Blog！點止係「網上日記」咁簡單！

Blogs encompass "on-line diaries," but certainly is more.

Following the spectacular growth in Hong Kong's blogging culture, the media have caught on and begun reporting the trend. Notable write-ups include:

1/　BreakThrough: The Study of Online Diaries and Youth.
2/　Cable TV News One (April 28, 2005; New Growth Points (新增點)
3/　Sing Tao Daily (May 4, 2005; page A21)

What is also noteworthy, unfortunately, is that most of the sources quite simplistically equated blogs with "on-line diaries," and proceeded to present blogs to the public as "a tool used mainly by young people to chronicle daily-life."

Well, blogs have already enjoyed a few years' stretch of popularity, and have been applied in virtually all imaginable ways. Blogging in Hong Kong has also shared a similar path of growth and diversification.

We feel that the manner in which Hong Kong's media have elected to define blogs in an artificially narrowed context is misleading the public and, in the process, suffocating blogging.

In the light of the situation, we, a group of concerned bloggers, feel the urge to clarify what is "blogging" in the face of such shoddy journalism, and correct misunderstandings from the public.

  1. Blogger.com describes blogging as:
    What is a blog?
    According to the information at Blogger.com, the definition of a blog is as follows:
    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. Memos to the world.

    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.

    In simple terms, a blog is a web site, where you write stuff on an ongoing basis. New stuff shows up at the top, so your visitors can read what's new. Then they comment on it or link to it or email you. Or not.

    Since Blogger was launched, almost five years ago, blogs have reshaped the web, impacted politics, shaken up journalism, and enabled millions of people to have a voice and connect with others.

    More information:
    Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia： Blog

    There is yet no common consensus on the Chinese term for "blogging." We feel that "on-line journals" is a more more descriptive label than "on-line diaries."

    A few weeks ago, Business Week carried a cover-story on blogging, which may serve as an excellent reference for the reporter.
    (Cover Story - Blogs Will Change Your Business )

    　　
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