Blogs in the news

Blogs have been getting a lot of attention lately.  You may have read the blog feature in the 27 December 2004 issue of TIME magazine.  Blogs, it seems, are reporting news and making news.  Some blogs are hoaxes, claiming to be something they’re not.  Some are newsy, some controversial, some crude.  There are personal blogs, group blogs and company blogs.  The Mirriam-Webster word of the year for 2004 was blog.  A recent study in the US revealed that more than 1 in 4 internet users read blogs, and a whopping 7% have blogs of their own.

When the tsunami disaster hit, blogs became a help and a controversy.  Personal blogs were used to let family and friends know that individuals were safe.  Blogs such as tsunami help gave help on a much wider scale.  People shared their stories via blogs.  Yahoo! actually has a page featuring tsunami blogs.  While some tried to capitalize on the tragedy to con the public, blogs and other internet sources also spurred forward legitimate relief efforts by organizing volunteers and encouraging people to donate.

It’s easy to start a blog.  One of the most popular ways to start is by using Blogger.com.  Or, start reading blogs by checking out Blogs Canada’s top 10, or try Blogs4God.