While reviewing entries on the Pinoy Top Blogs, I noticed that some of them might seem like a plain web site rather than a blog. The question still remains, what constitutes a blog?
In my presentation during the iBlog Summit last May, I referred to a blog as:
These posts are often but not necessarily in reverse chronological order. Such a website would typically be accessible to any Internet user. The format of weblogs varies, from simple bullet lists of hyperlinks, to article summaries with user-provided comments and ratings.
Individual weblog entries are almost always date and time-stamped, with the newest post at the top of the page, and reader comments often appearing below it.
Because links are so important to weblogs, most blogs have a way of archiving older entries and generating a static address for individual entries; this static link is referred to as a permalink.
A weblog is edited, organized and published often through a content management system or CMS.
A blog is a personal diary. A daily pulpit. A collaborative space. A political soapbox. A breaking-news outlet. A collection of links. Your own private thoughts. Your blog is whatever you want it to be. There are millions of them, in all shapes and sizes, and there are no real rules.
Source: Wikipedia / Blogger.com
Sean emailed me this:
Take Citizen Watch, for example. Is this a blog? At first glance, this seems to be a journalistic blog that’s much like the Inside PCIJ site – only that it contains news and updates regarding the Arroyo political debacle. A closer look, however, notes that the articles on the site are apparently submitted by independent users to an editorial board before being published online. “Citizen Watch”, with its “Sun.Star” affiliation, feels more like an online newspaper than a blog to begin with.
Or, for that matter, how is an online newspaper NOT a blog? It clearly reflects the opinions of multiple people on a single site.
Check his blog later for a more indepth discussion.
The C at replied back with this:
ENCANTADIA is not a pinoyblog. it is a blog for channel 7 shows. Citizenwatch is a Sunstar newspaper. The pinoy blog is being used for their adverstisement.
Now there’s another thought. Does motive count when considering if a site is a blog or not?
Although I believe I have the last say on Pinoy Top Blogs, I’d really appreciate it if the Pinoy Blogging Community do a self-check.
I think that the term “blog” refers to a broad and still-evolving concept. Just like many of you already mentioned, there are personal blogs, corporate blogs, community blogs, etc. Some features that are today considered “standard” (like RSS and even trackbacks) are not even present on many blogs a few years ago.
That’s the reason why it’s pretty hard to define what is a blog and what isn’t.
For our own purposes, I think we have to define a *pinoyblog* (not just “blog”) as a blog which has *all* the following characteristics:
1. It has the technical characteristics mentioned in the definition of the term “blog” in the Wikipedia.
2. It is authored by a Pinoy individual or members of a Pinoy community.
3. It is *not* a corporate blog.
4. ( Add more criteria here… )
Then we go further and declare that only *pinoyblogs* (not just any blog) are allowed in the Pinoy Top Blogs. (And maybe rename it to “Top Pinoy Blogs”).
sa dami ng blog sa mundo, adhikain ni yuga ang pagsasamahin ang mga blog na gawa ng pinoy hindi isyu ang kung gaano karami ang bumibisita sa bawat pinoyblog. basta pinoy, tungkol sa pinoy, may relasyon sa pinoy, nakadikit sa pinoy, puwede natin ito isama sa pinoy blog.
pinoy muna bago blog…
Why mainstream media doesn’t get it
There are articles that make you nod your head all the time you’d fear getting stiff neck. I just read and reread one an hour ago. It’s by Bob Cauthorn and it discusses blogging by mainstream media. The article sums up, in an acerbic tone, how mos…
[...] Some of the points in the article were points I’ve already raised before, including in this discussion in Abe Olandres’ site on what constitutes a blog. There are people who complain that at times, my letters or memos can be harsh but boy do I wish I could write like Cauthorn. [...]
Twitter: redeuxx
says:
The definition of blog has changed since it’s inception. It has swallowed up traditional homepages, community, and commercial websites under it’s wing. What all blogs do have in common is commenting directly on the article whether they be commercial blogs, tech blogs, community blogs.
OT: Your gravatar sign up code doesn’t seem to work.
You posted “how is an online newspaper NOT a blog? It clearly reflects the opinions of multiple people on a single site.”
A newspaper is a collection of factual events. Only a Liberal would define a newspaper as a collection of opinions.
Hello, i have a site about music, can i place a link to your website?
I dont think blogs are any different than forums. It has the same look and feel except the back end to add the content is a little different and slightly more managable. The true vaue is in the forums because it gets views involved in the process and the layout are entirely different.
LCD TV’s are good, but I prefer plasma. The picture quality is superior and the unit’s seem to last longer. Plus they look cool.
Long live the bloggerss!!