Blogs as current phenomenon & benefits to the community

The picture of an increases size of blogosphere.
(source: Technorati 2008)

It is a phenomenon non like any other. Everyday, the blogosphere; which meant ‘the sheer numbers of blogs that users have published’ (comScore Networks, Inc. 2005) continues to rapidly increase daily. From the year 2002, Technorati (Technorati, Inc 2009) had recorded more than 133 million blogs. It is a truly global phenomenon: Technorati tracked blogs in 81 languages in June 2008, and bloggers responded to the survey from 66 countries across six continents.

There are a few types of blogging topics. This includes professional and non professional topics. In Asia, music blogs are more famous than political blogs. In Europe, religious, personal, and lifestyle topics are not so famous (Technorati 2008). But, politics and technology blogs are more prone in America. Apart from that, the united States also have more blogger from other countries. (Coates 2003 cited in Norton 2004)

In Malaysia, there are about 500,000 active bloggers. This number ranks the country among the highest in the world after Indonesian and the European Union. (Utusan Malaysia, 2009) A Microsoft research in the year 2006 concluded that 74% bloggers are 25 years old or younger. The research also shows that 81% of the readers are interested with blogs from family or friends. (Microsoft Malaysia Corp, 2006). Researches by University Malaya also showed that the 70% of the last election results were influenced by information on the blogs.

Blogging can bring positive impacts to the professional and personal life. Personally, bloggers are enabled to increase their social life by making more friends, and bringing them closer with family members and friends. They also can to get more time with their hobbies. For Professional life, many of these bloggers from corporate or individual notices positive impact from their blog. A survey shows that half of them are better known in their industry and one out of four used their blog as a resume enhancement (Technorati 2008)

Reference

Bowers,C & Stoller,M 2005, ‘ Emergence of the Progressive Blogosphere: A new force in American politics,viewed 7 June 2009, http://commonsenseblog.typepad.com/common_sense/files/The-Emergence-of-the-Progressive-Blogosphere.pdf

Ferdig, RE,Ph.D &Trammell,KD 2004, ‘ content delivery in the blogosphere’, The Journal online, University of Florida, viewed 6 June 2009, http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst?docId=5006872677

Norton,K 2004 , ‘ Blogs: creating democracy and ensuring access’, viewed 7 June 2009, http://www.kellegous.com/scratch/2004/cms790/blog-access-draft.pdf

Technorati 2008, State of blogosphere, viewed 7 June 2009,
http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/the-what-and-why-of-blogging/