A brief overview of the Australian Political Blogosphere

1. Let me get this off my chest. The Australian Blogosphere The Australian Blogosphere The Australian Blogosphere

2. My Favourite Blog

3. Mapping the Australian Political Blogosphere Axel Bruns and Debra Adams Published: 2009 Written: 2007

4. Political Context - John Howard’s conservative government in power since 1996 - Widespread disaffection with Work Choices - Growing skepticism over Iraq war, relationship with Bush’s America, and our participation in the Coalition of the Willing

5. Technological Context - Australian internet accessibility has ‘historically lagged behind a number of its counterparts’ - Comparatively high-cost of broadband - Limited access affects participatory online culture

6. Context Bruns and Adams conclude that the Australian political blogosphere possesses ‘an overrepresentation of relatively affluent and better-educated participants, and especially perhaps of white-collar workers and tertiary students [with a] significant leftist leaning...’

7. Findings - Left wing inclination and strong polarisation - Small number of core clusters - Mainstream media catalyse, but don’t participate - Limited references to outside sources - News media and politicians can participate

8. Findings - Left wing inclination and strong polarisation - Small number of core clusters - Mainstream media catalyse, but don’t participate - Limited references to outside sources - News media and politicians can participate

9. Mainstream Media ‘Blogs’ - Mainstream media offer ‘pundit bloggers’ - Focussed on providing discussion of on-site issues, with on-site community - Not aimed at linking new readers to alternative news sites, and commentaries. - Link out less frequently and pay little attention to the linking networks - Ultimately a ‘safe place’ interactive comments for those who do not dare dive into the world of uncontrolled blogs

10. Limited External References - Australian political blogs do not frequently link to external sources of information, unless it is early on in a trending topic. - Bloggers may see little reason in identifying their already implicit allegiances, and opposition. - Bloggers may assume that their audience are familiar with the issue, and want to discuss its impacts, or nuances. - Blogs as a discursive activity that complements mainstream journalism, rather than replacing it.

11. Big Blogs - Australian Democrats Senator Andrew Bartlett - Bartlett's Blo g - Tim Dunlop on news.com.au - Blogocrac y

12. Big Blogs since 2007 - Australian Democrats Senator Andrew Bartlett - Bartlett's Blo g - Tim Dunlop on news.com.au - Blogocrac y - Andrew Bolt on heraldsun.com.au - Bolt's Blo g

13. Andrew Bolt - As a conservative, Bolt fuels the Australian left-leaning Blogosphere - Pure Poiso n - Crike y - Bolt Watc h - Blair/Bolt Watc h

14. What about the Mainstream? - Since 2007, have mainstream media outlets embraced both the ‘pundit’ and ‘traditional’ bloggers? - News Limite d - Fairfa x - Fairfax Opinion Blog s

15. War on Blogs - News Limited Editoria l - Summar y

16. Death of the independent Australian Political Blogosphere? - Lost Blogocracy in 2008 - Lost Reasons You Will Hate Me in 2008

17. The Fightback - Domai n

18. Bibliography - Bartlett, A. Andrew Bartlett’s Blog . http://andrewbartlett.co m / - Bolt, A. Andrew Bolt Blog . http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt / - Bruns, A. and Adams, D. 2009. ‘Mapping the Australian Political Blogosphere’ in A. Russell and N. Echaibi (eds) International Blogging: Identity, Politics and Networked Publics . New York: Peter Lang Publishing Group, pp.85-109. - Dunlop, T. Blogocracy. http://blogs.news.com.au/news/blogocracy/ - Hardy, M. Reasons You Will Hate Me. http://reasonsyouwillhateme.co m / - The Domain. http://domain.nationalforum.com.au / - The Editor , ‘History a Better Guide than Bias.’ The Australian. 2007