To be a blogger, you must read blogs

I've set out to find blogs I enjoy reading. One thing I hardly even think of being a blog is the constantly updated news on the Oregonian Web site. But it is a blog, one I read several times a week. I find mistakes in it pretty often, in fact last term during a copyediting class we had to find a certain number of editing mistakes in newspapers, and since the blog is published by the Oregonian, those errors counted.

I also get some great news tips from blogs. Sometimes it seems like the authors are the only ones paying attention. Other blogs I ignore entirely when they pop up on a Google alert. While it is amazing that so many people can have such a loud voice, there is plenty of room for abuse.

Conversational tone is essential for a blog to be popular. Hot Spots, published by the Tampa Bay Times has the tone I would like to strive for. Easy going and like a conversation, many photos with the information one would want to know, this blog acheives both an informal tone and informative content.

I also like the idea of explaning to readers the process that goes on inside the editorial board meetings. The Spokesman Review allows readers to ask questions of the editors and responses are posted on this blog. Now that's community journalism.