Media & Society R/J 100 Blog Project

1.) Your final position on blogging and its effects on journalism. Please cite at least two supporting elements/reasons to support your final position, either using your previous information from previous blog posts, or from any other blog posts posted by other students in the class.

My position on blogging that "Blogging has significantly impacted the print journalism industry" has only been fortified by the research on this project. I continue to support my original statement of "Blogging appears to be a great way for people who would normally have a forum to spread their ideas and knowledge to the masses". Blogging has been shown through this project to be an effective way to communicate anything from your basic thoughts on your personal life or society in general, to a way for small and online business owners to connect with a vast audience on a personal level.

As Renee pointed out in her blog, website such as myspace.com have exploded onto the scene, for many kids and teenagers it is the place to see and be seen. Bloggers download wallpapers, icons, videos and music to customize their site making it a reflection of their own personality, in recent months, this place has become much more effective in impacting teen culture than magazines and even television.

2.) Cite two examples from our blogging (all posts) that were particular eye opening discoveries, that made you think about blogging differently from your position (these are noteworthy references from either your own blog entries, or from your fellow students); these can be either from your own blog entries or from anyone else in the class.

I was surprised during Module 4 how many different types of blogs there were out on the net. I had thought that most blogs were about vanity, politics and sports. It was interesting to follow the links of some of the other classmates and see blogs about such topics as wildlife conservation, home-schooling and even dumpster diving for profit. Additionally I was surprised to learn that blogging was already such an important part of news reporting and gathering, which is evident by the formation of groups such as Nielsen BuzzMetrics who measured which blog and links were being accessed the most.

Secondly, I was interested in how most of our opinions on the impact of blogging on print journalism did not change. I think that each side was equally presented and was very interested in what Terri Ann Driggs had to say regarding her stance on blogging not being an impact on print journalism. Being that I felt there was a lot of evidence to support the fact that blogging was making an impact, I was surprised when after the project was over she still had not changed her mind. On the other side, I felt that she presented interesting information to support and her side, however I did not see it making much of an impact on those of us who held a different opinion.

3.) Give a brief detailed statement about where you feel blogging is headed in the future. Will blogging replace other forms of communication via technology? Will blogging be fused with existing communication technologies (i.e. cell phones)? What key demographics (groups of individuals) will most use blogging?

I can see blogging becoming a significant part of life for many people who spend a lot of time on the internet. I feel that as we become more computer literate, the need for print in any for will decrease as our reliance and familiarity with electronic journalism increases. It is easier to access online journalism, more portable and ultimately better for the environment.

4.) How do you feel journalism will be impacted by blogging and other types of journaling technologies.

Overall people are still going to want news and editorials. People enjoy reading about politics, celebrities and current events. This will not change regardless of whether this is done out of a newspaper or magazine or online via a news website or e-zine.

Renee Stuart
Blogging had become such a craze in this century. It seems everyone website, every author, every important business has some sort of blog network. Even though blogs seem to have taken over the internet, it has not effected it so that blogs are making a huge impact. The internet has always worked with email and instant messaging and standard question and answer in an article. People will do just fine without having blogs on their internet sites.
Blogging can help give out information quickly. It can even allows someone to put all their thoughts on their website for others to read. Their are other things that can do the same thing. Books have been around much longer than the internet. Those have always been around as biographies and references. So, for a simple craze that has similarities to something already created, should not be so important and needed.
In all honesty, not one blog site had an impact on me. It is one person's decision whether to blog or not. To one person, blogs can be an interesting topic and believe it will impact websites and people as well. There are also others who do not need blogs to make their point. Blogs have not hit society as much as, say for instance cell phones, have. There are still people who use the simple things to get their points across.
Blogs do not seem like they will get any more influential than they are now. There is nothing more that can strengthen blogs or get more people to blog. They are not the latest technology. They do not change as the days and years go by. They will always just be a person's information. They will either stay the way they are and some people will keep on blogging, or it will eventually fade out because it was never very big. There are other ways people can put out there information or let others know about themselves.

