Blog Readership

An article that I read in the Daily Texan caught my eye a couple of weeks ago as it talked about blogger readership and it's popularity. Apparently according to a Gallup Poll that tracked blog readership from February 2005- December 2005, only 9 percent of internet users frequently read blogs. Sixty-six percent of internet users never read them. I found this a bit interstesting, considering the discussions that we've had in class which prove that blog participation and readership have grown. I believe it has, but it is probably slow integrating. As it is a relatively new medium, I believe blogging is something that is and will take time to fully integrate. At what speed? I am not certain. This does however, once again reinforce the fact that mainstream media such as broadcast and print media, will not be going anywhere soon , or ever.
So a question I have is why is readership in reality quite low? What draws internet users to blogs and what should bloggers do to attract larger audiences? I know personally, before I took this class, I knew vaguely what blogging was all about. I realize that it's an important medium, but also a very gradual medium.

Technorati tag: Daily Texan + Blogging

Mardi Gras after Katrina

Six months after the destruction of Katrina, New Orleans still finds itself in the spirit of celebration. Personally I was surprised that this mega festival was still scheduled to resume and after reading several commentaries about this year's festival, I came to the conclusion that the decision to hold it this year was not a bad idea.
Mardi Gras after all will lend help to the Louisiana economy, as much of Louisiana and other impacted cities are still largely uninhabited due to its reconstruction status. Mardi Gras will help businesses in the area, hotels, restaurants, musicians and much more, with the influx of tourists coming in to spend their money. I do deeply sympathize with all of the people who suffered losses of all kind- after all, it takes more than six months to truly be in a euphoric celebrating mood. It is also really sad that many people are still missing and perhaps will never be found, while thousands are stomping on their grounds celebrating. However, I do think that although this is a difficult situation, dwelling on the past will not necessarily help the city move on. Resuming with the celebration on the contrary is an attempt to keep a part of Louisiana's culture and history, and it would be sad to loose that as well. Of course turnout will more than likely be significantly lower, but at least it's an attempt to slowly rebuild and maintain a part of what Louisiana is and was.

Technorati tag: Mardi Gras+Katrina

Homosexuality… how accepted is it?

I observed an interesting point this weekend regarding homosexuality and its progression in 2006. While it has come some way in this century, it is still an extremely taboo and extremely controversial issue. It is surprising to me because I have always been around an accepting homosexual environment, so it really puzzles me that people can have such staunch un-accepting perspective towards it. The fact that it has played an important role in elections also highlights my point. In Texas, it was probably the main issue in the legislative government. In 2004, it was also probably one of the main platform topics. Everyday it also seems like another state is attempting to outlaw gay marriage in their constitution. Personally, my question is, how does a homosexual’s life really impact or involve opponents? How does it affect their lives negatively? If anything, homosexuals might get a few benefits if gay marriage were allowed; furthermore, heterosexual marriage has an extremely high divorce rate, so what is this paradox of gay marriage ruining heterosexual marriage? It is interesting to me that what seems like a trivial social issue to me, is more pressing in people’s lives in comparison to taxes, education, medical insurance, etc… If anyone has a response or opinion to any of my questions, I would love to hear your justifications, I want to understand the other side of the story better.

Valuable contribution...at times

We’ve been discussing citizen journalism and its credibility the last couple of weeks. Harbinger’s article on http://www.journalism.co.za/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=3549 brings up again another interesting point and further raises concerns about this new medium. I have come to agree that citizens play an important contribution to mainstream journalism. Their first account stories and priceless pictures only add value to the story. Nonetheless, I still have several concerns. Fact checking every story could grow to be a challenge, thus disseminating incorrect information. The addition of blogs on credible news outlets however could perhaps be more trusting. I do think it is important for people to remember that not every things out there is a fact or credible. Furthermore, the web also presents an opportunity for political propaganda. Take the wikipedia filtering for example. How do you make sure politicians using their status as citizens and not government officials could use blogs to skew information? Furthermore, digital divide is and will continue to be a problem. So only a limited portion of the population can really have access to this type of news. In conclusion, I think blogging is an important contribution at certain times, but like everything else, blogging has a lot to work on if it wants to be a successful source.

