What is a blog?
The word blog comes from a shortened version of ‘Web Log’. A blog is like a journal – it’s a frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts and commentary. A blog is often a mixture of what is happening in a person's life and what is happening in the news, a kind of opinion piece, although there are as many different types of blogs as there are people.
A blog tends to be a personal record kept on a public website. The blog author makes regular (often weekly) entries and readers leave comments in response to the blog.
What is the difference between a blog and a forum?
Blog are usually longer (usually 3-4 paragraphs or more) compared with forum posts. A blog author has control of the blog and makes regular contributions. A single blog may cover many subjects of interest to the writer.
A forum is an evolving conversation. It will be a series of comments from a range of users who will each give their opinion on a specific topic.
If you want to make a ‘once-off’ short comment about a topic (eg. My local council has put in parking meters and I’m furious. Has this happened to anyone else?) this would be appropriate as a forum post as it is short, and you are calling for people to contribute and discuss this topic as a group.
Who reads blogs?
Blogs are extremely popular amongst readers, particularly when the author is recognised or develops a cult following. Blog authors tend to get a little addicted to them as well! Blogs tend to generate their own community giving the writer a chance to voice her or his opinion or get on a soap box.
All Fairfax Radio Network blogs are published subject to approval. Before starting a blog please familarise yourself with the Terms and Conditions.
What's in a blog?
A blog can be short or long, fact or fiction, funny or serious. It is entirely the choice of the author. While some blogs include images and links to other blogs and websites, most blogs are primarily text-based.
All blogs must adhere to the Fairfax Radio Network website Terms and Conditions.
I need help getting started
Blogging is actually very simple, however, we are very aware that this is a new adventure for many and we would really like to help you get started.
STEP BY STEP GUIDE:
1. Go to the Fairfax Radio Network home page and sign up as a Mytalk member to create a blog.
2. Click the BLOGS link in the left hand navigation.
3. Click the “Start your own blog” link on the page.
4. Enter some simple details for your blog, such as the name and description, and hit submit.
Then you’re away!
Each time you add a new blog entry it’s also dead simple:
a) Enter your user name and password into Fairfax Radio Network .
b) Click on the link to “My blog” then click the link to “Write a post”. Here you can make it as simple or as difficult as you like - you can just include a title and content for your blog post – or you can include images, links and more.
c) When users write comments to your blog post, you can write comments as well.