Why do people read and write blogs Research Paper

Why do people read and write blogs - Research Paper Example This essay considers the ways that blogs constitute a legitimate form of journalism and in the process investigated why people read and write blogs. While ‘published’ works constitute the backbone of journalism, one considers that oftentimes it is not possible to distinguish between the blog format and the professional format. Indeed, one of the significant insights into the importance and power of blogs is that many individuals in the established media have co-opted the blog format. One prominent example of this is with the technology website Tech Crunch. This site is significant as it explores entrepreneurship and innovation in the United States; as such, it investigates the backbone of American economic progress. Rather than adopting a more stolid and traditional form of journalism this site has a blog-like aesthetic, as writers such as Alexia Tsotsis explore technology through more direct and free form means of expression (Tsotsis, 2012). A prominent aspect of blogs is the way that they have been able to be leveraged by individuals for monetary purposes. Prior to blogging individuals had to push their work through well established channels as a means of gaining attention or compensation. The advent of blogging has allowed independent writers with unique ideas the ability to publish their work and gain compensation through advertisements (Dobhal, 2012). This has opened the door for voices that were previously marginalized to emerge and make significant contributions to the national discourse. While many individuals have used blogs as a means of gaining compensation for their work, a number of writers have implemented blogging as a means of making political statements. Recently, this became heavily apparent as bloggers made essential contributions to the Arab Spring revolts in the Middle East. Many dictators in the Middle East have