// 02.20.2009 at 4:20 pm //

The troposphere of bloggers

During the US presidential election of 2008, some journalists used their blogs to provide information on the election. A good example is the blog of Anderson Cooper, a correspondent working for CNN.

Some well-known journalists used their personal blogs to “campaign” for their preferred candidates and also called on other people to support and vote for their favourite candidates by writing positive reviews about such candidates.

By using their blogs, journalists can play up the strong and weak points of certain candidates.

However, most use such blogs to show the strong points of the candidates they support. Besides this, the journalists also use these blogs to hold opinion polls.

In some websites of media outlets such as CNN and the BBC, blogs were created to encourage people to express their opinions. Such sites usually also had journalists’ writings.

On the blog network of BBC, readers could find and talk to BBC’s bloggers. It means everybody could share or discuss all issues related to elections.

During the 2008 US presidential elections, journalists from other countries were invited to take part in election observing. One of them was Mr Vu Manh Cuong, deputy editor-in-chief of Lao Dong newspaper in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Through his blog, people in Vietnam learned first hand what was happening in the US and the journalists’ opinions about it.

In future, with the development of multimedia and citizen’s journalism, many journalists will resort to using blogs to offer support or advice on which candidate deserves the people’s vote.

The blog has become a useful tool of political campaign, not only during elections but also during voting time.

Blogs can be used to report cheating and election irregularities. That’s why blogs only work within the legal framework of individual countries, depending on societal conditions.

Anderson Cooper and Wolf Blitzer await President elect (CC by; photograph by Pink Moose)

The popular blog of Anderson Cooper is a case in point. Here are just a few extracts from the blog:

Election night in Maya Angelou’s living room. 125th in the heart of Harlem. A 50 foot jumbotron has been set up outside the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building. It’s the first time something like this has ever been done here. Everytime numbers come in favoring Obama a cheer goes up from the crowd, “O-BAH-MA.”

Get out and vote. The lines are long this election day and it is a glorious thing. Because there is no right more sacred in a democracy than the right to vote.

Vu Manh Cuong at compaign’s Mrs Palin in Henrico -Verginia (Source: Vu Manh Cuong)

Similarly, the blog of Vu Manh Cuong is high on popularity:

American voters in historic election day. In general, Americans are happy when taking part in an important event. Because this is the first time a US president will be a black man or a US Vice president will be a woman.

Meeting with Obama. Mr Vu Manh Cuong and Clemant – who is photographer of  Richmond Times Dispath  and Indian journalist go to Harrisonburg to meet Obama.

WOW, I received mail from Obama. The next 6 days are going to be the toughest we’ve seen, and I need your support to reach as many voters as possible.Donate $5 or more today to strengthen this movement for the final push. This campaign is in your hands. Thank you for everything you’re doing, Barack.

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// Tagged Reports, Bloggers, journalism