Time to Reflect

In creating my weblog I learnt a lot about the Internet and communicating to a broader global audience. This process forced me to consider who I was addressing, and the nature of my content with relevance to this audience. I aimed to not only engage readers, but inform them, providing useful links and commentary to current media issues. Additionally, I sought to analyze the rise and importance of the internet in contemporary media practice, and how social media has affected the nature of the industry and the field of communication in general.

In regards to design, my research helped me to understand the importance of a visually pleasing blog. In such an evolving visual culture, aesthetics are what draws the viewer in to read a document, before they even have a chance to grasp the content. For this reason, I understood that my blog needed to be eye catching without being overwhelming. White space, paragraph breaks, images and headings assisted in making this possible, as they gave readers space to rest between blocks of content (Reep, 2006, p. 157). Also, small pops of colour were used to emphasise relevant content, and provide interest.

I found the process interesting and challenging, coming from a first-time blogger perspective. Having read and followed blogs before I understood their concept, yet writing one’s own blog is a slightly different experience! I underestimated the amount of consideration that goes into each post, and the editing of content and layout that bloggers employ in order to make their blog readable and enjoyable.

I think there is definitely a place for bloggers in the future, as we have seen already in the presentation of news events, as this gives people a voice over traditional media outlets. Freedom of speech in society always has both good and bad aspects, but after all we are a democracy in Australia right? And that’s what it’s all about!

I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog as much as I have enjoyed writing it! Please feel free to leave feedback or comments on any media issues or design issues i can respond to!

Image Source:
<http://eiris.edublogs.org/2012/09/09/welcome-to-our-new-student-bloggers/>

Reference:

Reep, DC 2006, Technical writing: principles, strategies and readings, Pearson/Longman, New York, pp. 133-172.