some function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of most early blogs.
It could be said that blogs are replacing a number of things, but the most notable is diaries. It is more common for people, especially children and young people, to have an online diary than it is a written diary now.
Different types of blog:
- Vlog (video log)
-Linklog (one including links)
- Sketchblog (a portfolio of sketches)
- Photo blog (a blog comprising of photos)
- Tumblelog (shorter posts and mixed media types)
- Phlog (a blog hosted on the Gopher protocol)
- Moblog (a blog created by a mobile phone or PDA)
- Splog (a blog created solely for spamming)
- Corporate blogs (the blog of a business or corporation)
Technologies involved
- The main technology involved in blogging is, of course, the internet.
- Users can upload:
1. Pictures
2. Music
3. Videos
4. Games
5. Graphics
6. From mobile platforms such as PDA’s
Key theory involved
- The main concept involved with blogging is interactivity: consumers are becoming producers, they are taking an active part in creating media.
- Blogging is also a good example of personalization; adapting the technology available to suit the individual consumer. The tools available to customize blogs ensure that each consumers blog is individual and unique to them.
Who are the key producers of blogs?
- The main demographic that has taken up blogging is teenagers and young people. Raised as a computer literate generation, many young people find blogs an effective way of expressing their views, and an outlet that they could not find elsewhere.
- However, the older generation of those up to the age of 30 has also embraced blogging, albeit not to the same extent.
- Blogging can also be an effective tool for businesses to use. Blogs, either used internally to enhance the communication and culture in a corporation or externally for marketing, branding or PR purposes are called corporate blogs.
Why is it popular with producers of blogs?
- Simply, it allows users a portal to express their opinions or log their actions.
- It allows them to feel as though they are producing the media, they are participating actively, and can become like online journalists, who report/comment on news, politics, entertainment etc.
- It allows freedom of expression, there is no copyrighting, as there is on websites, or moderation as there is on forums.
- They can customize their blog – the blog has become almost a form of art, which users adapt to convey their personality, interests or views.
- It is a free, quick and easy way of publishing views
- It is a lot more interactive than similar means of expressing views, such as a diary. Users can make contact through comments, and give feedback to each other. The creation of online communities is possible and even probable when, for example, a group of friends all have blogs on one site.
- It gives consumers the opportunity to discuss more niche subjects and still find people who share their interest. For example, blogs in minority languages such as Gaelic are becoming increasingly popular, as they allow ease of communication between people who may live thousands of miles apart.
Why is it popular with consumers of blogs?
- It allows them to read the opinions of others, either people that they know personally or people that they don’t, often on subjects that it is hard to find information about in the mainstream media.
- It can allow them almost instant information about news events or television programmes. Since 2002, blogs have gained increasing notice and coverage for their role in breaking, shaping, and spinning news stories. The Iraq war saw bloggers taking measured and passionate points of view that go beyond the traditional left-right divide of the political spectrum.
- They can feel part of an online community, commenting on other users blogs and expressing their opinions as well.
- Many readers of blog users prefer the informal, casual and opinionated views presented by regular people rather than newsreaders, journalists etc.
