Fundamentals of Interactive Journalism

In these economically harrowing times, I think we need to all be a little more positive, which is why we shouldn’t give Blagojevich such a hard time. Sure, the guy was caught on tape trying to sell Obama’s vacated Senate seat to the highest bidder. But what about all the conversations where he wasn’t trying to elicit bribes? I bet if you looked at all his phone calls, he’s only belligerent and threatening people in, like, 25 percent of them.

To illustrate the point, I was able to get my hands on a few Blago conversations I bet you haven’t heard. Here is one of him speaking with his daughter, Amy:

Blago: Hey pumpkin.

Amy: Hey daddy.

Blago: What did you do today at school?

Amy: I drew a picture of a unicorn.

Blago: I love unicorns!

Amy: Me too!

What a sweetheart. Or how about this one with his wife, Patricia:

Patricia: Hey dear, would you mind picking up some ice cream on the way home?

Blago: What kind?

Patricia: Hmm, Rocky Road.

Blago: Shoot, I’m at the store now, and they only have Chunky Monkey. You know what, I’ll just go to the place across the street. I know they have it.

How considerate!

Before we throw the book at the guy, just remember, his glass may be 25 percent full of pure evil, but it’s also 75 percent full of love. Lord knows we need more of that bleeping stuff.

WARNING: This post contains extreme cuteness.

We all know about the Shiba Inu puppies that gained fame through their webcam. But they’re old news now. What has the Internet done for puppy lovers lately?

I may be a journalist, but blogging requires a balance between informing the public and shamelessly trying to pump up your metrics. That’s why I’ve decided to post some original puppy content. People will come for the puppy and stay for the award-deserving journalism. Without further ado, let me present Calvin in “Puppy vs. Swiffer”:

Disclosure: that’s not my puppy, or my apartment, or my Swiffer, but I was holding the camera and I did make the QuickTime movie all by myself.

I’ve been giving a lot of thought lately to what makes for a successful blog. In class this week, we discussed various approaches to tackling the challenges of finding one’s voice and building a following: The blending of the personal with the public; instinct with craft; journalism with individuality. How much of my world do I really want to share? Does anyone care or really have the time for another voice? What, exactly, is my product, my brand?

So many questions and so many blogs to cite for examples of one approach or another. For those of you who are struggling with these questions, I offer advice that I am trying to take myself: In order to create and maintain a successful blog, the blogging must be an honest and natural extension of the world you inhabit. Rinse and repeat that thought over and over again.

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