cometh an interesting article on:
Why Blog? To Change the World — and Blow Off Steam
Why do bloggers blog? It sounds like a trick question, but a study of top political bloggers finds their motivations evolve over time.
By Tom Jacobs
Blogging has its burdens. If you doubt it, try coming up with an interesting thought every hour or so, shaping it into a coherent, compelling and carefully worded item and then sending it out into the world for potential ridicule by everyone with a laptop and a point of view.
For the few bloggers who manage to draw a large readership, the financial rewards can be significant. But the hours are ridiculous, and the pressure to produce enormous. So why do it?
Newly published research suggests people are motivated to start a blog by one set of reasons and motivated to continue by quite different considerations.
In the journal New Media and Society, a research team led by Brian Ekdale of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison reports on a survey of 66 top American political bloggers. They were selected from 2006 rankings of most-popular blogs and represent points of view across the political spectrum. Web sites they blog for include Daily Kos, Hullabaloo, Right Wing News and Pajamas Media.
The bloggers were presented with a list of 13 motivations for starting a blog and ranked the personal relevance of each on an 11-point scale. Reasons included, “to provide an alternative perspective to the mainstream media” and “to help your political party or cause” and “to let off steam.” They then went through the list again and recorded how well each reason reflected their current motivation to continue blogging.
The researchers found the three strongest initial motivations for blogging — “to let off steam,” “to keep track of your thoughts” and “to formulate new ideas” — were all based on the bloggers’ personal emotional or intellectual needs. Blogging, at the outset, was an outlet to clarify the person’s thoughts and/or express feelings such as frustration or anger.
But when asked why they’re blogging today, those three foundational motivations either decreased in importance or increased very slightly. In contrast, the extrinsic motivations — notions such as “to serve as a political watchdog” and “to influence public opinion” — saw “significant and sizable increases.” (The one exception was “to critique your political opponent,” which only increased marginally.)
“As they continued to blog, and their blog posts reached wider audiences, they realized they could extend influence out to their audience, the media and political parties,” the researchers write. While their initial motivations did not fade away, this newfound influence provided additional motivation, leading these bloggers to be even more enthusiastic about what they do.
In a particularly interesting aside, the researchers report the respondents who rated the extrinsic motivations most highly “were more likely to post both favorable and unfavorable information about candidates they support. They were also more likely to participate in political activities such as signing petitions, contributing money to campaigns and attending protests or rallies.”
In other words, if you feel your job is to inform the public, fact-check the mainstream media or simply help society, you’re more likely to present a fuller picture of the politicians you report on, even if you have a specific point of view. On the other hand, if you’re basically using the blog as an outlet to channel your anger or hone your already-solidified positions, you’re less likely to admit the other side may have a point.
That’s a distinction worth pondering for both bloggers and their readers.
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SOURCE: www.miller-mccune.com
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Dear EsteemedReaders, please visit maverckysm.blogspot.com and ENGAGE that talkative and playfool host who tells it in your face AS IT IS about Malaysian blogosphere: you also see the snapsjots of the featured speakers -- STAR-STUDDED! -- like the following peace/piece on lust Saturday's BUM2011 FORUM:)! -- I get some tehtarik from him for doing this PR!:):) -- YL, Desi
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Tonight's BUM 2011 Forum News
The BUM 2011 Forum ended at 11pm.
We started at 8pm and we had Dr. Lim Teck Ghee of CPI (Centre for Policy Initiatives) to deliver the welcoming address. After Dr. Lim we had Desiderata YL Chong, the BUM 2011 organizing committee chairman to give his speech.
The first session, we had YB Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, State Assemblyman for Seri Setia, Selangor and former political secretary to MB Selangor Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim to deliver his views on "Legislating Freedom of Information Act in Parliament".
At Right is Dr. TG Lim, Centre is YB Nik Nazmi & Left is Maverick the MC
Desiderata YL Chong is the Organizing Committee Chairman of BUM 2011
In the second session of the night we had Mr. Cheam Toon Lee, the ex-chief editor of East Malaysian newspaper, En. Zunar, Malaysiakini Cartoonist (who just won a pseudo "Nobel prize" for his courage in Cartooning the establishment), En. Hata Wahari, the ex-NUJ President & ex-Utusan Malaysia senior journalist.
The last speaker and the rose of the night, Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan.
Datuk Ambiga is the immediate Past President of Malaysian Bar Council and currently the Chairperson of BERSIH 2.0.
Datuk Ambiga won the “International Women of Courage Award” in 2009 which was presented to her by US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Washington. Datuk Ambiga was chosen for the prestigious award, established by the US Department of State, for being a forerunner in advancing human rights, the status of women and religious tolerance in Malaysia.
From Left to Right: Zunar, Hata Wahari and Datuk Ambiga
From Left to Right: Moderator Mr. Shanker of Donplaypuks, Mr. Cheam Toon Lee & Zunar
This year's Forum was attended by about 30 people. Many could not come (such as Mob & Helen & AVoice) and many won't come, such as Rocky's Bru who cannot attend now probably because he is now Datuk Ahirudin Attan; Haris Ibrahim of The People's Parliament, Raja Petra from Malaysia-today (he is in London), Art Harun of ARTiculations, Zorro-Unmasked Bernard Khoo, Eric Woon of iammalaysian, Nuraina Samad of 3540 Jalan Sudin, Marina Mahathir of Ranting by MM (I think she is overseas), Fahri Azzat who blogs at LoyarBurok, Zainol Abideen of Mahaguru58, Zakhir, AVoice Salah of Another Brick in Wall (absence conveyed to Desi), Jeff Ooi who blogs at Screenshots but he is now a YB and so had no time for blogging) William Leong, Elizabeth Wong and many others who are also YBs of Selangor.
Well, Zunar said we should not be discouraged but to carry on blogging as he will start blogging soon. Hata Wahari has to blog soon as he can't write for Utusan anymore. Datuk Ambiga may also have to start blogging soon.
Anyway, it was a fantastic night and we did have a good time. I hope YL Chong will start organizing the second forum soon which will include some good food and maybe, Anwar Ibrahim or Ibrahim Ali should be invited to speak. Maybe, we should also invite Najib or Rosmah to grace the occasion.
I will let Shanker and YL Chong write about the subject matters of tonight's topic.
Good night!!!
Posted by Maverick SM
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