Business ‘blogosphere’ expands in evolving media landscape

Everyone has something to say, but in the past it was difficult to find an outlet to voice opinions. Now, blogs allow new authors and audiences to emerge on the Internet everyday. \nThe term blog is a combination of the two-word phrase “web log,” which can also give a quick and simple definition of what a blog is. A blog is a user-generated Web site where users enter text and images to shed light on what they want to talk about. Blogs, just like social networks, give people a chance to express opinions and share information that has the potential to be seen by anyone on the Web.\n“The concepts of blogs are very interesting and strange because they don’t follow the normal rules of how we publish an individual’s thoughts and writings,” Director of Human-Computer Interaction Design and Informatics professor Erik Stolterman said. “Instead, it’s very simple writing.”\nBlogs have many functions. Professors use academic blogs, which allow them to share information with students on campus and create a page tailored to their scholarly interests. Technology provides a medium in which transferring information can be simple and seamless.\nStolterman operates a blog called “Transforming Grounds.” His blog expresses his opinions on happenings in his professional career, and celebrates the accomplishments of his students. Stolterman also endorses books and other resources that could help someone in the Informatics business.\n“My readers are my current students, other professors and prospective students,” Stolterman said. “It’s helpful information for them.”\nStolterman’s writing is narrowly tailored to appeal to his audience.\n“(When writing blogs), you write with the reader in mind,” Stolterman said. “Over time this changes to something where I don’t care if anyone reads it. It’s experimentation, a laboratory for ideas. You’re happy with that, too – it helps you refine your ideas.” \nAnother realm of blogging comes through personal, or “citizen”, journalism. Citizens are able to voice opinions and create their own personal news worlds by using blogs. But these worlds are not always unbiased. \n“Blogs morphed into a place where people’s opinions are confirmed instead of changed,” English professor Michael Adams said. “Blogospheres have their own types of text with their own linguistic behavior.”\nStolterman said some people can make money from blogging. Google pays to advertise on many Web pages, including popular blogs. Another way to finance blogging, which on typepad.com ranges from $50 to $150 per year, is to work out a deal with a publisher or a specific company. Most bloggers however, are unpaid, many students included.\n“Our students blog a lot,” Stolterman said. “It’s usually more personal, and they use it to talk about school.”\nBut Stolterman also concedes there is some danger in blogging. Companies have latched onto the social network phenomenon and denied students jobs based on their profile’s content. Stolterman said that this could also apply to blogging.\n“Blogs do get confused with social networks,” he said. “But if you blog and you’re 24 years old applying for a job, you never know who is watching.”\nGraduate student Erik Johnson said he doesn’t fear that his private information will be revealed to readers online.\n“I’m not too concerned,” he said. “You don’t know how people judge you. You are in control and really need to be cautious but unfortunately some people aren’t really aware of the consequences.”\nJohnson operates in the area of Human-Computer Interaction Design, where one of his projects was to create a blog for Congressman Baron Hill. Johnson said political blogs give a more personal vision of what a politician is trying to accomplish. Democratic Party candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both have blogs supporting their causes by updating voters on their daily agendas.\nThe evolution of media has been completely transformed by blogs. Now, the everyday Internet surfer can pose as an expert by doing nothing but logging onto a computer and letting his or her fingers do the talking. Kids, parents, priests, CEOs and billionaires can all have blogs that let the general public know what they think. And blogging will only continue to evolve.\n “We now definitely know that blogs are going to develop over the years,” Stolterman said. “We think we’ve seen everything, then something changes and it works. The blog software is very simple. Within a year or two, we will be surprised.”