Screen vs. print document design

The layout of both screen and print are different as in screen, most start from left to right whereas in print it varies. Writing structures in screen

may be a little less formal compared to writing in print. This is because in screen there may be bond between the writer and the reader hence a little less formality and different writing patterns may increase the preferences of reading on screen. Taken for example, my weblog layout is arranged as so the contents come from the left then only a sidebar on the right and my writing structure is formal as this is an assignment.

Quote from Hilligos and Howard (2002), “One of the principal differences between designing for the screen is that web designers have far less control over what the user actually sees”. According to Bear (2011), there are 5 considerations in designing for print and web design namely typography, graphics, colors, navigation and page composition. However I would only select the first three.

While designing for print, typography is important as it is encouraged to use serif fonts. San-serif fonts are those without the end strokes where it would be more difficult to read as it does not create spaces in between alphabets. For screen, both serif fonts and san-serif fonts may be as I have in my weblog.

Image obtained from http://www.tcd.ie/CAPSL/TIC/accessible-info/word/font-styles.php

Graphics and colors are essential as it helps ease an individual to look at the white spaces. White spaces helps create the illusion of a loose article as compared to if print were to change into a screen format. As the internet has a wide capacity of storage, more graphics and colors can be added without having to cost extra and taking up unnecessary spaces.

References:

1. Bear, J.H., (2011), Print Design vs. Web Design: Similarities and Differences in Print and Web Deisgn, [Online]. Available from: http://desktoppub.about.com/od/transitionprintweb/tp/Print_Design_vs_Web_Design.htm. [Accessed 25 August 2011].

2. Hilligos, S., Howard, T., (2002), Visual Communication: A Writer’s Guide. Second Edition. New York, Longman.

3. Trinity Inclusive Curriculum, (2011), Font Style: How to Ensure Accessible Font Styles. [Picture Format]. Available from: http://www.tcd.ie/CAPSL/TIC/accessible-info/word/font-styles.php [Accessed 25 August 2011].

New forms of media publishing

To me, the newest and most effective trend among the publishing form would be YouTube. YouTube is a distribution platform where everyone can discover, watch and share all kinds of videos (YouTube 2005). Though downloading speed has increased a lot due to technology growth, many were still not affected by this deep change. However when YouTube was created, interactivity reached the next level (AJM Students’ Blog 2011). Though reading is still essential, watching videos are more light-hearted, entertaining and satisfying.

YouTube has expanded the usage of videos thus affecting the role of traditional media. Journalists now have to attract readers to read physical newspapers and also online newspapers. In Public Relations, there are more issues that would arise as some companies would reflect social issues like racism and stereotyping in videos.

Besides that, YouTube has also affected traditional advertising and marketing on just billboards. Advertisements that are created in a video form can go viral on the internet like the advertisement of the body wash called Old Spice which has 35 over million views. Marketing and advertising can work hand in hand; however creating a video advertisement is not easy as it has to attract your target audience.

In the Australia, the regulations of ownership of the media under the Australian Broadcasting Authority cover areas like ownership, planning, program content and others (Jackson 2006). There are also certain videos like the Evan Emory case where he recorded a video at a classroom and used for vulgar sexual song (Crowell 2011). As YouTube allows individual uploads of videos, it is hard for them to keep track on inappropriate video contents.

Old Spice Commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgUE

References:

1. AJM Students’ Blog, (2011), How YouTube has changed the way we watch videos, [Online]. Available from: http://ajmstudents.wordpress.com/2011/01/10/how-youtube-has-changed-the-way-we-watch-videos/. [Accessed 22 August 2011].

2. Crowell. G., (2011), YouTube Legal Issues: The Criminal Case of Evan Emory Part 2, [Online]. Available from: http://www.reelseo.com/youtube-legal-evan-emory/ [Accessed 22 August 11].

3. Jackson, K., (2006), Media Ownership Regulation in Australia, [Online]. Available from: http://www.aph.gov.au/library/intguide/sp/media_regulations.htm [Accessed 22 August 2011].

4. YouTube, (2005), About YouTube, [Online]. Available from: http://www.youtube.com/t/about_youtube. [Accessed 22 August 2011].

5. YouTube, (2010), Old Spice- The Man Your Man Could Smell Like, [Online]. Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgUE. [Accessed 22 August 2011].

Blogging Communities

Blog community is defined as a referrer to collective blog owners of the world who create, organize, market or are involved in the blogosphere (Words in a Row, 2011). According to Park (2011), blog communities are formed via exchanging of comments by readers and such communities.

There are 3 types of blogging communities, namely the Single Blog also known as the Blogger Centric Community, the Central Connecting Topic Community and the Boundaried Community (White 2006).

The Blogger Centric Community grows within the commentors of one blog. Besides getting to know the blogger themselves, the commentors also grow to show common ground and interest among each other. The community within them would however be destroyed unless they have created external bond if the blog is removed (White 2006).

The Topic Centric Community allows exchange of information between bloggers themselves that helps create the community would revolve around this same topic. For example in a mom blog, is where mothers share ideas and stories in their individual blog about their new born and any other posts related to being a mother (White 2006).

Boundaried Communities are public that joins in a platform to communicate. For instance a site where all mothers can join together and have discussions and ideas to share. Topic Centric Community is much more personal in a blogging form whereas boundaried community is more public as of it being a site than a blog.

Www.adoption.com is an example of Boundaried Communities as it only revolves around those that wishes to adopt a child. These communities have other tools such as discussion boards and instant messaging built in describing it as a Boundaried Community site as said by White (2006).

