Role of blogs University of North Texas Department of Journalism Online Journalism 3340 Sept. 15, 2009

Today’s class Tool of the day Blogging Post Due Thursday

Tool of the day

Blogging

Post Due Thursday

What is a blog? A Blog (a contraction of the term "Web log") is a Web site, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. Source: http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/

A Blog (a contraction of the term "Web log") is a Web site, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order.

What is a blog? Cont. The Blogosphere is the collective community of all blogs. Since all blogs are on the Internet by definition, they may be seen as interconnected and socially networked. Discussions "in the Blogosphere" have been used by the media as a gauge of public opinion on various issues. Source: http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/

The Blogosphere is the collective community of all blogs.

Since all blogs are on the Internet by definition, they may be seen as interconnected and socially networked.

Discussions "in the Blogosphere" have been used by the media as a gauge of public opinion on various issues.

Blogs defined… Blurring lines between what is a blog and what is a mainstream media site become less clear. Larger blogs are taking on more characteristics of mainstream sites and mainstream sites are incorporating styles and formats from the Blogosphere. In fact, 95% of the top 100 US newspapers have reporter blogs (see The Bivings Group). Source: http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/

Blurring lines between what is a blog and what is a mainstream media site become less clear.

Larger blogs are taking on more characteristics of mainstream sites and mainstream sites are incorporating styles and formats from the Blogosphere.

In fact, 95% of the top 100 US newspapers have reporter blogs (see The Bivings Group).

Source: http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/

What is blogging? A truly global phenomenon: Technorati tracked blogs in 81 languages in June 2008, and bloggers responded to our survey from 66 countries across six continents. Integral part of the internet Bloggers have been at it an average of three years and are collectively creating close to one million posts every day. Blogs have representation in top-10 web site lists across all key categories, and have become integral to the media ecosystem.

A truly global phenomenon: Technorati tracked blogs in 81 languages in June 2008, and bloggers responded to our survey from 66 countries across six continents.

Integral part of the internet

Bloggers have been at it an average of three years and are collectively creating close to one million posts every day. Blogs have representation in top-10 web site lists across all key categories, and have become integral to the media ecosystem.

Who’s blogging? Not a homogenous group: Personal, professional, and corporate bloggers all have differing goals and cover an average of five topics within each blog. Savvy and sophisticated: On average, bloggers use five different techniques to drive traffic to their blog. They’re using an average of seven publishing tools on their blog and four distinct metrics for measuring success. Intensifying their efforts based on positive feedback: Blogging is having an incredibly positive impact on their lives, with bloggers receiving speaking or publishing opportunities, career advancement, and personal satisfaction.

Not a homogenous group: Personal, professional, and corporate bloggers all have differing goals and cover an average of five topics within each blog.

Savvy and sophisticated: On average, bloggers use five different techniques to drive traffic to their blog. They’re using an average of seven publishing tools on their blog and four distinct metrics for measuring success.

Intensifying their efforts based on positive feedback: Blogging is having an incredibly positive impact on their lives, with bloggers receiving speaking or publishing opportunities, career advancement, and personal satisfaction.

Source: http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/who-are-the-bloggers/

Source: http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/who-are-the-bloggers/

Source: http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/who-are-the-bloggers/

Future of blogs “ The future of blogs will have arrived when you check your favorite blog for sports news in the morning, instead of your local paper.” Richard MacManus, Founder / Editor, ReadWriteWeb, www.readwriteweb.com

“ The future of blogs will have arrived when you check your favorite blog for sports news in the morning, instead of your local paper.”

Richard MacManus, Founder / Editor, ReadWriteWeb, www.readwriteweb.com

Journalists & Blogs ‘ I was surprised at just how much these journalists felt their work had been changed by the simple act of blogging.’ Paul Bradshaw, When Journalists Blog: How It Changes What They Do, Nieman Reports, Winter 2008 ( http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reportsitem.aspx?id=100696 )

‘ I was surprised at just how much these journalists felt their work had been changed by the simple act of blogging.’

Paul Bradshaw, When Journalists Blog: How It Changes What They Do, Nieman Reports, Winter 2008 ( http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reportsitem.aspx?id=100696 )

How blogging makes a difference “ Cutting out the middleman” No guessing on who the readers are: They’re reading the reporters’ blogs Sources are going directly to reporters Diminished role of public relations professionals Blogs generating story leads Creating a greater variety of sources Fueling debate on hot stories Readers as integral parts of the story development

“ Cutting out the middleman”

No guessing on who the readers are:

They’re reading the reporters’ blogs

Sources are going directly to reporters

Diminished role of public relations professionals

Blogs generating story leads

Creating a greater variety of sources

Fueling debate on hot stories

Readers as integral parts of the story development

How blogging makes a difference Blogs generating story leads Creating a greater variety of sources Fueling debate on hot stories Readers as integral parts of the story development “ Putting a call out” for information Reporting a “two-way, on-going” process Collaboration/crowdsourcing Ability to gather more information than you need

