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12 million Americans

The new Pew Internet and American Life Project study on blogging came out today, and what it says should be of interest to many of us. In this case, "us" is 12 million Americans, with an audience of 57 million. Here's a summary from Poynter's E-Media Tidbits:

• 39% of net users (about 57 million American adults) read blogs -- a significant increase since the fall of 2005. And 8% of net users (about 12 million American adults) keep a blog.
• Most US blogs are personal journals. Most bloggers do not consider their blogging journalism. However, 57% of bloggers include links to original sources either "sometimes" or "often." And 56% spend extra time trying to verify facts they want to include in a post either "sometimes" or "often."
• 54% of bloggers are under 30.
• US bloggers are evenly divided between men and women -- so anyone who continues to ask "where are the women bloggers?" is probably not really looking. (I'm sure this will be a huge topic of conversation at the upcoming BlogHer conference, which I'm attending.)

These were the most common primary blog topics cited:

• "My life and experiences:" 37%  
• Politics and government: 11%  
• Entertainment: 7%  
• Sports: 6%  
• General news and current events: 5%  
• Business: 5%  
• Technology: 4%  
• Religion, spirituality or faith: 2%  
• Hobbies: 1%  
• Health: 1%

And from the report's press release:

The report, written by Senior Research Specialist Amanda Lenhart and Associate Director Susannah Fox, says that bloggers are avid consumers and creators of online content. They are also heavy users of the internet in general. Forty-four percent of bloggers have taken material they find online - like songs, text, or images - and remixed it into their own artistic creation. By comparison, just 18% of all internet users have done this.  A whopping 77% of bloggers have shared something online that they created themselves, like their own artwork, photos, stories, or videos. By comparison, 26% of internet users have done this.

"Blogs are as individual as the people who keep them, but this survey shows that most bloggers are primarily interested in creative, personal expression," said Lenhart. "Blogs make it easy to document individual experiences, share practical knowledge, or just keep in touch with friends and family."

But I'm sure it's just one of those silly fads that those geeky pajama-wearing computer people get into. Right?

"The People Formerly Known As the Audience"

I know most of us are just out there blogging because we like it, but every now and then it's worth pulling back on the zoom lens and seeing the larger picture. Here's Jay Rosen's latest post at PressThink, which talks about the emerging relationship between traditional media and "the people formerly known as the audience."

This kind of thing tends to happen after blogger conventions (in this case, the just concluded BloggerCon IV in San Francisco)... which is a nice segue to this reminder: the countdown to ConvergeSouth 2006 (Greensboro, NC, this October) is underway, and in true geek fashion, I can't wait...

Breaking the ice

This is my first post to the Lowcountry Blogs blog. I've opted out of the postings lately, even over at Xark. To be honest, I was feeling a little like I was  standing at the edge of the ocean yelling into the surf. Therapeutic, perhaps, but not very productive.

Because a post  is not meant to be a lecture or a book report or a diary entry, it's the start of a dialogue. When there is no answer, there’s always a twinge of disappointment. This  (and you  know what I’m talking about)  can spiral downwards into “I must be boring. No one cares what I think.  And ... I’m fat!”  Feedback is good, for the most part, which is why I think this site is such a gem. It allows connections beyond serendipity.

Blogging is an amazing thing. We start off shy and nervous, but eventually find our voice. We meet other members of our tribe and, if we are looking, we can see life from a completely different perspective. We share the trials and tragedies, the little bits of happiness and great joys of friends whose paths otherwise might have never crossed. I'm not sure under what circumstances I would have met Joan. Or find out that Heather and I share a love of candy and, I suspect, a fondness for tiaras.
Even if we never become best buddies or do lunch or even meet face to face, it's nice to know that nice people are out there. That our experiences as human beings aren't lone forays into the wilderness. Other people have been there, done that.

Lest the violins start playing, it’s not all candy and crowns. Sometimes we learn that people are petty. Downright mean. Sometimes we thank our lucky stars  that we won’t ever meet this insulting, wrong-headed, no-count jerk.  Sometimes we learn later that the jerk does have a redeeming quality or two.  It can happen.

And, great gawd, do we get to laugh! Even at ourselves. 

Isn’t it fun?

Posted by Janet.