References:

1. Park. B., (2011), Blogs are “tool to manage the self”, [Online]. Available from: http://binnypark.wordpress.com/2011/05/23/week-7/ [Accessed 19 August 2011].

2. White. N., (2006), Blogs and Community- Launching a New Paradigm for Online Community?, [Online]. Available from: http://kt.flexiblelearning.net.au/tkt2006/edition-11-editorial/blogs-and-community-%E2%80%93-launching-a-new-paradigm-for-online-community [Accessed 19 August 2011].

3. Words in a Row, (2011), Blog Community, [Online]. Available from: http://www.wordsinarow.com/blog-glossary.html [Accessed 19 August 2011].

Classification of blogs & opinion about the most appropriate classification approach

Though many blogs are about the bloggers personal life as they act as online diaries, there are many other different categories and styles of blogs in the blogosphere.

According to Simons (2008). there are 9 ways of classifying blogs.

1. Pamphleteering blogs where individuals or groups would come together to discuss about certain points of view.

2. Digest blogs where contents are usually repeated as it is obtained from various websites and summarized into the one digest blog.

3. Advocacy blogs are similar to pamphleteering blogs but instead it is by interest groups pushing in a certain point of view.

4. Popular mechanics blog also known as the how to blog where it teaches on mechanics that ranges from cooking to gardening.

5. Exhibition blog is where artist, poets and craftspeople bring their work to a broader audience.

6. Gate watcher blog is where the writers keep an eye on what the media reports and does not report.

7. Diary blog is commonly used as most treat blogs like an online diary.

8. Advertisement blogs are used by commercial company to promote and advertise their products.

9.News blog is usually local and they supplement news to the people.

According to Haskins (2007) however, he has 4 kinds of taxonomy but he called it different motivation for blogging.

1. Distraction blogging where it is a relief for the writer in expressing all about themselves.

2. Archive blogging is where one writes about their expertise to share it and assist other people.

3. Conversation blogging is mutual where the cycle of learning and growing contributes to collective wisdom.

4. Democratic blogging may be political where it changes and reconstructs the dynamics in the society.

Comparing both of Simons (2008) and Haskins (2007), I find Simons’ classification easier to understand as it is more detailed. As I have chosen Simons’ taxanomy, it is because of the detailed and convenience in classifying a blog based on the writing styles and the contents of the blog. It is easier to determine which category they belong to once the writing style is observed. However in circumstances where the contents of the blog overlaps, Haskins may be easier to establish what type of blog it is.

References:

1. Haskins. T. (2007). Different Motivations for Blogging, [Online]. Available from: http://growchangelearn.blogspot.com/2007/03/different-motivations-for-blogging.html [Accessed 16 August 2011].

2. Simons. M. (2011). A Taxonomy of Blogs, [Online]. Available from: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2008/2372882.htm#transcript%29 [Accessed 16 August 2011].

Blogs as current phenomenon & benefits of blogging to the community

The usage of blogs has been expanding since early 1999, said Blood(2000). More than 133 million blogs have been indexed by Technorati as of 2009 (Aman 2011). According to Ali(2011) in interviewing some of the Middle East bloggers, it is said that bloggers roles has switched to being news-makers instead of commentary providers and that writing tends to result in action from the readers. Besides that, Blogging helps provide emotional depth and the blogosphere helps fill a cultural need (Ali 2011).

In Asia however, blogging is widely using for earning an income. Income is one of the benefits of blogging. There are many who blog for a living. Nuffnang is the first and leading blog advertising community in Asia-Pacific (Nuffnang 2011). After one inserts an advertisement into their blog, based on number of readers or number of clicks, income will gradually generate. Below are the top 10 earning blogs.

Image obtained from
http://www.incomediary.com/top-earning-blogs/

According to Gaman(2007), 28% blogs about personal experiences, 16% blogs about politics and the other 16% blogs about technology as of the Top 50 Malaysian Bloggers. Many can learn through blogging as personal experiences range from a skill to a vacation. Hence the benefits of these blogs is that they can provide information cultural wise and globally towards the community without having to know each and everyone. Political blogs are very effective especially in both Iran and Malaysia as comparing with a physical newspaper; blogs are the quickest and most in-depth form of where you can get information regarding any political issues.

References:

1. Ali, A. (Monday 31^st January 2011). Giving Birth to the Middle East’s Blogosphere, [Online]. Available from: http://www.psfk.com/2011/01/giving-birth-to-the-middle-easts-blogosphere.html [Accessed 15 August 2011].

2. Aman. (2011). Content, Power and Responsibility… Statistics. [Online]. Available from: http://wordonsocialmedia.com/blog/?p=37 [Accessed 15 August 2011].

3. Blood. R., (2000). Weblogs: History and Perspective, [Online]. Available from: http://www.rebeccablood.net/essays/weblog_history.html [Accessed 15 August 2011].

4. Dunlop. M., (2009). 30 Blog's That Make A Lot of Money Online. [Electronic Table] Available from: http://www.incomediary.com/top-earning-blogs/ [Accessed 15 August 2011].

5. Gaman. (2007). 50 Most Influential Blogs in Malaysia, [Online]. Available from: http://www.sabahan.com/2007/02/06/50-most-influential-blogs-in-malaysia/ [Accessed 15 August 2011].

6. Nuffnang. (2011). Our Story, [Online]. Available from: http://www.nuffnang.com.my/about-us/ [Accessed 15 August 2011].