1.) Your final position on blogging and its effects on journalism. Please cite at least two supporting elements/reasons to support your final position, either using your previous information from previous blog posts, or from any other blog posts posted by other students in the class.

My final position on blobbing hasn't deviated from my initial one at the beginning of this project--I still agree with my original statement that blogging has had a significatn effect on journalism. Throughout my research, I have found the concept to be very personal, informative, and potentially profitable as a business tool as well. Its versatile capabilities allow so many typically arranged modes of media to communicate with large audiences over the internet instead. This essentially eliminates the need for such medias as newspapers, magazines, and in some cases, books (referring to instructional blogs). These are all branches of journalism, and whether or not blogging is considered to have a positive or negative effect on it, it's an effect easily noted. Perhaps one of our blog topics which best illustrated this impact is the last one (Module 4), a post in which I used this blog as a reference http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/, a fast and user-friendly news blog that has some advantages over the traditional newspaper--that includes cost effectiveness and accessibility. Another reference which I believe to support my final position is another that I linked in the past--http://www.mybloglog.com/. This program allows blog owners to accurately track their visitors, a new revelation of online journalism and journalism in general. It offers an effective way to monitor readership by elimating subscription records or off-the-rack sales. It simpy tracks the number of visits that a blog receives, along with additional information about each reader.


2.) Cite two examples from our blogging (all posts) that were particular eye opening discoveries, that made you think about blogging differently from your position (these are noteworthy references from either your own blog entries, or from your fellow students); these can be either from your own blog entries or from anyone else in the class. 

What this project has opened my eyes to is the success of blogs as resources for business. I first thought that journalism was only significantly impacted by blogging because of the increasing number of personl blogs, but in my own research, I learned that blogging is also a great method of business expansion. It convenient because it is highly inexpensive; sometimes even free if the blogger chooses an unpaid host. Blogging is also immediate and can be updated at the blogger's whim. This is a great advantage for entrepreneurs that wish to get the word out about their product in an expedited fashion. It is also a way to directly address consumers regularly with any updates or changes. This simple step can make all the difference to those with their own businesses and can very well be a key to their personal success.

Another topic that made me rethink my opinions on blogging was our topic about the credibility of blogs. Again, I hadn't previously paid attention to blogs other than those for recreational uses, so analyzing credibility opened my eyes to how many types of published blogs people actually depended on for accurate information, including news blogs, info blogs, and e-zines. As a frequent user of the internet, I also value well-informed blogs that are confident and knowledgable about their content, so I learned quite a bit about that in Module 4.

3.) Give a brief detailed statement about where you feel blogging is headed in the future. Will blogging replace other forms of communication via technology? Will blogging be fused with existing communication technologies (i.e. cell phones)? What key demographics (groups of individuals) will most use blogging? 

As in the aforementioned, I feel that blogging could potentially replace certain forms of printed journalism, considering easy acces to the internet in homes.  On the topic of the Internet, many cell phones are now equipped with its capabilites, allowing virtually any webpage to viewed through these small screens. So in a sense, blogging has already rendered itself usable on existing communication technologies withe power of the Internet. Typically, more teenagers and younger generation groups are engaged in blogging, but that does not exclude entrepeneurs and people who depend on blogs for a living.

4.) How do you feel journalism will be impacted by blogging and other types of journaling technologies. 

I believe it to already be in the process of impacting journalism and its contemporaries. It's highly possible that blogging and the Internet in general will phase out traditional forms of journalism in the future, similar to the gradual process of the elimination of VHS tapes.

I believe that blogging has had a huge effect on journalism. It is the new electronic version of people’s opinions. Virtually anyone can create a blog and discuss issues, which are important to them. Blogging has allowed people to publish their feelings and options about issues and share them with others who share those thoughts. Journalism is not limited to just a select amount of magazines or books anymore. By using blogs people can relate to others on issues that are not normally publicized or in the public eye. It offers a great way to express yourself and get responds from others. When researching blogs I came across everything from lonely housewives in North Dakota to pro-athletes training for events. There is such a wide variety of blogs that almost anyone can find one to relate to.