Blogs generating story leads

Creating a greater variety of sources

Fueling debate on hot stories

Readers as integral parts of the story development

“ Putting a call out” for information

Reporting a “two-way, on-going” process

Collaboration/crowdsourcing

Ability to gather more information than you need

“ On hot-button stories where our readers are asking a lot of questions, we post updates every time we make a phone call. For example, [a company] declared bankruptcy and the new owner wouldn’t take the previous owner’s gift cards. “ Our readers were peeved and hounding us to do something. The corporate folks weren’t saying anything so we didn’t have any new information to report. Because we didn’t have any new info, we didn’t write anything in the paper. “ But on our blog, we would post updates at least daily to tell people when we left a message and if we had heard back yet. We eventually scored an interview with the new CEO and posted it in its entirety on our site. “ Another reporter saw it and called us. We swapped info. Our readers also post links to other stories on the topic from other news orgs.” (Respondent 63, US, newspapers)

“ On hot-button stories where our readers are asking a lot of questions, we post updates every time we make a phone call. For example, [a company] declared bankruptcy and the new owner wouldn’t take the previous owner’s gift cards.

“ Our readers were peeved and hounding us to do something. The corporate folks weren’t saying anything so we didn’t have any new information to report. Because we didn’t have any new info, we didn’t write anything in the paper.

“ But on our blog, we would post updates at least daily to tell people when we left a message and if we had heard back yet. We eventually scored an interview with the new CEO and posted it in its entirety on our site.

“ Another reporter saw it and called us. We swapped info. Our readers also post links to other stories on the topic from other news orgs.” (Respondent 63, US, newspapers)

How blogging makes a difference cont. More stories, quicker “ Speed, depth, informality” (Matheson, 2004) Ability to post shorter stories as the story is evolving – why wait for a “deadline”? Aggressive coverage of a story while integrating relevant links: “ Covering what you do best and linking to the rest,” Jeff Jarvis, BuzzMachine.com Stories have more legs, more voices Stories as conversations

More stories, quicker

“ Speed, depth, informality” (Matheson, 2004)

Ability to post shorter stories as the story is evolving – why wait for a “deadline”?

Aggressive coverage of a story while integrating relevant links:

“ Covering what you do best and linking to the rest,” Jeff Jarvis, BuzzMachine.com

Stories have more legs, more voices

Stories as conversations

How blogging makes a difference cont. Source: http://onlinejournalismblog.com/2008/10/15/blogging-journalists-pt2-blogs-and-news-ideas-the-canary-in-the-mine/

How blogging makes a difference cont. Stories just don’t die No limitations due to space, deadlines No constraints on distribution “ Everybody is a paperboy/girl.” (Bradshaw, 2008) No more “file and forget” Once published, there are comments Follow up, new leads, new information Add, correct information Source: http://onlinejournalismblog.com/2008/10/15/blogging-journalists-pt2-blogs-and-news-ideas-the-canary-in-the-mine/

Stories just don’t die

No limitations due to space, deadlines

No constraints on distribution

“ Everybody is a paperboy/girl.” (Bradshaw, 2008)

No more “file and forget”

Once published, there are comments

Follow up, new leads, new information

Add, correct information

Changing relationships with audience

What’s this mean? Audience becomes more familiar with reporter Journalists feel: More accountable More exposed More obliged to interact, respond, talk to audience: No more hiding for fear of being called out

Audience becomes more familiar with reporter

Journalists feel:

More accountable

More exposed

More obliged to interact, respond, talk to audience: No more hiding for fear of being called out

Overall impact blogs & journalism Hugely positive Increased SEO: Search engine optimization Increased site traffic Greater interaction with audience

Hugely positive

Increased SEO: Search engine optimization

Increased site traffic

Greater interaction with audience

Key Terms Permalink A direct link to your post Trackback/Pingback Allows bloggers to follow you Attracts spam Vlog: video blog

Permalink

A direct link to your post

Trackback/Pingback

Allows bloggers to follow you

Attracts spam

Vlog: video blog

Making blogs work Link, summarize, analyze Get to the point Be sharp, precise, poignant Write strong, catchy headlines Avoid cutesy Preview, tweak, hook Speak with authority & personality

Link, summarize, analyze

Get to the point

Be sharp, precise, poignant

Write strong, catchy headlines

Avoid cutesy

Preview, tweak, hook

Speak with authority & personality

Attracting viewers Become a student of the subject Read, read, read similar sites Write daily Respond comments Use photos, screenshots

Become a student of the subject

Read, read, read similar sites

Write daily

Respond comments

Use photos, screenshots

Creating Interactivity

Attracting visitors

Generating revenue? Source: http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/blogging-for-profit/

Generating revenue? Source: http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/blogging-for-profit/

How much revenue? Ad Costs? Source: http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/blogging-for-profit/

The Interactive Audience Shorter lines of communication between journalists and audience Traditional Media: Readers v. Non-readers Readers an ‘amorphous mass’ Defined audience – by geography Circulation, ‘signal’

Shorter lines of communication between journalists and audience

Traditional Media:

Readers v. Non-readers

Readers an ‘amorphous mass’

Defined audience – by geography

Circulation, ‘signal’

The Interactive Audience Now: Individual, personalized, direct Email addresses for reporters Tracking readers: Story by story Top Down Editors to Readers Readers in Control Audience Participation

Now:

Individual, personalized, direct

Email addresses for reporters

Tracking readers: Story by story

Participatory journalism - “We Media” http://www.hypergene.net/wemedia/weblog.php?id=P36