I Saw This on Google News

The prestigious Pew Internet & American Life Project has just finished a look at bloggers: who they are, what they do, and whether or not they do it in their pajamas. (Not so much on the PJs, it turns out.)

The results are not just surprising, but hopeful. For one thing, you might want to cancel the caterer for the funeral for the death of the American newspaper. The study found that 85 percent of bloggers "read newspapers'' (Not me)and half of that group does so "on a typical day.'' Just to add to their interest in current events, nine out of ten watch the news on television (Yep).

That's significant because the Pew survey estimates that there are some 12 million bloggers in the US and they are being read by 39 percent of the population, or 57 million readers. And, the Pew study indicates, the numbers are growing.

We could do a whole riff on how this is an alarming trend for the news business and how the bloggers are short circuiting the traditional channels of objective journalism except for one thing. It doesn't seem to be true.

They are reading the papers, although in a lot of cases they are doing so on the internet. They are young (54 percent under 30)(Ouch!), racially diverse (60 percent white, 19 percent Hispanic, and 11 percent African American.) Over half of them, 57 percent, say they have never published anywhere before (I'm trying).

Now what's wrong with that? This sounds like a motivated, interested, and engaged group that is eager to find new information. Isn't that exactly what we'd hoped for the younger generation (Even my older generation)?

Oh and all those laments about how nobody under 30 cares about what's going on with the leadership of the country? Not so much. Fully 72 percent say they "look on-line for news or info about politics.''

Now, as we know, not many of them vote. That's a bad thing. But as someone who has used an absentee ballot for several years, it only points to the need to find a way to make voting easy, simple, and as convenient as finding a YouTube video. Why isn't there a way to vote on line?

Are there security concerns about voting on a wireless connection from a Starbucks? Sure. Do I know anything about how to make it safe and tamper-proof? Not a thing. But I am sure some very smart people can figure this out. If we can handle our bank accounts from an internet connection, surely there is a way to vote. Don't you think this would encourage this generation to become involved in the process?

Because it isn't as if they aren't interested. Some 61 percent told the survey that they blog to "motivate people to action.'' That's a good thing, even if it is just to motivate cats to action. Almost the same number say they write "to entertain.''

Also good. Nobody wants to read a dull, fact-filled treatise on global warming. There's nothing wrong with making it enjoyable to read. That's another lesson newspapers might want to keep in mind when they think of their new audience. Interesting and informative is good. The days of treating news like broccoli -- this is good for you, now have some -- is headed the way of a dial-up Internet connection.

Oh and by the way, that stock in that PDA company? The one that makes the personal assistant to track your schedule, keep your phone numbers, and store information? This might be a good time to sell that.

The blogger-people are big on Instant Messaging (84 percent)(Yes) on cell phones (89 percent used one in the previous month)(Yes), digital cameras (also 80 percent)(YES YES YES!), and cell phone text messages (55 percent.) Fifty-six percent of them used a laptop computer with a wireless connection (Yes)and nearly half, 47 percent, have an iPod (Yes)or MP3 player.

PDAs? Only 28 percent (Nope). I'm no expert, but I'd bet on a Blackberry rather than a Palm Pilot.

And finally, the majority of the blog people say they are really most interested in one thing -- expressing themselves creatively (D'ya think?). In fact, hardly any of them, only seven percent, say they are doing it to make money (You can make money with this?).

Speaking as a blogger, I would only make one comment in that regard.

They got that right.

Good article...