From BBC News – Blogging is enjoying exponential growth. News item here.
Well, glad to hear it – looks like there will be even more potential friends across the blogosphere!
Blog creators were likely to be young, well-educated, net-savvy males with good incomes and college educations, the survey found.
This was also true of the average blog reader, although the survey found there was a greater than average growth in blog readership among women and those in minorities.
BLOG READING EXPLODES IN AMERICA
Blogging was popular during the US presidential campaign. Americans are becoming avid blog readers, with 32 million getting hooked in 2004, according to new research.
The survey, conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, showed that blog readership has shot up by 58% in the last year.
Some of this growth is attributable to political blogs written and read during the US presidential campaign.
Despite the explosive growth, more than 60% of online Americans have still never heard of blogs, the survey found.
Blogs, or web logs, are online spaces in which people can publish their thoughts, opinions or spread news events in their own words.
Companies such as Google and Microsoft provide users with the tools to publish their own blogs.
GETTING INVOLVED
The rise of blogs has spawned a new desire for immediate news and information, with six million Americans now using RSS aggregators.
The aggregators automatically compile the latest information published online from the blogs or news sites.
Reading blogs remains far more popular than writing them, the survey found.
Only 7% of the 120 million US adults who use the internet had created a blog or web-based diary.
Getting involved is becoming more popular though, with 12% saying they had posted material or comments on other people’s blogs. Just under one in 10 of the US’s internet users read political blogs such as the Daily Kos or Instapundit during the US presidential campaign.
Kerry voters were slightly more likely to read them than Bush voters.
Blog creators were likely to be young, well-educated, net-savvy males with good incomes and college educations, the survey found.
This was also true of the average blog reader, although the survey found there was a greater than average growth in blog readership among women and those in minorities.
The survey was conducted during November and involved telephone surveys of 1,324 internet users.
BLOGGING IN AMERICA
Blog readership has shot up by 58% in 2004
Eight million have created a blog
27% of online Americans have read a blog
5% use RSS aggregators to get news and other information
12% of online Americans have posted comments on blogs
Only 38% of online Americans have heard about blogs
RSS aggregators are downloaded to PCs and are programmed to subscribe to feeds from blogs, news sites and other websites.
How can I tell which pieces are written by Boris? I expected that the site would be his pieces with comments from others. Nothing against Melissa – do you work for Boris? Am just trying to get the idea of the site.
Hi halvenon
Yes – it is still a new experience and we hope he will warm to it even more in time.
Posts are done on his behalf and his advice and viewpoint sought. Good to promote openness and transparency through the blog medium.
We have noticed that others have multiple posting people too and this would appear to be a good way to progress at the moment.
We love to invite comments.
Hi Melissa
In this context, you might appreciate this observation aimed at Instapundit:
The best editor in America today isn’t a journalist. He’s Glenn Harlan Reynolds, a law professor at the University of Tennessee, also known as the “Instapundit.” He’s endangering my livelihood.
• · · · · · Insta-Insta-threat (smile)
[ http://jewishworldreview.com/0105/jkelly010405.php3 ]
Just to be fussy;
“RSS aggregators are downloaded to PCs and are programmed to subscribe to feeds from blogs, news sites and other websites.”
Not exactly. There are numerous web based RSS aggregators too, as well as ones for phones and Pocket PCs/Palms.
Aha…Bloggers of the world unite. Lets take over the world. There’s a blogger near many local english newspapers who are going to take over as the voice of the city……
So there’s a significant # of women bloggers?!! As Liza Tarbuck said on HIGNFY – GOOD! And it’s attracting poverty stricken well-educated people? Well since having the children I can honestly say that my assets have decreased, except one, but I’m leaving that behind me. I’m looking to the new year and think it’s high time we all united in defence of that much maligned minority – the white, English middle class. Did you read about the Lake District Authority attempt to desciminate AGAINST them? Come on Boris – when are you going to stand for leadership? WE NEED FAIR NOT FATUOUS POLITICS! When Howard looses you the general election (and he will) tell him to move over and make room for someone the electorate want, not the cronies on the top table! Boris for PM!
Happy new year Boz cat. PS: Does your Dad let you drive his Landy? Do you go off road? What do you think of the recent story about making ‘forgotton’ walkways (yeah right) 4×4 playgrounds? Silly idea #1098?!
‘Blog creators were likely to be young, well-educated, net-savvy males with good incomes and college educations, the survey found.’
I agree with this statement but not every word: its the bit about good income! I’ve been living on thin grool and bread and dripping for the past six mounths. So there’s no change there.
Pity Boris isn’t really a blogger then.
…we are trying Ted
Melissa – surley down there in Henley there must be a college course Boris could attend to learn the zen art of blogging. I mean it’s not diffcult. I can do it and I only had a bog standerd comphensive education back in the eighties. Boris sounds like he needs to update his basic core skills. And these skills are not what one would call an ancient arcane language. Unless there is a Loeb edition of greek and roman bloggers!?! that I’ve missed.
Boris’ dad even uses his PC from darkest Africa or Peru or whever the rainforest article was in the Telegraph. Maybe Boris could just ask his dad.
If Boris’s dad can manage it then so can Boris Jnr – after all he’s only gone forty – still way young enough to gain new skills. He’s still young enough to form a rock’n’roll band. So he can get his blogging act together. Unless of course he’s a bit of a light weight. Grr..I hate quiters…