Storytelling, not journalism, spurs most blogs

STORYTELLING, NOT JOURNALISM, SPURS MOST BLOGS
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Robert MacMillan]
Many people see Web journals or "blogs" as alternatives to the mainstream media, but most Americans who run them do so as a hobby rather than a vocation, according to a report released on Wednesday. About 77 percent of blog authors, or "bloggers," said they post to express themselves creatively rather to get noticed or paid, according to the report, released by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. The report also found that 37 percent of bloggers cited their life and experiences as their primary topic, while politics and government came in second at 11 percent. Entertainment was the next most-popular blog topic, with 7 percent, followed by sports, at 6 percent and news at 5 percent. Religion or spirituality was the aim of 2 percent. About 8 percent of Internet users, or 12 million American adults, keep a blog, Pew estimated. Some 39 percent of U.S. Web users, or 57 million adults, read them, the researchers said. More than half, or 54 percent, of bloggers are under age 30.
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