Advertise Here!

"Citizen Journalists"

Blogging and journalism are two things that we have discussed in length during class. We have also spent a lot of time discussing whether all bloggers are journalists. The conclusion we came to was “no.”  In Rettberg’s article, “Citizen Journalists”, he discusses the difference and similarities of the two, and when the distinction or lack there of, is important.

Rettberg points out the three ways that blogs approach journalism:

1. First-hand reports
2. Bloggers as independent journalists and opinionists
3. Gatewatching

Rettberg really strived to make the connection that mainstream media and independent blogs really rely on one another. This quote is one of my favorites from the reading, and sums up the chapter well. “Obviously, blogs are many different things. What appears to be clear, however, is the blogs need mainstream media, and that, today, the mainstream media also need blogs.”~ Rettberg

“Blogging Brands”

The combination of blogs and branding is one of the most interesting elements of blogging to me. For example, I enjoy a blog that we have talked about called Atlantic Pacific. With Atlantic Pacific, certain companies have sent her products to wear in her blog. She will then acknowledge that in her blog by putting “c/o” and then the brand name. For example: c/o J.Crew (because lets be real, if I was being sent clothes to feature on my blog, that is where I would want clothes from)!

Another way bloggers can make money blogging is when there blogs become visited enough and a popular enough blog, advertisers will pay to have their advertisements placed on their blogs. Thats right, now there is the chance that those annoying rollover advertisements could invade your favorite blog!

1,2,3...Blogs I See!!

In chapter 7 of Brian Carroll's book, he discusses the different kinds of blogging. This is an element I hadn't fully thought about before reading this chapter. Carroll says that blogs fall into three categories:

1. Personal Blogs

2. Corporate Blogs

3. News Blogs

Now, before embarking on this wonderful journey of Digital Communication Class, I thought there was one kind of blog: personal blogs. However, I now see these three different types and the different purposes they serve. 

Personal blogs are individualized, typically focused on a certain interest of the blogger, and usually more conversational in tone.

Corporate blogs have one big goal: to keep their consumers updated on all things going on in their company. These blogs are also good for developing trust between the corporation and the consumer. Corporate blogs help to develop this trust by speaking plainly and humanizing the company. Another way to help build trust is by not directly trying to sell anything to people reading the corporate blog.

News blogs focus on what happened and are centered around factual events. This is the kind of blog that can sway into the category of journalism because it follow a particular method of verification.

Since I have joined this class, I have decided to embrace the world of blogging. I just started a Bloglovin account and follow blogs in each of these different categories. I am really enjoying seeing their different goals, tones, and approaches to blogging. Personally, I think I am partial to the personal blogs!

Be Heard...the Modern Way!

Blogging, blogging, blogging! I am not going to lie, when we first ventured into the world of blogging for this class I was slightly intimidated. I didn’t know how to approach a blog for this class. Was it to be purely and dominated by academics or by my voice. I feel that the most posts I have done, the more comfortable I have gotten, that I am using my voice to begin to communicate the academic side of things. 

Along the lines of blogging, we read about blogging and the the communities surrounding them. In the beginning of chapter 3, so and so says “Everyone is famous to fifteen people”. I really enjoyed and was intrigued by the point that Rettberg made about the differences between print and blogging. Blogging really allows everyone to have an outlet and an opportunity to get their word out to the world. Print also allows for that to happen, but on a different scale. Rettberg talks about how things like fanzines and newsletters can be photo-copied and sent out to people, but blogs allow for that to happen as well. Blogs also offer the added benefit that more people can see the information due to the networks and communities that link bloggers to readers and other bloggers.

One of the examples that I immediately think of is the example of a school newsletter, specifically the Furman newsletter. It always amazes me when I go home for breaks to see the Furman University newsletter. I’m always so surprised and shocked to see some of the news and stories from the University, things I had no idea about while being at Furman. If Furman had a blog (even if it accompanied the newsletter), both parents and students could enjoy the benefits of a newsletter. And chances are that other people, even prospective students and families could also benefit from the advantages of a blog. Furman also having a blog could allow for more up-to-date announcements and stories and further Furman’s recognition.

Blogging allows for many possibilities for individual, corporations, and institutions to further their recognition and get their words out to people all over the world!

Be an Effective Blogger!!

In chapters two and three off Brian Carroll's Writing for Digital Media, Carroll discusses how to makes a web page be successful. He talks about many elements that contribute to a good, informative, and easy to read page or blog. Writing for digital media is completely different then writing for analog media. Although certain principles apply to both, how the author communicates is so different. 

Carroll talks about the importance of credibility, accountability, identity. I found the idea or credibility and identity to be particularly important especially pertaining to blogs. Carroll does state that there is no widely accepted definition of credibility, but words like "believability" are commonly used. The way I see it, credibility pertaining to digital media means the ability to knowledgeably communicate information to the readers without too much personal opinion and/or bias. When talking about identity, Carroll talks about how when people are viewing web pages, especially blogs, they want to see a common interest or link between them and the author. This identity makes the author less of a distant computer robot and more of a person that the viewer can relate to. The importance of both of these elements are also supplemented with the need to design a functional, easy to use, and visually stimulating page. The resources that are available to users on the web are significantly larger then those who are writing a book. Color, links, pictures, and videos are all wonderful elements that can add dimension and layers to a web page. One thing Brian Carroll said in chapter three that I think is very true is that if a page doesn't load, link doesn't connect, or video doesn't start in three seconds, the viewer doesn't stick around. It is important to remember as a blogger now to check all those details, because if something isn't functioning properly or effectively it can turn away viewers from what information you are trying to communicate.

Question: Keeping in mind the importance of credibility and identity, do you think it would be difficult to establish both these element in a blog?

My answer: I feel like it is definitely a challenge to establish both credibility and identity with a blog. In one sense, you want to state your opinions and you probably already have your biases regarding certain topics, and in a lot of ways these opinions and thoughts can come across as identity. However, if you push those too far or don't present the whole story you lose credibility. To sum it up, I think it is very possible, just hard to walk that line and keep things credible and relateable!

Mission Statement

To be completely honest, digital communication intimidates me. I have never been the most savvy technological user, and I realize that this class revolves around technology. That being said, what I most look forward to learning about in digital communication is how to use and be effective with different mediums for digital communication (i.e. video, websites, podcasts). My expectation for the course is to become more knowledgeable about how to communicate through technology and use the different mediums in the most effective manner. Another expectation I have of the course (and I have for every course I take) is that I will have open communication with my professor. If I have a question or concern, I want to know that I can approach him/her about it and work through it together.

After Furman is still daunting to me because I see multiple paths I could travel. I want to either have a job in student affairs (i.e. admissions, housing and residence life) or go to graduate school for college student personnel. Ideally, I would like to be in or around the Memphis, TN area. Digital media is important in student affairs because a large component of student affairs is communicating with large numbers of students. For example, if you want students to apply for a certain student organization, advertising and marketing the organization through slideshows, pictures, and a website all make the organization accessible to the students. 

As far as a topic I'd like to research throughout the term, I think teenage pregnancy would be very interesting. I am adopted and my birthmother was sixteen when she had me. I just find teenage pregnancy and the trends and statistics about it to be fascinating.