Through the process of this project, my eyes were opened to several new concepts. At first I did not realize the vast range of bloggers and the diversity among them. I figured people who have blogs were normally younger and using it as a personal journal. I did not realize that people could subscribe to blogs and the huge amount of blogs out there. When researching Module 4 of this project I came across a woman’s blog (http://www.30andboring.com/) who is thirty years old and bored with her life. Reading her personal journal was weird but nice in the same way. I couldn’t believe how open people were on the internet and so willing to share their personal lives with anyone who is willing to listen. Another interesting blog I found was http://www.rockslayer.com/. In this blog my friend Greg Kerstien talks about his thoughts about life and offers beautiful artwork on his page. It is truly amazing to see the way his mind works and to step into another person’s world. Looking at all these different blogs definitely made me feel like I knew these people.

I think that blogging has a big future. It has already allowed so many different types of people to share their thoughts on the web and allow others into their lives. Although blogging may become more popular, I do not think it will replace other forms of communication. With the way technology is moving today, I do not doubt to see blogs available on cell phones, at least those who don’t already have the internet.

Blogging has had a great impact on journalism. It has opened the eyes of many people who did not realize there were other options besides magazines and newspapers. I believe that more people will create blogs in the future and use them to discuss daily issues. There are already so many political blogs that are up to date with current events so there is no telling how many more there will be out there.

Project 1 Module 5
T. Driggs
My Blogging Experience- paragraph format

losaida.livejournal.com


Blogging has not significantly impacted the print journalism industry. Sites that are dedicated to blogging such as www.livejournal.com, www.blogspot.com, and www.myspace.com serve as portals for a large myriad of services and products. They do not feature print industry merchandise as the driving force behind them. Promoting sales for Books and other related goods simply play a fraction of the entire possibilities available in such sites. Other Blogs hosted by authors themselves such as novelist Jennifer Weiner’s at http://jenniferweiner.blogspot.com/ are simply supplemental to the existing information posted on her website at www.jenniferweiner.com and give a personal touch. Are Blogs playing a small part in the print industry? Yes. Are they significantly impacting the print journalism industry? No.

What I have found that has been eye-opening and has made me think differently about blogging in general, is the variety of backgrounds, ages, and interests of bloggers. I admit, I had ignorantly assumed that the vast majority of bloggers were teenagers with disposable income and disposable time, blogging away just to express themselves or to make new friends and “hook-up”. I shrugged Blogs off the same way I still shrug most chat rooms off…feeling they didn’t have much substance to offer. One example of a portal with an intelligent Blog is found at CBS News’ website at http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/pu… . Another fascinating Blog portal co-founded and edited by pundit Ariana Huffington at www.huffingtonpost.com is also a cornucopia of educated entries about politics and much more. Blogs are not just for teenagers, this is what I have learned.


So what does the future hold for the Blogosphere? Considering there are only three directions it can go (backward, stagnant, or forward), it is most likely that we have already come near if not are already at the heyday of the Blog. Although there are thousands of Blogs designed specifically for Informational or Professional purposes, the majority of existing Blogs are dominated by regular folks keeping a log for mostly personal or social purposes. Many times Blogs are neglected or sporadically maintained after the initial interest has worn down by the creator. An example of this neglect can be observed at Westin’s Technical Log at weblogs.asp.net/wkriebel/ . It is quite likely that new Blog portals will continue to emerge and digital devices such as cell phones may adopt Blogging as yet another menu option on the screen display, but it is unlikely that Blogs will gain significantly more hype than it already has. As aforementioned, the most popular Blog sites reach audiences under 30. It seems that an overwhelming amount of Blogs will continue to attract tween, teenagers, and college-age students, while some growth in Blogs for older audiences might increase at a modest pace as well.

