During the creation of Brewing Media, I encountered several challenges or rather tasks such as coming up with a unique and relevant theme and name to my blog to make my blog stand out from among the millions already on the internet, and to engage readers to continue reading for updates.
I also had to select a layout and template that would be easy to read so as to not disrupt the audience's reading flow. Theories and elements of design were applied to choices of color, typeface and content in order to deliver a concise and reader-friendly blog.
As a blogger, I have acquired skills like searching for relevant articles my readers might find relevant to my blog purpose, and presenting that information in a credible, concise manner. Walsh (2006) says the layout of the home page consists of several framed sections, with links to other pages, which are each designed to engage us. I have learnt to always research information and back it up with sources and links before publishing them as readers can always question one's credibility and look for more information.
Writing for Brewing Media has made me concious of the various issues and developements in the media industries everywhere. A blog is an incredible medium that allows the integration of text, visual and audio, hence creating an engaging source of information and entertainment.
References:
Walsh , M 2006, The Textual Shift: Examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, Vol. 29 February
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Cultural Sensitivities in the Media
The Tamil daily Makkal Osai was suspended last year for publishing an image of Jesus Christ holding a cigarette in one hand and a can of beer in the other on its front-page. The image was accompanied by the caption “If a person repents his mistakes, heaven awaits him.”
The daily's permit was suspended under the Printing Presses and Publications Act in order to 'ensure that newspapers did not publish articles or pictures which could threaten public security, harmony and morality' (The Star 2007)
The backlash was so strong that the Malaysian Indian Congress even lodged a police report against the newspaper.
This is an example of the consequences of touching on cultural sensitivities, especially in a multi-racial community like Malaysia. This also brings into question the freedom of speech issue. Should publications be allowed to print whatever they like?
Salman Rushdie's 'The Satanic Verses' was, in his own words, 'a serious attempt' on satire on Islam, a revelation from the point of a secular person. (The Australian) Within a month of publication, the book had been banned in India, protesters had burned his books, and Iran's spiritual leader issued a fatwa on Rushdie.
Many people and religious organisations could not accept the content in Rushdie's work because they view it as blasphemous, makes indecent remarks about the holy Prophet's wife, and hurts their religious sentiments.(Samuel )
Today's culturally sensitive era has seen speech as a problem because it can offend as well as destroy what little harmony today's society has. Speech, therefore, has to be controlled, or restrained by tradition, especially in a diverse and multicultural society such as Malaysia, with a variety of deeply held views and religious beliefs, and censorship (and self-censorship) has to become the norm. (The Australian)
References:
Makkal Osai suspended, 2007, The Star online, viewed 10 November 2008 http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/8/25/nation/18696017&sec=nation
Malik K 2008, How the West was lost for free speech, The Australian, viewed 10 November 2008 http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,24402637-17062,00.html
Samuel J nd, Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses, IndiaStar, viewed 10 November 2008 http://www.indiastar.com/jsamuel.html
The daily's permit was suspended under the Printing Presses and Publications Act in order to 'ensure that newspapers did not publish articles or pictures which could threaten public security, harmony and morality' (The Star 2007)
The backlash was so strong that the Malaysian Indian Congress even lodged a police report against the newspaper.
This is an example of the consequences of touching on cultural sensitivities, especially in a multi-racial community like Malaysia. This also brings into question the freedom of speech issue. Should publications be allowed to print whatever they like?
Salman Rushdie's 'The Satanic Verses' was, in his own words, 'a serious attempt' on satire on Islam, a revelation from the point of a secular person. (The Australian) Within a month of publication, the book had been banned in India, protesters had burned his books, and Iran's spiritual leader issued a fatwa on Rushdie.
Many people and religious organisations could not accept the content in Rushdie's work because they view it as blasphemous, makes indecent remarks about the holy Prophet's wife, and hurts their religious sentiments.(Samuel )
Today's culturally sensitive era has seen speech as a problem because it can offend as well as destroy what little harmony today's society has. Speech, therefore, has to be controlled, or restrained by tradition, especially in a diverse and multicultural society such as Malaysia, with a variety of deeply held views and religious beliefs, and censorship (and self-censorship) has to become the norm. (The Australian)
References:
Makkal Osai suspended, 2007, The Star online, viewed 10 November 2008 http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/8/25/nation/18696017&sec=nation
Malik K 2008, How the West was lost for free speech, The Australian, viewed 10 November 2008 http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,24402637-17062,00.html
Samuel J nd, Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses, IndiaStar, viewed 10 November 2008 http://www.indiastar.com/jsamuel.html
Television Revolution
TiVo will launch basic food and grocery shopping services over the television by March 2009, enabling Australians to shop with the remote control.