Low Brow Television

Television does not cease to impress me. And not in a good way. The anticipated Grammys were held this past week and of course it’s hard not to hear some of the buzz surrounding it. More surprising was the fact that apparently American Idol out-rated the Grammys this year. I did not watch either but I find it really surprising that yet another show that claims to be a sort of entertainment reality show is still doing so well. The show is completely scripted, debunking the “reality” that it has to it, and it’s not hard to see that Simon Cowell’s notorious comments are scripted for entertainment purposes. I have to admit that I watched the first season, but after I don’t know how many seasons now, I personally think it gets kind of monotonous and boring. Apparently my opinion does not seem to be part of the majority.

Citizen Journalism?

Citizen journalism sites? After reading Stephen Bryan’t commentary http://www.ojr.org/ojr/stories/060209bryant/ about journalism 2.0 and the new revolution of ordinary citizens publishing their stories on the web on user edited sites, I was a bit astonished, appalled and scared. Although Dan Gillmor lectures on the importance of this new medium, as I guess you could call it, I still adamantly believe that traditional news media outlets, for the sake of news integrity, are more important than ever. How is it that everybody and anybody can be called a journalist simply because of their additions to the world wide web? As a journalism student, I am a bit insulted. I do agree that citizens have important contributions, but not everyone and everything can be trusted now a days. Who is a regular joe schmoe accountable to? How do we know that their sources are credible and that in fact everything in their report is factual and not a farce or a hoax? Furthermore, a citizen’s account is less likely to follow the principles of journalism and contain a balanced story. Bryant does point out that this new medium is not as prominent as Gillmor thought it out to be, and I have to say I believe that is for a reason. People need credible news sources to give them a complete, accurate end of the story. Furthermore, I believe traditional media outlets have to work harder than ever to maintain reliability with the public by relaying a good product.

Hamas Victory

I was wondering the other day as news about the Hamas vistory is still a main story in the media, whether the US simply wants absolutely everything to go their way in the Middle East? For logical reasons, I think the government does have a right to support whoever they think is the best governing body, but I also have to wonder what they will do with every governing body that they dislike or disagree with. Condaleeza Rice time and again says that the US will cut all financial and political support of the country unless the governmental choice is reevaluated. I wonder what is going to happen if Hamas does not step down.

Broadcast News & Blogging

Jeff Jarvis’ commentary about the state of the media brings an interesting point across in his "Behind the Cameras" blog http://www.buzzmachine.com/. Jarvis reflects on the state of the media after the CBS Evening News interviewed him for a story on that precise topic. I do agree on the fact that news may not always be finished when we print it, sometimes it is an ongoing story, but just like articles online can update new information, a newscast can also do a follow up story. As for his comments about broll being shallow, it is necessary to show relevant pictures with a story in broadcast! Otherwise, it would be really boring to watch a five minute interview of two people talking (for all stories that is). People want to see relevant footage, they want to see some activity going on.
Furthermore, I do agree with Jarvis that broadcast news could be "value-added to the web" and that you can't simply compile all the information needed in a two minute report all of the time, but my main problem with this, which I think Mr. Jarvis is forgetting, is that NOT ALL people have a computer or access to the internet at all times! People who do, are able to surf blogs all day, but what about the other portion of America and furthermore the world who don't have a computer?? Are they just out of luck because they can't afford these amenities? I think the internet is a fabulous tool, but I do also think that broadcast still serves a very valuable purpose.

UPDATE
Technorati tag: Online+ Journalism

Political Aftermath

Hurricane Katrina has come and gone and some of the uproar has died down. I am wondering hoewever, what the reconstruction of Louisiana is going to reap. Will the crime trends and rate (as well as the corrupt police department) be improved? Another grander question I have is whether our administration will finally pay more attention to the environment and global issues which have been crying out for help and have constantly been ignored for the advancement of profit instead. I will try to analyze and answer some of these questions in future postings.

Why We Need the Media

Dan Gillmor's "Blogosphere," http://bayosphere.com/blog/dangillmor brings up a very important point. In an age where journalism is facing credibility issues and reputation is being questioned, it is critical to remember that the media is the watchdog to government and powerful institutions. Like Gillmor says, it is a shame that the values of journalism should have to be compromised due to the outside influences it affects: investors. It is reasons like this that television has saturated the public with low brow programming (i.e tons of reality shows, artist reality shows- which only contributes to their bank accounts and viability), and perhaps even the sensationalist change in mainstream media outlets. Unfortunately the founding points of journalism are slowly being reduced, I would really hate to see it reduced to a mockery.