Blogging in journalism has emerged as a natural byproduct of the Information Age. Just as most newspapers and magazines have websites on the internet which play a supplemental role in their evolution, Blogs too, are playing a small supplemental role in the sites that are directly related to the print industry. Blogs oftentimes are there if you want them, and some people are genuinely interested, but not enough to declare that they have significantly impacted the industry.

Project 1 Module 5 (of 5)
By: Jessica L. Clark
Question-By-Question Format

1.) Your final position on blogging and its effects on journalism. Please cite at least two supporting elements/reasons to support your final position, either using your previous information from previous blog posts, or from any other blog posts posted by other students in the class.

My final position on blogging and how it relates to journalism is that I find it to be more personal then published articles in newspapers and magazines. There are a few reasons why I think they are more personal. The first reason is that the blogs are coming directly from the known source. The second reason is that blogs are more free formed and uncensored. The third reason is that you can connect with the blogger by posting comments, communicating and can even form a relationship with the writer. While in magazines and other publications you can write letters to the editor, nothing is like real time blogging and commenting.

One example I am pulling from one of my previous posts is the link to director Zach Braff’s blog (http://www2.foxsearchlight.com/gar…). Reading his blog is unlike reading an interview in a magazine because you feel more connected with him in his own journal. As soon as he posts you can ask him questions and comment on his entry. You can learn what he does as a writer and a director in a more personal way. He is also freer to be himself then in a magazine. What he says will not get hacked to pieces and is coming straight from the source.

Another example would be "John Broskie's Guide to Tube Circuit Analysis & Design" (http://tubecad.com/). This is a great example of people coming together and learning off each other in a way that would be impossible in other publications like magazines and newspapers.

2.) Cite two examples from our blogging (all posts) that were particular eye opening discoveries, that made you think about blogging differently from your position (these are noteworthy references from either your own blog entries, or from your fellow students); these can be either from your own blog entries or from anyone else in the class.

The first link/example that was eye catching to me was http://www.bonjour-america.com/ - it reminds me of light (none serious) blogging. It was more refreshing then eye opening. We have been really looking at news blogs and political blogs and this is a change. Even “Vanity Blogs” can get serious.

I also liked http://www.silentbobspeaks.com/ because I love hearing about what my favorite directors are up to and I was happy to see how open Kevin Smith is with his fans.

The posts about tracking visitors from around the county that visit different blogs was interesting. Who would have known that there would be so many people from so many countries visiting no name blogs on random topics.

Other then that I would have to say that the posted links and examples were not so much eye opening for me, as assuring. I was already aware of the topics brought up and discussed and the types of blogs that existed. Nothing was really that new or shocking to me.

3.) Give a brief detailed statement about where you feel blogging is headed in the future. Will blogging replace other forms of communication via technology? Will blogging be fused with existing communication technologies (i.e. cell phones)? What key demographics (groups of individuals) will most use blogging?

Blogging has the potential to expand to a sickening extent. I can see it being everywhere tracking everything we do and giving no one privacy. I can see it being used for crimes and in negative ways. When society over doses on technology, sometimes it backfires on them. It’s really funny because I myself have a personal LiveJournal and sometimes feel pressure to blog. It’s important to notice when we feel like we *have* to do something.

I do see blogging getting bigger in the future and I see the ability to blog from anywhere. Your car, your cell phone, etc. In fact, you already can! I think all demographics that are able to blog – will blog.

4.) How do you feel journalism will be impacted by blogging and other types of journaling technologies.

I can see it staying the same. I think there will always be people that prefer paper in their hands over the bright glow of a computer screen. I think it is good for us to have a mix of everything.

I also think that blogging could be good for business. It might leak over to the business world. Staff meetings on LJ, who knows.

It may end up replacing some forms of media, but nothing that will impact journalism so much that it would tip/end/kill it. I don’t foresee anything to drastic.

Link to this post in my personal journal: http://dementedreality.livejournal…

In this final module for Project 1, you will complete a 1-page write-up of your blogging experience. Please follow the same format for posting in your blog and the community blog, and in your write-up, please address the following topics:

1.) Your final position on blogging and its effects on journalism. Please cite at least two supporting elements/reasons to support your final position, either using your previous information from previous blog posts, or from any other blog posts posted by other students in the class.

