of the Blogging Phenomenon
Blog, coined from the term web logging is a form of online journal (Pruitt 2005). The blogging craze has hit the globe by a storm. The size of the
blogosphere has reached a mind blowing number of
184 million users. 27 % are from Europe, 13 % from Asia and a whopping 48 % from North America, while the remaining bloggers are from South America and
Australia (Technorati 2008). Surveys show that people in Europe tend not to write about personal, lifestyle and religious topics while in Asia people tend to blog more about music then politics (Technorati 2008).
Shocking blog statistics from technorati.com.To say that blogs has
re-structured society as we know it is an understatement. Privacy has become a luxury with the invention of social networking sites that encourages a public lifestyle. But blogs certainly comes with benefits and this is especially apparent in the Malaysia's 2008 general elections. Where mainstream media are controlled by the government, Opposition's candidates used blogs as part of their
political campaign, reaching out to many otherwised sheltered voters (Hon 2008). The result? An unprecedented 5 state win (Malaysia Decides 2008).
References:
1. Hon, C 2008,
Net power rock Malaysia's rulers, The Australian, online, retrieved 1 June 2009, from
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23364431-25837,00.html. 2. Malaysia Decides 2008, online, retrieved 1 June 2009, from
http://thestar.com.my/election/story.asp?file=/2008/3/9/election2008/20080309051122.
3. Pruitt, C 2005, The Blogging Phenomenon: Who? How? Why?, Digital Divide Network, online, retrieved 1 June 2009, from
http://www.digitaldivide.net/articles/view.php?ArticleID=86.
4. Technorati: State of blogosphere 2008, online, retrieved 1 June 2009,
from
www.technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere.
