What's a Blog ?

Here's a letter to MalaysiaKini, written by Michael which is a good read.
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/62738

Blog content only a personal opinion
Michael Jan 29, 07 4:37pm

I write this letter out of interest in what is being discussed these days about bloggers. There seems to be the general view that blogs or bloggers are part time journalists or want-to-be journalists. While it might be obvious why many people have this view, this certainly is not what a blog is. A blog by definition is in fact:

• a private webpage which is published by either an individual or a group of individuals.
  are commonly personal journals/diaries and are used to comment on all sorts of topics depending on the interests of the blogger (author).
  
• is usually updated frequently, maybe monthly, weekly or even daily, all depending on the blogger.
  
• Most blogs enable visitors to post comments and/or suggestions allowing interactivity between the blogger and visitors.

Short for ‘Web Log' this term refers to a list of journal entries posted on a Web page.

Anybody who knows how to create and publish a Web page can publish their own blog. Some Web hosts have made it even easier by creating an interface where users can simply type a text entry and hit ‘Publish’ to publish their blog.

Because of the simplicity of creating a blog, many people (often young kids and adults) have found a new presence on the Web. Instead of writing confidential entries in a book that no one is supposed to see, people now can share their personal feelings and experiences with thousands of people around the world. ‘Blog’ may also be used as a verb, as in ‘Wow, Ali sure blogged a lot last week’.

What the above implies is that blogs are not by nature online newspapers and thus are not to be held to the same high standard of truth as newspapers are. Now I know many people are going to complain that the two blogs that are being sued are different and should be held to the same standard. But they are not. They are, in fact, a personal view by one person(s). In other words, they are they thoughts and opinion of a person’s own mind - nothing more or less than that.

They pose their own thoughts on certain subjects and then allow other people to post their own thoughts on what the writer has said, no different then you sitting in your local coffee shop and telling your friend you do not like a certain actor because you think he is conceited (even though you have no actual proof of that) and your friend disagrees with you.

Yes, the Internet has a much larger audience and is in the public domain, but no person was ever forced to go to a website, no person was forced to read it and no person was told this is the truth - believe it. All blogs usually post that these are of opinions of the author only. Similar to writing letters to the editor of Malaysiakini or The News Straits Times or The Star. How is it any different?

No matter what your beliefs are, no matter what you think facts are facts and the fact here is that blogs are defined as a personal diary or journal (not to be confused with newspapers which are suppose to report news and the truth). Blogs have never stated their contents are the actual truth but only an opinion of one person(s) that may or may not agree with those of other people.
Look up the definition of blogs and bloggers and you will find hundreds of sites and dictionaries explaining the same as above. You can not simply rewrite a definition just because you do not agree with it. Even if a blogger claims they have conducted research and that their statements are based on actual reports, their content are still a personal journal and nothing really anymore than that.

Lastly, I would just like to say to your readers to do a little research yourself on the Internet and see how many mainstay newspapers around the world have actually taken a lawsuit against a writer or a person for defamation - you will find very few. What most respectable newspapers would do is to instead opt to write a rebuttal about what had been written about them.

Why does the NST not do the same? They have the space and the ability to write even a full-page column about what had been said about them.

Joint Statement issued by Ahirudin (Rocky) and the NST

Quoting from The Associated Press:

A joint statement by Ahirudin and the NST said both parties agreed to "henceforth not publish any articles, comments or posts regarding the dispute presently before the High Court" that may prejudice a fair trial.

Ahirudin's counsel Edmund Bon said his client voluntarily removed about 400 comments received from readers because some may be construed as "borderline subjudice." The comments were in response to four entries posted after the lawsuit announcement.

"It is in no way an admission that any of the content was subjudice," Bon told The Associated Press. "There was no way to remove only selected comments, so we had no alternative but to put it all off-line ... We do this to err on the side of caution, to let the judicial process take its due course."

In Support of Bloggers-United - Defend your right to free speech!

Bloggers-United Condemns The Action Against Rocky Bru & Jeff Ooi & Demands Level Playing Field in All Action Against Malaysian Bloggers

This is the official statement of Bloggers-United. This statement is jointly drafted by Susan Loone and Sheih of Kickdefella. All those who believe in justice and right to free speech, please sign on and put this up in your blogs. Spread it around; let it grow far and wide. The fight is on! See also kickdefella.

We are a group of Malaysian bloggers who believe in justice and right to free speech. We, who endorse the Bloggers-United movement , unanimously condemn the action taken by media conglomerate NST against bloggers Rocky Bru and Jeff Ooi. The action by the newspaper against the duo is an action against all bloggers who believe in their right to free speech, freedom of expression and justice.

The recent event may seem like a grave development in the path of bloggers, but it can never and must never impede or stop us from defending our right to speak, to express, to write and to tell the truth, to be the watchdog, eyes and ears of the people, or simply to share our view, and give fair comment on any subject which involves and affects us as humans, as rightful citizens of this country.

The recent event may very well give the government owned media the opportunity to dictate the so-called ‘truth” but such actions only prove that bloggers must unite , continue to uphold the right to free speech and freedom of expression, fight for justice, even if it is not our own, be more alert, committed to the cause of free speech, relentless and persistence in the face of such persecution like the one which had befallen on the two of us. What YOU do to any of US, is what YOU do to ALL.

As responsible bloggers, we demand and claim our space on the blogosphere for free and fair comment, where important national issues and prominent personalities are discussed.

Although it may seem as if the NSTP defamation suits will have a chilling effect on freedom of bloggers, as litigation can be expensive and may jeorpadise a blogger’s economic position, we will not be cowed or silenced by those who have no regard for free speech.

If you find our post offensive, you may refute us with correct facts and figures and fair comment, in the spirit of free speech.

The first two cases will have grave impact not only on the internet, but country as a whole as the country celebates VMY2007. The healthy, mature and democratic growth for free speech and expression in our midst is at stake. The reputation of the nation as it strives to promote our multimedia supercorridor and love for IT will be a national joke for all the world to feast on.

We demand for a level playing field in all action meted out to bloggers and in particular in the defamation proceedings particularly in terms of financial resources and capabilities, and secondly, that the legal rights of bloggers et al are properly protected in keeping with the imperatives of an information society and knowledge economy which Malaysia aspires to become.

For further information, please contact Susan at susanloone@gmail.com and her partner in crime Sheih of kickdefella at kickdefella@yahoo.com

My 1st Post

Hello everybody,

This is my very first post in this 0% blog of mine.

Question 1: Who am I ????

I really do not know, at this moment in time, guess I'm totally lost in identity = 0%

Question 2: What am I gonna blog about ????

I really do not have the slightest idea what to post, guess I'm totally out of ideas = 0%

Question 3: Why was this blog created in the first place ????

I really cannot remember the reason why, guess I'm totally lost in memory = 0%

Question 4: Do you need help ????

Huh ? I really should seek assistance, guess I'm totally lacking in the necessary skills required to continue here = 0%

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