TiVo boss Robbee Minicola said that TiVo users would have access to a range of broadband internet services including grocery and food shopping as well as a catalouge of movies in a collaboration with Seven Media Group.
This new form of interactive television is fast becoming the next breakthrough in interactive technology. Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) is the result of unlimited sourcing of programming from the internet combined with new television sets that allow programming to be streamed to the TV without going through the use of computers.
Paul Colley, technology communications manager of Sony Australia, says that viewers are looking for a different experience through televisions and "don't want to be hunched over a mouse and a keyboard".
Media revolution in televisions that are a firm part of contemporary and modern culture are inevitable, but with these changes bring about other issues such as privacy and blurring lines between program and product.
New technologies in television will soon be able to send out information about what type of ads viewers like or what kind of programs they frequently use, even the way people type on keyboards. In turn, televisions would help advertisers reach their target audiences better with the information they receive.
These new services are certainly an exciting developement in the media industry and will change the way we consume media in the future
References:
Canning S, 2008, Exploring the internet on TV, The Australian , viewed 10 November http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,,24625834-7582,00.html
Interactive TV, 2001, The Media Report, viewed 9 November 2008 http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2001/347477.htm
Sinclair R 2008, TiVo offers TV, movies, games ... and pizzas , The Australian, viewed 10 November 2008 http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,,24591320-7582,00.html
TiVo boss Robbee Minicola said that TiVo users would have access to a range of broadband internet services including grocery and food shopping as well as a catalouge of movies in a collaboration with Seven Media Group.
This new form of interactive television is fast becoming the next breakthrough in interactive technology. Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) is the result of unlimited sourcing of programming from the internet combined with new television sets that allow programming to be streamed to the TV without going through the use of computers.
Paul Colley, technology communications manager of Sony Australia, says that viewers are looking for a different experience through televisions and "don't want to be hunched over a mouse and a keyboard".
Media revolution in televisions that are a firm part of contemporary and modern culture are inevitable, but with these changes bring about other issues such as privacy and blurring lines between program and product.
New technologies in television will soon be able to send out information about what type of ads viewers like or what kind of programs they frequently use, even the way people type on keyboards. In turn, televisions would help advertisers reach their target audiences better with the information they receive.
These new services are certainly an exciting developement in the media industry and will change the way we consume media in the future
References:
Canning S, 2008, Exploring the internet on TV, The Australian , viewed 10 November http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,,24625834-7582,00.html
Interactive TV, 2001, The Media Report, viewed 9 November 2008 http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2001/347477.htm
Sinclair R 2008, TiVo offers TV, movies, games ... and pizzas , The Australian, viewed 10 November 2008 http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,,24591320-7582,00.html
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Photojournalism - The Power of the Photograph
The War Photo Limited Gallery based in Dubrovnik, Croatia, is dedicated exclusively war photography, keeping memories of the city's dark war-raged past alive.
Curator Wade Goddard, says that the gallery allows for a wider perspective of what really happened during the war, and that it offers something unique from the conventional television news segment. He said that the exhibits featuring works from 4 international photographers told a story of the lives of people affected by war.
The above example is an example of the power of the photograph, and its ability to tell a story through a simple picture. Walsh (2006) says that when it comes to images, we do not need to 'decode the words' as we do with text, but instead need to 'break the visual codes' such as color, position, angle and etc. to derive meaning from the overall picture.
Dark hues and colors would suggest a sombre mood as would an intense facial expression from the characters in the image draw in an audience (Walsh 2006).
The medium of photography has been popular for more than a century, and the increasing value of images and their role in telling a tale has never been more important. There have been many iconic photographs which are instantly recognizable as a symbol of an era or event.
Afghan girl (Source: westbynorthwest)
Heizmann S 2007, The power of the photograph, viewed 8 November 2008 http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2007/2051819.htm
Curator Wade Goddard, says that the gallery allows for a wider perspective of what really happened during the war, and that it offers something unique from the conventional television news segment. He said that the exhibits featuring works from 4 international photographers told a story of the lives of people affected by war.
The above example is an example of the power of the photograph, and its ability to tell a story through a simple picture. Walsh (2006) says that when it comes to images, we do not need to 'decode the words' as we do with text, but instead need to 'break the visual codes' such as color, position, angle and etc. to derive meaning from the overall picture.
