Week 9 Entry: WHAT IS A BLOG

Dictionary.com defines a blog as ‘a web site containing the writer's or group of writers' own experiences, observations, opinions, etc., and often having images and links to other Web sites.’ Basically, a blog allows not only journalists, but anybody, to express their opinions, creations, experiences and beliefs on the online platform, for the world to see. Blogs are not restricted to any specific category or any level of intellect, ranging from fashion to politics, and extreme sports to ‘mummy blogs.’ While the blogging epidemic is taking over the online world and is providing regular people with a voice, blogging is not without its downfalls. The following post will analyse both the pros and cons of the blogging craze and the blogging community.

As mentioned earlier, blogging allows anybody that’s able to use the internet to publish a piece, giving many regular people a voice and many like-minded individuals a refuge as they are now able to visit blogs of those with similar ideas, problems and solutions. There are many other advantages to blogging. Some of these include; the immediacy blogging provides. News is published as it happens and not restricted by the formalities of proper news networks. Blogging also means news can now come from a variety of sources and first hand witnesses in a variety of locations.

There are several disadvantages to blogging also. As there are no current laws restricting who can and can’t blog, people with out any formal journalistic training are perfectly within their right to publish and comment on any issue. Without any training, appropriateness of stories, reliability of stories and personal investment rather then subjective delivery of stories, all become an issue.

While blogging is obviously a unique platform for many, blogging must be performed with caution. The wide access people now have to the internet means that a blog can be accessed by such a broad audience, whom may be relying upon it as their primary source of news or basis of forming their own views on particular issues. With this in mind, in a sense, bloggers have a responsibility to their readers and need to remain true to their content at all times.

References:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/blog