A blog is an online diary of sorts, where individuals express their views on a myriad of topics, ranging from politics to entertainment. Although blogging is more informal than traditional journalistic writing, many blogs have captured large audiences and have transformed the ways in which individuals communicate their views to others. Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, known for his outlandish approaches to tabloid news, has shaped the way entertainment fans acquire gossip about the latest tabloid news. Political bloggers on websites, such as http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ and http://thinkprogress.org/, can take their views on the government and politics to the online platform, discussing topics ranging from recent elections to controversial politicians. Overall, blogs grant everyday individuals to make their mark on the Internet and share their experiences, views, and opinions with others.
Examples of Blogs, Blogging Platforms, and various Bloggers.
1) Tavi Gevinson
http://www.thestylerookie.com/
In March 2008, young blogger Tavi Gevinson started off her blog, Style Rookie, at the age of eleven. Her mature approach to the fashion world and fearlessness in regards to style fascinated readers and those in the fashion industry as well. Since then, Tavi has become well-respected in the fashion world, serving as an inspiration for several fashion designers at the young age of 15, as well as being recognized by magazines such as Vogue.
2) Perez Hilton
http://perezhilton.com/
In 2004, Mario Armando Lavandeira, more commonly known as Perez Hilton, started a gossip blog about celebrity news. In the years since, the blog has garnered a considerable audience, but negative attention as well. Hilton’s approach to celebrity news has often been criticized for being too controversial, such as the way he doodles on images of celebrities and targets others by writing about them in a very dramatic way.
3) The Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Launched in 2005 by Arianna Huffington, The Huffington Post takes a commentary approach to daily news. Currently, The Huffington Post has over 9,000 bloggers and covers a myriad of topics, ranging from politics and entertainment, to business and technology.
4) Blogger
http://www.blogger.com/
In August 1999, the web service Blogger was launched, and served as one of the first major platforms for bloggers. In the years since it’s launch, Blogger has helped in the growth of blogging and in the popularization of the writing form.
Microblogging
Microblogging refers to a style of blogging that differs from traditional blogging in that information that is shared is generally more concise, smaller bits of information. For example, a user may share a quick image or one-sentence quote, instead of writing a lengthier paragraph or story. Tumblr.com has become a major platform for microbloggers in recent years, attracting users with the simple concept of “reblogging” content from other users, as well as sharing quotes, links to videos and other websites, and other forms of concise digital content.
“Blogging: Digital Media and Society Series” by Jill Walker Rettberg
“A literary critic will rarely see the binding of a book as being important to its literary quality. A blog, however, cannot be read simply for its writing, but will always be seen as the sum of writing, layout, connections and links, and tempo” (Rettberg, 4)
Digital Journalism 