Re: Blog Summit
Chris' post below lead to a nasty attack on Jessica McBride. (No wonder she doesn't have comments on her weblog.) Going after someone's work habits is about as ad hominem as they come, and it has nothing to do with the criticisms some (especially me) had with the "Blog Summit."
I've stated a few times that more voices mean more readers. More is better than less. That means it's great radio yappers, reporters, ex-reporters, opinion columnists (even Eugene Kane), politicians, professors, and others are weblogging.
I think there is a distinct difference of experience between webloggers who have a past of being involved in news and opinion-making and those that stared because they had something to say.
If you ask Charlie Sykes why he weblogs he might tell you it's an extension to his radio show. It's a way to give his listeners more information about the topics he talks about. Ask me that question and I'll tell you, "Since I'm a writer I want to be read." That's a difference in how the writer approaches the topics he takes on and how his readers consume and react.
New voices lead to new wisdom. The new players learn from the weblogging history us "old geezers" lived through. Us geezers are reminded that most people don't read weblogs so this is still new. There's no zero-sum game here.
UPDATE: Glenn Reynolds in his new book An Army of Davids tells us the #1 reason any of us, media stars and "citizen bloggers," do this: it's fun! Besides the mentions on radio, access to inflence peddlers, and "blog summits" it's just plain fun to write, rant, pontificate, and bloviate knowing there are people out there reading it. The fun-factor is one way we're all equal.
I've stated a few times that more voices mean more readers. More is better than less. That means it's great radio yappers, reporters, ex-reporters, opinion columnists (even Eugene Kane), politicians, professors, and others are weblogging.
I think there is a distinct difference of experience between webloggers who have a past of being involved in news and opinion-making and those that stared because they had something to say.
If you ask Charlie Sykes why he weblogs he might tell you it's an extension to his radio show. It's a way to give his listeners more information about the topics he talks about. Ask me that question and I'll tell you, "Since I'm a writer I want to be read." That's a difference in how the writer approaches the topics he takes on and how his readers consume and react.
New voices lead to new wisdom. The new players learn from the weblogging history us "old geezers" lived through. Us geezers are reminded that most people don't read weblogs so this is still new. There's no zero-sum game here.
UPDATE: Glenn Reynolds in his new book An Army of Davids tells us the #1 reason any of us, media stars and "citizen bloggers," do this: it's fun! Besides the mentions on radio, access to inflence peddlers, and "blog summits" it's just plain fun to write, rant, pontificate, and bloviate knowing there are people out there reading it. The fun-factor is one way we're all equal.
posted by Sean Hackbarth @ 8:50 PM
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