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What Brings Users to Blogs?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the skewed-sample-populations dept.

Billosaur writes "The Center for Citizen Media Blog has an interesting overview of the Collaborative News Survey 'Hype versus Reality', detailing the results of a study done by Hsing Wei from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government on why users are attracted to collaborative news, commenting and blogging sites. Among the conclusions of the study are that people who use these sites are 'mostly young and male, especially those who visit technology-related sites, looking for 'a fix of unique, informative fun,' and 'filling in the blanks' left by traditional news sources. Or is it just because it beats working?"

6 of 143 comments (clear)

  1. Visiting Slashdot... by Bryansix · · Score: 3, Insightful

    sure beats working! Plus I think a lot of people are attracted to sites that allow commenting because they like to argue.

  2. Make your voice heard. by darcling · · Score: 4, Insightful

    On a "big news site" they give you the information. Period.

    If they're wrong (in your opinion) or leave out important facts - too bad, they don't care about you. In a blog/comment arena you can interface directly with the author and flesh out the details, inaccuracies, or corroborate their work.

    Community = Good.

    --
    noobcake or noobmuffin? It is the same price...
  3. Slashdot by PaulMorel · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Slashdot brings users to blogs.

    After all, who needs reliable news outlets when you can get all your news pre-filtered by people just like you?

    --
    burrocrisy
    and that would be what? Ruling by jackasses? Never has a slashdot misspelling been more apropos
  4. Simple by geekoid · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Blogs are an easy place to find people who agree with you.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  5. I remember the daze... by happy_place · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I remember when folks got online to share information about challenging technological problems... they exchanged code... and shared configuration tips... wanted to hear what other folks were doing... back in the daze of Usenet, you could find all sorts of folks from experts to beginners, and there was no deep psychological basis for those who stuck around to help... we were just glad to have them online... a bunch of nerds... Nowadays, we'd probably call these guys sickos needed to substitute their lack of self-esteem... blah blah blah... Could it be that some folks still do that? --Ray

    --
    http://www.beanleafpress.com
  6. My theories by gettingbraver · · Score: 3, Insightful
    1) Some who blog are very good writers and enjoy writing.

    2) Some think they are good writers (and aren't) and enjoy writing.

    3) Some like to read and can differentiate between 1 and 2.

    4) Some who like to read can't differentiate between 1 and 2.

    5) Some enjoy the interraction.

    6) Some like to get obnoxious and argue with everyone. See 2.

    7) Some can learn something.

    8) Some think they know everything. See 6.