Dark hues and colors would suggest a sombre mood as would an intense facial expression from the characters in the image draw in an audience (Walsh 2006).
The medium of photography has been popular for more than a century, and the increasing value of images and their role in telling a tale has never been more important. There have been many iconic photographs which are instantly recognizable as a symbol of an era or event.
Afghan girl (Source: westbynorthwest)
This picture, shot by National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry, features Sharbat Gula, then an afghan girl in a refugee camp. McCurry, seized the chance to shoot this rare photograph of an Afghan woman without her face covered.
Kevin Carter's Pulitzer Prize winning photo (Source: neatorama.com)
This photo was taken by Kevin Carter while he was in Sudan. The photo shows a Sudanese girl who collapsed on her way to a feeding centre about a kilometer away, and a vulture standing by in anticipation of its next meal. This photo was used as a metaphor for the country's situation at that time.
Murder of a Vietcong by Saigon Police Chief (Source: Neatorama.com)
Such is the power of the photograph in photojournalism. Check this link out for more on photojournalism : Genius of Photography
Kevin Carter's Pulitzer Prize winning photo (Source: neatorama.com)
This photo was taken by Kevin Carter while he was in Sudan. The photo shows a Sudanese girl who collapsed on her way to a feeding centre about a kilometer away, and a vulture standing by in anticipation of its next meal. This photo was used as a metaphor for the country's situation at that time.
Murder of a Vietcong by Saigon Police Chief (Source: Neatorama.com)
Associated Press photojournalist Eddie Adams who shot the above photograph said "Still photographs are the most powerful weapon in the world." His 1968 photograph of an officer shooting a handcuffed prisoner in the head at point-blank range won him the Pulitzer Prize in 1969. It also resulted in Americans having a distasteful attitude towards the Vietnam war. The general shooting the gun, General Nguyen Ngoc Loan, was also haunted as he was refused treatment, faced a campaign to deport him when he migrated to the US, and his restaurant was shut down as people discovered his identity as the shooter.
Adams apologized for taking the picture, saying "the general killed the Vietcong; I killed the general with my camera."
Adams apologized for taking the picture, saying "the general killed the Vietcong; I killed the general with my camera."
Such is the power of the photograph in photojournalism. Check this link out for more on photojournalism : Genius of Photography
References:
Alex, 2007, 13 Photographs that changed the world, viewed 8 November 2008 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/01/02/13-photographs-that-changed-the-world
Walsh , M 2006, The Textual Shift: Examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, Vol. 29 February
Alex, 2007, 13 Photographs that changed the world, viewed 8 November 2008 http://www.neatorama.com/2007/01/02/13-photographs-that-changed-the-world
Walsh , M 2006, The Textual Shift: Examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, Vol. 29 February
Friday, November 7, 2008
The Music Business & Piracy in the 21st Century
The authorities and industries are no longer sitting idle as digital piracy becomes rampant, and are starting to hit back at those who download copyrighted content illegally. In the UK, the music industry has won a landmark court case against illegal online music sharing. The claimant, BPI, believe that internet music-swapping has led to a decline in sales since 1999.
But some circumstances of the music industry's lawsuits has drawn criticisms. This news article reports on how the lawsuit against a 66-year-old grandmother who was accused of piracy was withdrawn after the Recording Industry of America (RIAA) admitted it may have been a case of mistaken identity.
The UK government is also considering introducing laws that would force internet service providers to disconnect the accounts of pirates (Gray 2008). Numerous file sharing and peer-to-peer (p2p) software tools like Kazaa and Limewire popped up to replace Napster, which was ordered shut down by the US court after a successful lawsuit by the US music industry. New generation p2p software like BitTorrent uses websites that act as indexes for the software, allowing access users to share files and without the legal vulnerability of their predecessors.
With online music sharing becoming a norm, music and recording companies have been hit hard. Gray (2008) says the industry's 2007 sales declined by 35% compared to sales in 2003.
But not all artists are concerned with making a profit as they are concerned about their art. Rap band, Bluejuice, are one of many bands who support the use of p2p software to share music. British band Coldplay, not only gave away a free download of their latest single, but also plan to perform at two concerts for free.
There are other examples of a harmonious system between industries and consumers as well.
Nokia will soon be offering unlimited music downloads on a mobile phone under its Comes With Music brand. This is a deal made between Nokia and the music industry's Universal Music, Sony BMG, EMI and Warner Music.
