Evidently Hammerhead wants to get back into blogging, too. Although Eagle-Eyes credited him with yesterday’s blog-quote, he nudged “Me, Myself, & I” this a.m. and held the above headline from the S.F. Chronicle (8-4-07) in his face and asked, “Doesn’t this hit the nail on the head? Let’s share it with your readers.”
OK, we’ll delay cleaning up the garage (once again), but we won’t limit our comments to just politics. As this article stated, “The rise of local bloggers is another step in the convergence of old and new media.” The Petaluma360 online edition is a perfect example of what has been happening all across the country. Use whatever word you wish – citizen journalist or activist, many bloggers create their own content while others direct their comments toward other mainstream news stories and events. In either case, online newspaper sites are attracting readers who want to see what bloggers are creating and thinking.
One example of a local Petaluma blogger who is making a difference is Frank Simpson. He was the focus of an article by Paul Payne, a Press Democrat reporter, titled “Petaluman uses Web to expose city litter.” After months of blogging and posting hundreds of photographs related to graffiti, abandoned shopping carts, and all forms of litter, Frank’s messages are attracting the attention of citizens, politicians, and the mainstream press. The online version of this article (8-3-07) is available at http://frank-simpson.petaluma360.com His collection of photographs may be viewed at http://www.picturetrail.com/PINS131
What the future holds for blogging activities or citizen journalism remains to be seen. Perhaps the editorial staff of the Argus-Courier will conduct a “Pulse of Petaluma” poll designed to survey readers’ opinions of this progressive trend that is creating a symbiotic relationship with mainstream newspapers. A blogger’s site that gets 40,000 hits per week to view photographs about city litter is most impressive.
Who knows what impact bloggers will have on next year’s elections; both nationally and locally. Stay tuned.