October 6, 2003

On Blogging

San Jose Mercury News columnist and blogger Dan Gillmor is writing about how "a small but growing number of news makers - the people and institutions that have been the subjects of traditional journalism [are] learning how to use the tools of modern communications for their own purposes," including weblogs and posting interview transcripts online.

Weblogs aren't the only thing in the tool kit. The direct-to-anyone web has much wider possibilities. The Pentagon, for example, started something several years ago that may reverberate for a long time to come: posting full transcripts of major interviews with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Deputy Secretary Paul Wolfowitz. The practice has benefits for all concerned. It adds context to the journalism. And, if the news reports don't fairly reflect the substance of the interview, the interviewee can point to the transcript for amplification. Call it journalistic judo.

In other blogging news, USA Today has a short report on how the business world is increasingly embracing blogs.

An explosion in online diaries by workers is creating headaches, and opportunities, for employers. But few companies have blog policies, and they run a risk should their employee divulge confidential company information or make statements that compromise it financially or legally.