Week Twelve: ABC Media Report

Article from: ABC Media Report
Title: A Taxonomy of Blogs
Presenter: Anthony Funnell
Date: September 25, 2008

Link: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2008/2372882.htm

In this segment Anthony Funnell speaks to Maragret Simons about the different types of blogs that currently exist in cyberspace (like this one!). She classifies these types of blogs in nine categories.

Types of blogs:

1. Pampleteering blog: in which the author or authors present a strong point of view on a issue or a collection of issues. (eg. this blog by Andrew Norton, a public intellectual http://andrewnorton.info/)
2. Digest blog: a collection of articles or links on a topic, or a summary of an issue in which the author or authors do not neccessarily add anything.
3. Advocacy blog: similar to a pampleteering blog but the author has a vested interest in the subject matter and tries to push a particular point of view.
4. Popular Mechanics blog: often written by enthusiasts, authors of this type of blog explain how to do something. (eg. this blog about how to tie a tie http://www.kinowear.com/blog/how-to-tie-a-tie-the-pursuit-of-the-perfect-knot/)
5. Exhibition blog: when the author displays some of their (or others) creative pieces such as art, poetry, writing etc. and then discusses it. (eg. the blogs at http://www.pool.org.au/, mentioned in my previous blogs)
6. Gatewatcher blog: the authors of these blogs keep an eye on the media and critique the way they are doing things. (eg. this comprehensive collection of blogs for this purpose http://gatewatching.org/)
7. The Diary: in which the blog functions like a diary and people put up photos and information about themselves.
8. The Advertisement: when a blog's sole purpose, whether obvious or not, is to promote and advertise a product. (check out this one for coke zero http://www.thezeromovement.com/default,10,home.sm)
9. News blog: in which the author tries to break the news of the day, week etc. before other 'professional' news corporations.

I found this segment very interesting and the range of blog types very well defined. It lead me to start thinking about what kind of blog I am currently posting out in cyberspace and I think that the thing about blogs is that don't always fit entirely in one category. I think this blog is a combination of a pampleteering blog, because I am sharing my point of view on a wide range of topics, and a digest blog, because I am presenting a summary of articles which inform the reader on certain issues in publication and design.

I think that these classifications show a wide range of possibilities for people to blog according to their needs and purpose. I have found that blogs are not one dimensional, they are not all the same and they are not all written by ametures who want to whinge and complain. They serve very important and useful functions in society and provide people with a voice to express themselves, whether it be about themselves, their opinions, their creativity, their products or their personal lives. Blogs have a world of possibilities!

Other Links:

Margaret Simons explains, in more detail, types of blogs and includes examples: http://www.creative.org.au/webboard/results.chtml?filename_num=229836