Project description – revised

Project Abstract:  Mediasphere and Blogosphere Revised – May 5, 2006 A number of recent studies of journalism, news media and blogging have focused on the impact of non-affiliated blogs and bloggers (blogs and bloggers outside insititutional news organizations).   This study will focus instead on blogs and bloggers with institutional affiliations and will address the following questions:

1. How do affiliated / institutionally supported bloggers perceive their roles? [draw upon previous role theory / journalism studies]
2. What can we discover about institutional support and influences on these blogs as evidenced in their linkages?
3. How does institutionally supported blog content differ from other online content?

Action Plan 

1. Develop interview questions and pilot surveys for news bloggers (May).
2. Seek ethics approval (May).
3. Administer the surveys / interviews (June).
4. Conduct brute force analysis of links (June / July).
5. Pull together analysis of data (July / August).
6. Write up (Aug/ Sept).
7. Send for publication – present at AOIR.