Blogs or blogging is a relatively new web publishing phenomenon that has been taking some quarters of the online world by storm over the past few years. Blogging essentially lowers the bar for publishing online, allowing websites readers to publish easily, without much technical knowledge, and cost effectively, without needing to register or host a website.
A blog ('WeB Log'), similar to an internet forum posting, can be used as an online journal or diary, where internet users post daily thoughts, poetry, theories, writing experiments, or artistic babblings available for public consumption, via a website which will provide and audience and community such as the Mail & Guardian Online.
Matthew Buckland, editor & manager of the Mail & Guardian Online, says the phenomenon has raised interesting questions about what constitutes "journalism" on the web, because blogs effectively allow almost anyone with a computer and an internet connection to publish their own stories or articles.
"We resisted jumping into this at first and have monitored the trend for some time... but we believe the phenomenon is revolutionising online publishing, providing an important forum for reader's opinions. The concept of blogging is a perfect fit for the kind of readership that the M&G Online attracts," he says.
"Blogs truly democratise the web in many ways. It's always been easier to publish on the web than say the print or broadcast medium, but now blogs make it even easier. It allows almost anyone to become a publisher and publish for all the world to see," says Buckland.
The Mail & Guardian Online is the second major South African online publisher to implement blogs. The first major publisher to launch a local blog section was M-Web.
See M&G Online's Blogspot by going to http://blogspot.mg.co.za.