2.) Cite two examples from our blogging (all posts) that were particular eye opening discoveries, that made you think about blogging differently from your position (these are noteworthy references from either your own blog entries, or from your fellow students); these can be either from your own blog entries or from anyone else in the class.

3.) Give a brief detailed statement about where you feel blogging is headed in the future. Will blogging replace other forms of communication via technology? Will blogging be fused with existing communication technologies (i.e. cell phones)? What key demographics (groups of individuals) will most use blogging?

4.) How do you feel journalism will be impacted by blogging and other types of journaling technologies.

All of these points can be answered by paragraph, or by question (your choice).

To complete this assignment, do the following:

PART ONE: Post your write up in TWO PLACES:

1.) In the Community Blog

2.) In your personal Blog

PART TWO: Respond/Comment on at least THREE of your colleagues posts.

This assignment should be completed no later than Monday, MAY 15TH, by 10pm, for Full Credit (3 points). Posts made after this deadline will be downgraded accordingly.

Good luck and I look forward to reading your blogs! -Jon

this is only a test

http://aklinker.livejournal.com/

Type A - "Vanity Blogs"
http://nombles.blogspot.com/
This blog is entitled "All you need...", and is a blog written by Kristine from Camarillo, California.
Her current blog entry is all about her upcoming honeymoon and her plans to switch from Hawaii to Lake Tahoe do to a "gross" sewage issue. Her blog accomplishes exactly what she set out to have it accomplish in that it is all about her and her wedding. Unless you are related directly to her or her friend, its rather boring. There is no real credibility to this blog as it is full of her personal thoughts and opinions only and not based upon any fact gathering she may have done or sources she may be quoting.

Type B - "E-Zine"
http://www.preyinglizardmusic.com/
This is an idie music web site. This site details indie rock music musicians and offers information related to Pirate Radio. I found this site interesting as it is worldwide with interviews of artists from countries such as Australia and India. I do believe that there is some credibility to this web site due to the fact that the information be related can be easily verified (cd's, songs, artists, titles) and that the interviews are done with the artists themselves, very much like its print counterpart "Rolling Stone Magazine". However it is an entertainment based E-Zine and magazines of this type tend to sensationalize.

Type C - "News Blogs"
http://justworldnews.org/
This blog is entitled "Just World News by Helena Cobban".
Helena Cobban's blog is written from her personal point of view based on news of the day. She is a columnist, researcher and writer of global affairs according to her WHO listing in her blog. She is very knowledgeable and goes on and on about every minute detail regarding the subject she is writing about. Cobban provides links throughout her blog to other credible news sources lending credibility to her blog. However it seems that her blog is more about her personal opinion rather than just about reporting the news. She makes it look good and you could read her blog and believe that everything she posts there is the truth, which to some extent it is, however its still her opinion and only her side of the story. Her links lend credibility to her blog, but it is one sided and biased.

Type D - "Info Blogs"
http://marktsinfoblog.blogspot.com/
This blog is entitled "Mark T's Information Blog", and though the name says "information", this blog seems like his ramblings about his own opinions on current technology, writing and many other things. I was not impressed with the content and thought that it would be more technical with lots of links to other pages that would support his reviews of products and services. I do not give this blog much credibility, though maybe its because what he write about is boring to me and I don't have any desire to verify his information.

Type E - "Opinion/Editorial Blogs"
http://www.ediblog.com/
This is Ediblog, a collection of editorial blogs. Editorials are basically the expression of a personal opinion, or the opinion of the editor or publisher of a magazine or newspaper. While the editorials were interesting to read, and several I found my self agreeing with, I would not give credibility to this website either as all we are reading in the opinion of the writer basic on his or her perception of the facts that they have been exposed to.

