Opinion

Blogging

By Tony Laszlo

Back in the eighties and nineties, the Internet gurus and more than a few politicians invoked that cynical saying about the Freedom of the Press: It is grand, but only for those who had one. The World Wide Web, they said, would put a printing press in the hands of the ordinary person. People would take part in "participatory media" rather than sit back and passively receive the signal of the establishment.

Indeed, we have seen a huge proliferation of websites as people in all walks of life moved to "get a presence" online. The media companies did not sit still either, but also evolved by taking advantage of the new technologies and infrastructures. While it became possible to tune in to one's favorite "alternative" site, people still turned to the mainstream news sources - online and off. Yes, Joe Public had a shiny new press, but the ones owned by the media began working around the clock, and in overdrive.

There are reasons for their sites' popularity: brand recognition, reliability, and - real or perceived - trustworthiness. And in attracting attention to their sites, the media companies have had an enormous advantage over everyone else with a website. They can easily and inexpensively drive traffic to their sites via their traditional arms: radio, television and printed newspapers. However, one other important feature has kept the media sites on the top of the "favorites" list. In a word, dynamism.

The top page of most media sites changes by the minute, if not every few seconds. By contrast, other sites have tended to be far more static, being updated only weekly, monthly, and often much less regularly. As evidenced by the large number of sites on the net that haven't been touched since 1999 or so, even after learning HTML and/or purchasing fancy WYSIWYG editors, it has not been easy for people to update their content, never mind revamp the site design every now and again.

Recent developments, however, are making it possible for Joe Public to close the dynamism gap with the media companies. Anyone capable of surfing the Web can now create a personal webpage - or a whole website - simply by typing a few lines of text right into a web browser. Pages made this way have come to be called blogs, and the practice of creating them, blogging. Other than the fact that they tend to be composed of chronologically ordered entries - much like a diary - there don't seem to be many rules. Some shout about politics, others weep about love lost. All in the public eye, of course.

Surprisingly enough, blogging is popular among journalists - why would writers write in their free time? Nonetheless, I recently decided to launch a "LaszloBlog," myself, and test the waters. It is possible to submit comments and questions on another person's blog; I recommend that as an initial route for the curious. If you find you like the feel of the new model printing press, you can rev up your own. No applications necessary, and anyone can join. You have but to start blogging to be a Blogger.

Go to www.issho.org/LaszloBlog/ to view LaszloBlog.

Shukan ST: Dec. 27, 2002

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