The Rise of blogging -...

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The Rise of blogging

Will Sturgeon

Why are blogs important?

How many blogs are there?

More than

150,000,000*

*probably

How many of those really matter?

Less than

0.001%*

*almost certainly

Meet Saskia and Naomi

Blogging: 3 years Target Audience: 4 Page views: 894 Media power: Very limited

“Whoever controls

the media controls

the culture” Allen Ginsberg

Why are blogs important?

How mass communication changes the world

A lesson from history

A lesson from history

London, 14th Century

A lesson from history

Cripplegate

Moorgate

Bishopsgate

Aldgate

Billingsgate

Ludgate

Aldersgate

A walled city

Clerkenwell Priory

Priory of St John

Charterhouse Monastery

St Bartholomew Priory

White Friars

St Mary Overie Priory

Abbey of St Clare

New Abbey of St Mary of Graces

Outside the City walls…

Were people who could write

…and literacy meant power and control

But this was all about to change…

1476: William Caxton establishes the first printing

press in England

This was all about to change…

Printing presses spread

London, 16th Century

A lesson from history Printing presses spread

1500: William Caxton’s business partner Wynkyn de Worde moves

the printing press into London

A lesson from history More were established in this area

Saint Paul’s

Ludgate

The River Fleet

Temple Inns of Court

A lesson from history Fleet Street

A lesson from history Fleet Street had an impact upon…

• Democracy • Literacy • Education • Free speech • Health • Culture • Creating a fourth estate • Breaking down hegemony

A lesson from history Home of the 4th Estate from 1702 - 2005

But trust in the media has decreased

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Source: Populus 2012

Who do the public trust…

Source: Which?

Just

of the British public say they trust journalists

7%

Who do the public trust…

Source: Which?

7%

The same number who trust MPs

Who do the public trust…

Source: Which?

11%

But LESS than bankers

Who do the public trust…

Source: Which?

11%

And even ESTATE AGENTS

Enter the blogger

• Individual • Partisan • Opinionated • Openly biased • Specialist • Numerous

A lesson from history Technology changed everything… again

• Camera phones • Broadband • 3G • WiFi • Falling PC prices • Tablets • Free platforms • Social media

A lesson from history Blogging had an impact upon…

• Democracy • Web literacy • Education • Free speech • Health • Culture • Challenging the fourth estate • Breaking down new hegemonies

A lesson from history Blogging has challenged power

A lesson from history At its best, blogging has…

• Broadened conversations • Provided a depth of knowledge • Elevated genuine experts • Challenged mainstream beliefs • Empowered those without a voice • Made our lives richer • Restored balance

A lesson from history How do you work with bloggers

• Carefully • Respect their independence • Respect their focus • Value them • Don’t treat as second best • Remember they aren’t a news site • Remember they aren’t ‘the press’ • Remember their agenda

And remember how many REALLY matter

Less than

0.001%*

*almost certainly

Thank you

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