BLOGGERS have become an important source of stories in breaking stories like this tragedy in Virginia Tech, where scores of students were killed by a shooter.
As this CNET story shows:
When a blogger known as icantread01 posted his girlfriend’s tale of being shot and wounded during the Virginia Tech massacre Monday, it set off a flurry of journalists trying to get ahold of him.
Reporters from several news organizations, including CBC Newsworld, NPR and MTV News, all posted in the comments section of icantread01’s LiveJournal page, hopefully asking to contact him and talk about his experience talking to his girlfriend, Kate, who he said had called him from the hospital after being shot in the hand.
The blog entry of icantread01 was both an honest and good take on how some students — oblivious to what was happening that day — reacted to the shootings. It also appears that the entry was really made in the heat of the moment.
It is also interesting to note in the comment thread how some readers felt disgusted about the news people “jumping down your throat” after reading the blog entry.
April 19th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
maybe we should talk more about this other blog… Here in the Philippines, blogging jumped into the news also because of Julia, a US Peace Corps volunteer who went missing around 10 days ago in a barangay in Bananue, Ifugao, right in the area of the world famous rice terraces.
Yesterday, a body was found just 30 meters away from path which tourists usually take, and which appeared to have been hastily buried. In all likelihood, it is the body of the US Peace Corps volunteer. Last night, a tv news program reported about her blog and how it gives us a glimpse into her mind. Read the full post at http://quickandrandom.blogspot.com.
April 19th, 2007 at 1:11 am
Can anybody in this Inquirer.net can gave thier email address like letter to the editor, global nation, i have some coulmn to share and comments
April 19th, 2007 at 12:09 am
Re: the VA Tech Massacre.
i still havent blogged on this but i feel such remorse, #1 because knowing VA is near where I am.
Re: blogging the Massacre
it is a good take on an honest first hand/ second hand account through first person. i have to read it more, but knowing that it is how he voiced it, it is good. you can feel pure emotions. it is like being there too. (though really depressing)
Re: media wanting to talk to him
I think i read this blog a little late. i guess he got interviewed already, like yesterday? i dunno if he is the same guy, but i remember the name of the girl. (anyway, there can be 50 Kate’s in VA Tech!) #1 i dont blame the media running behind him. they live through knowing the story, and this is part of the story, and what more is marketable than knowing a story with pure *heart*. #2 i dont blame him if (and only if) he chose to not say anything to the media. it was an online journal that he was… personal, and he might have wanted to keep it that way.
April 18th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
blogs have found it’s rightful place in creating the big picture
mainstream media have recognized this role too, that’s why they have created their own blogs to be on the loop.