POWER, POLITICS, AND BLOGS

         WHAT IS A BLOG?

Blogs "are online publications that are characterized by short entries which are usually written in an expressive and authentic style and are arranged in reverse chronological order" (Fleck et at. 2007:228)

Blogs are usually composed by regular posts that are fully created and owned by the blogger, at the same time they enable the communication with readers by letting them write their own comments, in a way that they result to be community-centered spaces.

The posts can include different materials, apart from the text itself, such as pictures, videos, files, etc. In tthis regard, intertextuality works as a powerful resource that provides users further information related to the topic the blog is about. The blogger develops his role as an intertextual and interactive character. Blogs allow users to write their opinions, express their feelings, and they can even work as a virtual place where both the blogger and the visitor can interact by sharing their impressions.

        WHY STUDY BLOGS?

The four main reasons to study blogs are the following:

• It is interesting to understand the blogger's intention.
• Blogs can be considered to be a genre.
• They are a tool that can measure the quality of the interpretations of those who read them.
• Blogs enhance the interaction between bloggers and readers, hence constructing a collective identity.

        

       WHY ARE BLOGS IMPORTANT FOR POLITICS?

One of the main reasons why blogs are useful for politics is because they have the function of bringing politicians closer to citizens. They reinforce democracy by exploring new means of communication. It is by taking part in this special kind of mediation, the mediatization, that ordinary people can share a common space where it is possible to give opinions and receive feedback between politicians and the population. Mediatization is a new way of mediation which follows two different approaches; the linguistic and the political mass communication studies perspectives. We are a mediatized society, and sometimes a limitless public society. In this respect, we have global accessibility to those blogs, thus making us experience politics a little closer. These spaces offer us an intertextual character by providing different resources and webpages that allow us to interact.

In the use of blogs, the political reality is not always so differentiated, and citizens and politicians are involved in a reality where the lines between the private and the public are blurred. The virtual space becomes one for everyone.

Among the functions of the political blogs, we can find that blogs are tools useful for solving people's doubts, explaining and supporting their political campaigns, as well as promoting their own positions while criticizing their opponents.

All in all, the political reality mentioned before is highly based on the resource of language which constitutes the basic pillars of society. Politicians know that getting to the citizens is crucial, and blogs cover those needs. Technology reaches all people, regardless of the distance, thus facilitating communication between the common and the political spheres. It is important to mention that there are blogs written by the politicians themselves, and others written by ordinary people interested in politics. However, this does not hinder the connection between the political and the real world.

As a personal opinion, what is clear is that blogs are a very helpful and powerful medium to exchange both objective and subjective information nowadays. It is a way for the creators to express their opinions, thoughts and experiences at the same time that they influence readers. Moreover, they can help these readers by giving them advice and guidelines about specific topics or tasks. The internet is doubtlessly one of the most useful channels of communication; and within the field of politics, taking advantage of this can be favorable to achieve the politicians' goals.

       REFERENCE

Fleck, M., Kirchhoff, L., Meckel, M., & Stanoevska-Slaabeva, K. (2007). Applications of blogs in corporate communication. Studies in Communication Sciences.