Napster, once the leader in peer-to-peer sharing programs is now an online service that has around 410,000 subscribers who pay a fee each month for access to a database of songs. This way, the recording industries are able to receive a sum of money for their works and the users are able to enjoy music conveniently and more importantly, legally.
References:
Court rules against song-swappers, 2008, BBC News, viewed 7 November 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4653662.stm
Grandmother piracy lawsuit dropped, 2003, BBC News, viewed 7 November 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3140160.stm
Sabbagh D 2008, Nokia offers unlimited music for one-off fee, The Australian, viewed 7 November 2008 http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24440421-15306,00.html
Water, D 2005, Napster boss on life after piracy, BBC News, viewed 7 November 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4165868.stm
But some circumstances of the music industry's lawsuits has drawn criticisms. This news article reports on how the lawsuit against a 66-year-old grandmother who was accused of piracy was withdrawn after the Recording Industry of America (RIAA) admitted it may have been a case of mistaken identity.
The UK government is also considering introducing laws that would force internet service providers to disconnect the accounts of pirates (Gray 2008). Numerous file sharing and peer-to-peer (p2p) software tools like Kazaa and Limewire popped up to replace Napster, which was ordered shut down by the US court after a successful lawsuit by the US music industry. New generation p2p software like BitTorrent uses websites that act as indexes for the software, allowing access users to share files and without the legal vulnerability of their predecessors.
With online music sharing becoming a norm, music and recording companies have been hit hard. Gray (2008) says the industry's 2007 sales declined by 35% compared to sales in 2003.
But not all artists are concerned with making a profit as they are concerned about their art. Rap band, Bluejuice, are one of many bands who support the use of p2p software to share music. British band Coldplay, not only gave away a free download of their latest single, but also plan to perform at two concerts for free.
There are other examples of a harmonious system between industries and consumers as well.
Nokia will soon be offering unlimited music downloads on a mobile phone under its Comes With Music brand. This is a deal made between Nokia and the music industry's Universal Music, Sony BMG, EMI and Warner Music.
Napster, once the leader in peer-to-peer sharing programs is now an online service that has around 410,000 subscribers who pay a fee each month for access to a database of songs. This way, the recording industries are able to receive a sum of money for their works and the users are able to enjoy music conveniently and more importantly, legally.
References:
Court rules against song-swappers, 2008, BBC News, viewed 7 November 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4653662.stm
Grandmother piracy lawsuit dropped, 2003, BBC News, viewed 7 November 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3140160.stm
Sabbagh D 2008, Nokia offers unlimited music for one-off fee, The Australian, viewed 7 November 2008 http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,24440421-15306,00.html
Water, D 2005, Napster boss on life after piracy, BBC News, viewed 7 November 2008 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4165868.stm
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Photoblog: A New Form of Media Publishing
"A picture is worth a thousand words." Truer words were never spoken. With the developement of push-button publishing comes an innovative combination of photos and weblogs: photoblogs.
Schriver (1997) says that there is little argument about the power of pictures to make ideas vivid, and that the impact of still images and graphics can be just as good to help enhance learning from the news.
Walsh (2006) supports this by saying images have different effects from words, particularly from aesthetic, affective and imaginative levels. Color, form, contrast between light and dark make for a well-composed image that can bring a variety of positive responses from the audience (Berdan 2004)
MSNBC's Photoblog is an example of how images alone can bring a wider perspective to what is going on around the world. The photos report on different cultures and experiences from people all over the world, much like other newspapers or magazines.
This BBC article also reports on how rural Indian children are given a different type of education by giving them a creative outlet to document their daily lives and connect them with the rest of the world.
There is also a growing trend of ordinary people taking photographs of themselves or objects everyday to document minor changes that, over time, evolve to change into something totally different over time. One example is Noah, a YouTube user who compiled everyday photos of himself into a video.
Check out the following link for more photoblogs
Stuck In Customs
Louis Pang
References:
Berdan R 2004, Composition and the Elements of Visual Design, viewed 6 November 2008, http://photoinf.com/general/robert_berdan/composition_and_the_elements_of_visual_design.htm
Schriver, K A 1997, Dynamics in document design : creating texts for readers John Wiley & Sons, Canada
Walsh , M 2006, The Textual Shift: Examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, Vol. 29 February
Schriver (1997) says that there is little argument about the power of pictures to make ideas vivid, and that the impact of still images and graphics can be just as good to help enhance learning from the news.
