BLOGGING AND SOCIAL MEDIA

Frankiee Wong 3354457

Desiree Wang 3357230

Yvonne Kong 3341952

Content

1. Analysis of First Reading

2. Analysis of Second Reading

3. Comparison of Political Leaders’ Blogs in Hong Kong, Australia, and the States

Analysis of First Reading

Australian Political Blogosphere

Mainstream- favour right-wing party. No where for leftists to express their

viewpoints through mainstream media. As a result, leftists try to state their feelings

through online media. Nowadays, the ratio of leftist bloggers is

higher than that of the rightists. Severe polarization on specific issues.(Bruns and Adams 2009)

Hyperlinks between those parties… In other words, leftist links to the other

leftist, vice versa. Also, the blogs hardly ever link to the

mainstream media or web pages with oppositional viewpoints.

The “one-way” interaction is not only occurring in the gossip sites, but also in the pundit-blogs that are running by the mainstream meida.

(Bruns and Adams 2009)

Quick Summary

In general, most of the Australian political bloggers are not only deliberating on the political issues and events, but also on the media coverage.

Leads to the competition between mainstream media and political blogs to generate more diverse perspectives.

Analysis of Second Reading

Blog is…

Internet phenomenon- opened up a conversation among ordinary people without gatekeepers.

Photo: courtesy of http://www.creators.com/

Blog is…

“public diaries”- allow people to say things in public that normally would be kept private or undercover.

Cynicism

Blogging is a register of emotions and self-expressions.

Bloggers were not born as cynics.

Bloggers in non-democratic countries are more likely to become cynical.

Nihilism

In media terms:

“a growing distrust of the output of large commercial news organizations and the endless spin provided by politicians and their advisers.”

(Lovink 2008: p.22)

Nihilistic bloggers?

“If bloggers are classified nihilists, it merely means that they have stopped believing in the media.”

-Lovink 2008: p.23

Photo: courtesy of CoxAndForkum.com

Comparison of Political Bloggers’ blogs in HK, Australia, and the States

(Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet 2011)

(Hong Kong Information Services Department 2011)

(The White House 2011)

Situation in Hong Kong

In 2009, 73.3% of all Hong Kong households had Internet access.

97.7% of these households have broadband access.

In 2007, 15.4 % of Hong Kong people aged 10 or above blogged.

85.04% of this group aged 15 or above.

(Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong SAR)

Donald Tsang’s Official Blog

Donald Tsang’s Blogging Approach

Writing the blog as the first person

Trying to address the younger generation: lyrics from pop songs Cantonese slangs Close relationship with

the community. Seldom includes video

clip Never provides links to

other sites, not even to government links

Donald Tsang’s Blogging Approach

The blog is basically kept in Cantonese

Only the first entry was written in English

No direct comments

Situation in Australia In 2008-2009, 72%

of Australian households have Internet access.

86% of these households have broadband access.

(Australian Bureau of Statistics 2010)

Julia Gillard’s Blog

Official blog on the government’s website

Written by the

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet as a third person

Clear blog categories system

Gillard’s Blogging Approach

Updates more frequently than Donald Tsang’s

Tags and hyperlinks to related government’s web pages

Seldom include video clips

A social media release platform

No direct comment on blog entries

Hot keys to share blog entries

Situation in the United States

In 2008, 24% of all American adults read blogs.

9% of American adults have created and maintained a blog.

  In 2006, 11% of bloggers write

about politics and government.

(Pew Internet & American Life Project Survey cited in Leccese 2009: p.578)

The White House Blog

written by the Cabinet as a third person

similar wireframe and colours

a social media release platform

update frequently incorporate a lot of

video clips and pictures

provide links to other `blogs’ under the White House

Obama’s Blogging Approach

www.barackobama.com the most successful online presidential campaign in

American history.

Obama’s Blogging Approach

update frequently a blogging team always invite visitors to leave comments create dialogue between campaign staff and the supporters no censorship on comments build a strong bond with grassroots supporters (Levenshus 2010)

We’d love to hear your stories in the comments below.

Questions Do you consider blogs as a credible source of information? If

so, which type of blogs do you think are more credible, blogs run by individual bloggers or blogs run by mainstream media outlets?

Do you think that blogging can foster civilised public debate, or is it just a place to indulge in gossip?

Do you visit the blogs written by political leaders and do you consider their blogs as a credible source of information? Why or Why not?