Links for today: Australian blogosphere and blogging

Dr Axel Bruns is one of the leading academics on blogging in Australia. More than several days ago, he blogged some answers to questions about the Australian political blogosphere which is well worth a read:

• "...let me start by saying that 'the blog' is simply a media technology (similar to 'the book' or 'the television'), which can be used in any number of different ways. And similar to those other media technologies (where we also don't speak of a 'booksphere' or 'televisionsphere', I've long argued that we're well past the point where to speak of 'blogging' as a unified form makes sense any more..."

• "...it's very clear that there is an Australian academic blogosphere, for example, or an Australian political blogosphere - and we're in the process of doing some in-depth research here at QUT especially into the shape of the political blogosphere in Australia."

And for the researchers among you, an attached discussion paper on a quantitative method for analysing blogs might be of interest.

An aside: While browsing the Collins English Dictionary the other day(!), I noticed that the word 'blogosphere' appears in the back of the 2006 edition under words to be considered for inclusion in future editions. I wonder if it made it in 2007 or 2008?

Blogging and Sources

• The readers' editor of The Guardian considers UK law, protection of sources, journalistic privilege and blogging.

Blogging and Money

• Last week, the BBC's Rory-Cellan Jones asked whether any Brits are making money from blogging. The answer: not many at the moment.