Walsh (2006) supports this by saying images have different effects from words, particularly from aesthetic, affective and imaginative levels. Color, form, contrast between light and dark make for a well-composed image that can bring a variety of positive responses from the audience (Berdan 2004)
MSNBC's Photoblog is an example of how images alone can bring a wider perspective to what is going on around the world. The photos report on different cultures and experiences from people all over the world, much like other newspapers or magazines.
This BBC article also reports on how rural Indian children are given a different type of education by giving them a creative outlet to document their daily lives and connect them with the rest of the world.
There is also a growing trend of ordinary people taking photographs of themselves or objects everyday to document minor changes that, over time, evolve to change into something totally different over time. One example is Noah, a YouTube user who compiled everyday photos of himself into a video.
Check out the following link for more photoblogs
Stuck In Customs
Louis Pang
References:
Berdan R 2004, Composition and the Elements of Visual Design, viewed 6 November 2008, http://photoinf.com/general/robert_berdan/composition_and_the_elements_of_visual_design.htm
Schriver, K A 1997, Dynamics in document design : creating texts for readers John Wiley & Sons, Canada
Walsh , M 2006, The Textual Shift: Examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, Vol. 29 February
Designing for Online vs. Print
Kress and van Leeuwen (1998) points out that modern newspapers and magazines are no longer just written, but 'designed'. Even so, there are still elements that distinguish between designing for online and print media.
The Star - Malaysian print newspaper
Screenshot of The Star news website
Nielson (1997) says that people scan web pages for information rather than read them word for word. To have scannable text, he suggests highlighting keywords by using different typefaces or colors, and having a shorter word count compared to print publications. He found that having concise text improved usability for online readers (or readability) by 58%.
Another difference is that in the print version of The Star newspaper, there is a column on the right giving readers a preview of what other content might be of interest in the paper. In the online version however, the preview links are on the right, below the main headline. According to Nielson (2006), this is because online readers scan the site in an F-shaped pattern, and the preview links are placed strategically so as to grab reader's attention.
Weixel (2004) also points out that serif fonts are generally easy to read and are used for lengthy paragraphs such as in print publications. Sans serif fonts however, are used more often online as it is easier to read off a brightly lit computer screen.
These points are always useful to take into consideration the next time you design any document; be it print or online.
Kress, G & van Leeuwen, T 1998, Chapter 6: Front pages : (the critical) analysis of newspaper layout, Approaches to media discourse, Blackwell, Oxford
Nielsen, J 1997, How Users Read On The Web, Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox, Useit.com, viewed 6 November 2008, http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html
Another difference is that in the print version of The Star newspaper, there is a column on the right giving readers a preview of what other content might be of interest in the paper. In the online version however, the preview links are on the right, below the main headline. According to Nielson (2006), this is because online readers scan the site in an F-shaped pattern, and the preview links are placed strategically so as to grab reader's attention.
Weixel (2004) also points out that serif fonts are generally easy to read and are used for lengthy paragraphs such as in print publications. Sans serif fonts however, are used more often online as it is easier to read off a brightly lit computer screen.
These points are always useful to take into consideration the next time you design any document; be it print or online.
Kress, G & van Leeuwen, T 1998, Chapter 6: Front pages : (the critical) analysis of newspaper layout, Approaches to media discourse, Blackwell, Oxford
Nielsen, J 1997, How Users Read On The Web, Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox, Useit.com, viewed 6 November 2008, http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html
Nielsen, J 2006, F-Shaped Pattern for Reading Web Content, Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox, Useit.com, viewed 9 November 2008, http://www.useit.com/alertbox/reading_pattern.html.
Weixel, S 2004 Desktop Publishing BASICS, Thomson Learning Massachussetts
Blogging Classification and Communities
There are so many types of blogs on the internet, each different not only in their content, but also the style of writing or presentation.
Media analyst, Margaret Simons (2008), says that there are 9 classifications of blogs in terms of content and presentation style:
1. Pamphleteering Blog
2. Digest Blog
3. Advocacy Blog
4. Popular Mechanics Blog (the How to do blog)
5. Exhibition Blog
6. Gatewatcher Blog
7. Diary Blog
8. Advertisement Blog
9. News Blog
Of course, there are other more specific categories in terms of content such as the one on EatonWeb:
1. Celebrity
2. Entertainment
3. Health
4. Money
5. News
6. Politics
7. Religion
8. Education
9. Technology
10. Family
11. Internet
12. Nature
13. Personal
14. Real Estate
15. Travel
16. Science
Blogging communities form when readers and authors have a common interest and are able to interact with each other. Skellie (2007) shares ideas on building a comunity around your blog such as having group chats, hosting a forum on your blog to engage more readers.
