The basics of blogging

This is interesting.

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.
  

The best media blogs?

Iain Dale has a list of the Top 30 Media Blogs as voted for by 1,100 people. Here is the Top Ten:

1. Spectator Coffee House
2. Ben Brogan
3. Three Line Whip
4. Boulton & Co
5. Nick Robinson
6. Comment Central
7. Paul Linford
8. David Cornock
9. Peter Hitchens
10. Melanie Phillips

Citizen journalism?

Terence Eden uses Qik, a video-streaming website, to film being stopped and searched under the Terrorism Act at Waterloo station. He has a blog post about his film here.

Picked up via Joanna Geary.

Links for today: Media

• 'Mission to Explain': Sounding a little bit like John Birt and Peter Jay in the 1970s, Jay Rosen reckons that journalists should make explanation, rather than information their number one priority.

• Jeff Jarvis wonders whether editors are a necessary luxury item. He thinks 'yes' but reckons the role of editor will need to change:
  

"There is still a role for editors, but it changes. There is a need to add context and fill holes in understanding - by using links. As we move from an economy of scarcity in media to one of abundance, there is a need to curate: to find the best and brightest from an infinite supply of witnesses, commentators, photographers and experts. As news becomes collaborative, editors will need to assemble networks from among staff and the public; that makes them community organisers. I also believe editors should play educator, helping to improve the work of the network."

• More evidence of bloggers acting as a 'fifth estate'. Here they point out some holes in a story about a 93 year old author. (Though in this case the BBC's Chris Vallance does an equally good job.)

• Paul Bradshaw flags up an article in a book - I know, how quaint - on the way political bloggers 'routinise' their work.
  

Random quote on Journalism 2

"I fixed my twelve pages with a paper clip and balanced their weight in my hand. What I had written wasn't true. It wasn't written in the pursuit of truth, it wasn't science. It was journalism, magazine journalism, whose ultimate standard was readability."

Joe Rose, fictional science journalist
in Ian McEwan's Enduring Love

Cyberwar, blogging and Russo-Georgia War 2008

I've put a post of links on the Frontline Club blog about the conflict between the Russians and the Georgians.

It's hardly the most important news at the present time, given the number of casualties being incurred in the region of South Ossetia, but the Georgians have been setting up Google blogs in an attempt to ward off Russian cyber assaults. More details here.