The Blogging Phenomenon

With today’s fast paced technology and the creation of the Internet, it has become very easy for one to publish and search information on the World Wide Web. With the rapid expansion of new communication modes such as blogging has become a fixture in the process of obtaining information on the Internet. In fact bloggers has played up to their role as an active contributor of the latest news, that it has led to the debate that everyone can be a journalist (Teik, 2008).

Timeline of Major Blogging Platforms
Source: Flickr.com

Now everyone with an opinion can have their say and be heard. The poorest squirrel eater out there in the sticks, provided he has a decent Internet provider, can set up his Web page right alongside the rich kid in the suburbs. Technology and entertainment have leveled class distinctions and created a pure form of democracy’ (Bachelder, 2003, pg 165).

Gan (2008) suggested that in Malaysia, blogging is the direct result of press freedom is being stifled. According to him, it is no surprise as press freedoms have been assaulted in Malaysia for some time now - the only democratic space in Malaysia is cyberspace. Therefore, blogging offers citizens the equal opportunity and platform to voice their opinions and practice their right to freedom of speech.

References
1. Bachelder, C., 2003, Bear V Shark London: Bloomsbury, OP 2001

2. Gan, S., 2008, Convergence, Citizen Journalism, and Social Change, viewed on 27th October 2009, http://snurb.info/node/789

3. Teik. JLC., 2008, Benefits of Blogging, viewed on 3rd November 2009, http://www.best-firepow-review.com/benefits-from-blogging