Blogs

1. Blogs are the websites wherein users can express their views, opinions and beliefs about a particular event.

2. Blogs are part of history of communication and literature and are emblematic of shift from uni-directional media to participatory media.

3. According to the BBC, blog is a website written by an individual or group, typically using free and easy-to-use tools, consisting of periodic articles, normally in reverse chronological order.

4. The first blog apparently came up on 17^th December, 1997. Blogging became popluar in about five years time, and in 2003, the word ‘blog’ entered the Oxford English Dictionary.

5. According to Oxford English Dictionay, blog is a personal record that anyone puts on their website giving an account and their opinions and discussing places on the internet they have visited. 

6. “Blog” was Merriam-Webster’s word of the year in 2004.  

7. Blogs are kind of online journals, which allow people to chare information.

8. Blogs are on internet landscape since late 1990’s, but have gained importance and popularity after 26/11 terrorist attacks in USA in 2001.

9. At that time, for people across the world, blogs became a place for pouring out their anguish and grief that followed tourist attacks.

10. Blogs help people to stay in touch with each other. Relatives living in far lands can get to know about their people and their activities through videos, texts and pictures posted on blog posts.

11. Blogs have become important tools in the hands of those who want to be heard. Common people who want to raise their voice and express their opinions have found a way through blogs.

 

12. Blogs act as gatekeepers for traditional media and government (local and national). Any information which mainline media has buried (due to political pressure)blogs help to unearth the news and keep a tab on media for authenticity of information. Also, in many cases blogs can help reporters to get additional information or correct the information.

13. Blogs have emerged as the best application of web 2.0.

14. From common people to celebrities, today almost everyone who is technology savvy is expressing himself/herself through blogs. Celebrities like Amitabh Bachhan, Shobha De, Chetan Bhagat, Shane Warne – all have their dedicated blogs which they update regularly.

15. Some people write about their personal experiences, while there are others who express their views on important events taking place across the globe.

16. For students, writing blogs is a best way in which they can channelize their opinions and help in improving their writing and analytical skills.

17. These days many recruiting agencies and companies have started analyzing and appointing employees on basis of their views expressed in their blogs.

18. Blogs also help in scrutinizing the interesting content on web. Many bloggers publish the content on their blogs which they find interesting and want to share with friends and other people.

19. The most interesting and important fact about blogosphere is that they are not controlled by any media organization. Rather, it is controlled by individual who helps in keeping a check on traditional media.   

  

20. However, one cannot compare blogs with traditional journalism because there is no gatekeeping in blogs. The content in blogs are the perceptions and opinions of individuals, which may be misguiding.

21. Blogs encourages feedback and healthy discussion. It helps the users to reach niche audience, or can become members of online groups and communities.

22. Blogs have revolutionized the internet and now many people are hooking onto it in one form or another.

23. Twitter – micro blogging website is gaining popularity because one doesn’t have to write or read long texts. It keeps the art of blogging short and simple.  

24. There are different categories of blogs: personal blogs, technical blogs, travel blogs, cooking blogs, fashion blogs, art blogs etc. The categories on which bloggers write can be innumerous.

25. Free blogging websites: blogger.com and wordpress.com

26. Blog aggregators: online dictionary for blogs.

27. All blogs are at one place and are sorted according to name, place and topic.

28. Blog aggregators help in generating traffic and new ideas.

29. Famous bloggers are Kevin Sites (kevinsites.net), Amit Agarwal (labnol.org/Digital Inspiration), Amit Varma (indiauncut.com) etc