STEP 3.) Please list three elements/values of credible reporting, and explain IN YOUR OWN WORDS what each of these three elements means to you as a viewer

1 - I believe that accuracy is an important to a blog having credibility. Accuracy starts with things as basic as typing errors. If I were to open a blog and see a rant about Presidant Busch, I would be suspect from the beginning. It is important to have accuracy in typing, fact stating and in providing links to support you information. Broken or inactive links, misspellings and sloppy content definitely distracts from credibility.

2 - Keeping up on current information is another important part of credibility in blogging. Blogs that talk about a subject and then never revisit it to update based on current events or changes in information, again distract from credibility. It give the impression that if the blogger is not interested in the subject enough to come back and provide an update on the situation, that maybe the blogger was to lazy to verify their information in the first place.

3 - Not being biased is equally as important if you want your blog to be credible. Taking one side over the other and setting up your opinion as fact is more editorial and less credible. Credibility is factual, not opinion based.

For this particular portion of the project I would say that my research supports my thesis on a scale of 4 out of 5. While I can see that not all blogging is "credible", not all print and television reporting is credible either.

TYPE A.) “Vanity Blogs”
http://www.bonjour-america.com/
Bonjour America features a Frenchman with the alias of Vinvin who regularly posts video blogs of his many encounters with American culture. They include his commentary and views on his experience, and concluding opinions about America--it's quite humorous. Quite appropriately, this type of blog does not usually require the author to be completely factual or politically correct, so naturally he does not have any cited sources. It is all based on his opinion, so not much credibility is expected other than his genuine perception of things.

TYPE B .) “E-zines”
http://www.egotastic.com/
Egtastic is your standard online version of a Hollywood tabloid. Here viewers can find all of the latest news and gossip about celebrities, very much like entertainment magazines. It lacks a certain amount of credibility because many of the updates begin with "our sources tell us..." which is hardly convincing.

TYPE C.) “News Blogs"
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/
Ironically this is a site called "News Blog," a UK hosted daily news website about world events. Its got a very wide range of covered topics and has a very broad appeal--very informative. The blog contains credibility because it shares the same news articles with other known news reporters. It is not exclusive information, but that which is readily available to the public elsewhere.

TYPE D.) “Info Blogs”
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/techno…
Here is the technological branch of the same UK host--it has a large span of technology-specific articles that are updated several times a day. It contains a considerable amount of credibility because it actually links all of its sources, which are more than often other reputable websites.

TYPE E.) “Opinion/Editorial Blogs”
http://corner.nationalreview.com/
The National Review is an award winning blog that frequently produces political rants from various authors. It contains very loose commentary about an array of political horizons, all entwined in personal opinion and the occassional sarcasm. It presents the facts in such a way that appears credible, linking the sources from which they have gathered the material to rant about. Although, their actual commentary does not necessarily require much validy since it is classified as a rant, afterall.


Please list three elements/values of credible reporting, and explain IN YOUR OWN WORDS what each of these three elements means to you as a viewer.

1) The first and foremost element of credible reporting that I look for as a reader is none other than specifically indicated sources. Without them, the credibility of any blog can be easily questioned. This is most vital to news blogs because the public relies on their content to be accurate. It is also imperative that these sources are known and reputable to further convince audiences that the topics are factual and verfiable.
2) As a user of the internet, I also value well-informed blogs that are confident and knowledgable about their content. It is always assuring to know that a blog seems to know what its talking about; with accurate and consistent information. Additional research on the blogger's part is especially useful for blogs that report any type of information that isn't personal or subjective.
3) Relevant and news-worthy information is also an important element to credible reporting; blogs that rarely have well-presented news to report might be less likely to attract visitors, or maintain the loyalty of its existing readers. For this reason, it is essential that blogs are prepared to report what will most intrigue its viewers. Credibility is rather dependent on reputation as well.

Finally, rate YOUR Blog post, according to your feeling of its effectiveness in defending your thesis statement for the project.
Although I feel that some good examples of different blogs were provided, a few of them lacked a considerable amount of credibility, which is evidence against my original thesis of blogs having an impact on the printing industry. This does not, however, change my thesis. I rate my research as a 3.