Blogging About Blogging

  I am continuing down this pathway of studying new new media, and at the moment blogging.  I posted a video of an interview with Paul Levinson in my last post, but I feel as though I should mention he is the author of the textbook I am currently studying at the moment.
  In the most recent chapter read, Levinson made the assertion that most social media has returned the communication sphere to a time predating the invention of print media.  During these ancient times communication took place via word of mouth and lacked gatekeepers.  Print media, radio, and television all use gatekeepers to control content.  Networks hire station directors as a gatekeeper to make sure everything on air is valid and true, or in line with the overall mission of the network.  Newspapers employ editors at all levels, from copy to desk to chief; content is reviewed and edited every step of the way.
  Blogging was the first of the social media developments, and the first to re-introduce society to this idea of unadulterated communication.  I could publish anything from porn to pastry recipes on this blog without an editor telling me I was fired.  Cursing, bias, untrue stories and more are published everyday in posts across the blogosphere.

  Like the delightful cartoon above demonstrates (illustrated by Dave Coverly) blogging is like wandering around and saying anything you want to anybody who will listen.  There is no editor, no director, no board of directors available to control content.  It is absolute freedom of speech, as long as you can find a way to host the site.

PS:  When searching for a definition of blogosphere I found a hilarious one on urbandictionary.com.  The following is the definition: "Imagine a million lunatics wandering the streets mumbling to themselves.  Write it all down and put it on the web.  Congratulations, you've just created the blogosphere."