Everyone in journalism should by now be well aware of the power of the blog – if only as a potential source of news, vews and information. Even the page you are looking at now is a weblog – defined by Wikipedia (what do you mean, “What’s Wikipedia?”) as “a website where entries are made in journal style and displayed in a reverse chronological order”. Thing is, what many journalists are becoming increasingly aware, the better blogs can often be rich seams of leads and stories.
Blogs often provide commentary or news on a particular subject, such as food, politics, or local news; some function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. Thus, for a working journalist, this phenomenon of “citizen journalism” can often form a vital source of leads.
But how can journalists go about finding and keeping track of blogs of interest to them?
In true blog style, follow this link to a useful online article with a set of helpful hints. And maybe add the site to your favourites…