COMM 361-001: Online Journalism

Briggs describes the concept of microblogging — or blogging in under 140 characters — how it emerged, and, perhaps most importantly, how to build a community of followers.

Personally, I find this kind of blogging pointless. If you want to blog about something and make it short, just write a regular ol’ blog and make it short — why restrict yourself to 140? Laziness? Principle? Because it’s a “one-click” world? Maybe I don’t have a lot of faith in people, but I figure that if anyone that’s not going to read a blogger’s regular blog is not going to care any more about a blogger’s microblog just because it’s merely shorter and more to to the point.

Briggs, though, argues that “the ease of publishing, combined with the ease of consuming, has contributed to microblogging’s rapid growth” and that “blogging can intimidate writers who don’t feel they can consistently write anything of interest.” I suppose microblogging just isn’t for me — I feel that if you want to say something, you have to put a little more effort into it than 140 characters. More people are going to argue with a 140 character statement than a 15-page essay because there is much more room to disagree and tear down.

“Services like Twitter invite users to post a quick update on what they might be doing, thinking or planning at any given moment.” For Christ’s sake, no one cares what you’re doing, thinking or planning at any given moment! And if they are, they need to spend less time on Twitter and more time interacting with real people. I’m sorry, but Twitter is for people that either matter or THINK that they matter. Following celebrities is cool, I get it! But following your peers isn’t — it just makes you a weirdo. I can respect why people use it, I can, but seriously, it’s just not for me.

To build one’s network, Briggs suggests “searching for terms [one] is interested in.” If ya find someone worth stalking, follow them! It’s that easy! Briggs also suggests to build a network “by posting good content and promoting those you follow.”

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