Fashion-truth is a popular blogging community that acts between buyers and sellers. It reviews fashion and online clothes boutiqes as well as acts as a community board for users of online shopping in Malaysia. Part of their success lies in allowing their readers to help create content by inviting feedback about their online shopping experiences and scouting for bargains on similar items. Also, as Skellie (2007) suggests, they invite readers to be guest bloggers occasionally by posting their emails on the site for topic discussions.
Reference:
EatonWeb 2008, Browse the Directory, viewed 4 November 2008, http://portal.eatonweb.com/
Simons M 2008, Towards a Taxonomy of blog, Creative Economy, viewed 4 November 2008, http://www.creative.org.au/webboard/results.chtml?filename_num=229836
Skellie 2007, Building a community around your blog, viewed 4 November 2008 http://www.dailyblogtips.com/building-a-community-around-your-blog/.
Media analyst, Margaret Simons (2008), says that there are 9 classifications of blogs in terms of content and presentation style:
1. Pamphleteering Blog
2. Digest Blog
3. Advocacy Blog
4. Popular Mechanics Blog (the How to do blog)
5. Exhibition Blog
6. Gatewatcher Blog
7. Diary Blog
8. Advertisement Blog
9. News Blog
Of course, there are other more specific categories in terms of content such as the one on EatonWeb:
1. Celebrity
2. Entertainment
3. Health
4. Money
5. News
6. Politics
7. Religion
8. Education
9. Technology
10. Family
11. Internet
12. Nature
13. Personal
14. Real Estate
15. Travel
16. Science
Blogging communities form when readers and authors have a common interest and are able to interact with each other. Skellie (2007) shares ideas on building a comunity around your blog such as having group chats, hosting a forum on your blog to engage more readers.
Fashion-truth is a popular blogging community that acts between buyers and sellers. It reviews fashion and online clothes boutiqes as well as acts as a community board for users of online shopping in Malaysia. Part of their success lies in allowing their readers to help create content by inviting feedback about their online shopping experiences and scouting for bargains on similar items. Also, as Skellie (2007) suggests, they invite readers to be guest bloggers occasionally by posting their emails on the site for topic discussions.
Reference:
EatonWeb 2008, Browse the Directory, viewed 4 November 2008, http://portal.eatonweb.com/
Simons M 2008, Towards a Taxonomy of blog, Creative Economy, viewed 4 November 2008, http://www.creative.org.au/webboard/results.chtml?filename_num=229836
Skellie 2007, Building a community around your blog, viewed 4 November 2008 http://www.dailyblogtips.com/building-a-community-around-your-blog/.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The Blogging Phenomemnon and its benefits
Source: Technorati.com
In Technorati's annual 'State of the Blogosphere' study, Technorati Authority has been tracking 133 million blogs since 2002. In the same study, eMarketer (2008) states that in the year 2007, there were 22.6 million bloggers in the US alone.
Technorati's study showed half the European blogger respondents are 18-34 years of age, and favor music and computers as blog topics rather than religion or personal musings. The Asian bloggers are predominantly male and young, with 74% being in the 18-34 years age range, and are more likely to blog about music rather than politics. Asian bloggers are also more savvy about making money off their blogs, with 24% being paid for product reviews compared to Europe's 5%.
In Malaysia, blogs bring benefits to bloggers and the community. Blog advertising companies like Nuffnang enable bloggers to earn money while helping advertisers reach their audience.
With the emergence of push-button publishing, people have access to alternative news that offer a different perspective on news instantly such as news.malaysiatotal.com, and malaysiakini.com.
Blogging also brings unique benefits that people normally would not experience, such as being a part of a close-knit online community, or being invited to cover grand events and being treated as an equal member of the media, such as Kenny Sia experienced when he went to Macau.
Check out the full Technorati report at http://www.technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere
Reference:
Technorati™, State of the Blogosphere 2008, viewed 2 November 2008, http://www.technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/who-are-the-bloggers
Purpose of Brewing Media
Web logs, or blogs, as they are popularly known, is a medium through which anybody with a blog account can share information and opinions through their own online publication.
Brewing Media was set up for the submission of Assignment 3: Serious Weblog under the Issues in Publication and Design course.
This blog aims to discuss media and publishing related issues and whenever possible, international and local examples will be given.
Brewing Media was set up for the submission of Assignment 3: Serious Weblog under the Issues in Publication and Design course.
This blog aims to discuss media and publishing related issues and whenever possible, international and local examples will be given.
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