Notes from iBlog4

By Alex Villafania
INQUIRER.net

NOW on its fourth year, the recently held iBlog blogging forum at the University of the Philippines Diliman Law Center showcased different aspects of blogging, with several bloggers serving as speakers.

Charo Nuguid, who maintains The Geekette Speaketh, gave first-time bloggers an overview of blogging, as well as resources where users can get tools that will get them into the social networking scene.

Controversial Australian blogger Brian Gorrell also made his presence felt in the event through a video blog that welcomed the participants. Gorrell emphasized the need for people to speak out their minds. However, he cautioned that while blogging can be a form of communication, bloggers will almost always receive flak from those who do not agree with certain missives. Nevertheless, Gorrell stressed that bloggers should continue with their craft.

As blogging becomes a powerful communication tool, some have taken the concept to the next level as professional bloggers. One example is computer engineering student blogger Juan Karlo Licudine, who shared his experience as a problogger who earns an income through blogging.

The young Licudine explained that he has found a niche in problogging. When queried about how much he earns as a problogger, he said that it could reach as high as $1,000.

However, he said problogging also involves risks, in particular the high risk of failure and lack of useful work experience.

“It’s also unpredictable and constantly changing,” he added.

Here’s a video I took of Licudine’s mom asking him after his presentation if he still needs an allowance.

Podcasting and video blogging

In the afternoon session, Google country consultant for the Philippines Aileen Apolo and video blogger Coy Caballes introduced podcasts and video blogs. In fact, the two didn’t present and instead recorded themselves prior to the event, using a video to explain what podcasts and video blogs are.

Apolo also spoke a bit about video blogging as a form of citizen journalism, wherein a video blogger can serve as a journalist by submitting their videos to an online media site. Although quite new, Apolo and Caballes said video blogging can create new concepts not normally used in traditional broadcast media.

Here’s Apolo responding to a question on video blogging as a form of news reporting, and pointing out the difference between bloggers and journalists. With her is Caballes.

Blogging and 2010 elections

Veteran journalist Luz Rimban and columnist and socio-political analyst Manuel L. Quezon III had their say on what the blogging community can contribute to the coverage of the upcoming 2010 elections. This was the main highlight of the iBlog4 summit and at some point prepared bloggers for what they can do.

Rimban and Quezon had different approaches as to the responsibilities of the blogger but agreed that bloggers, with their wide social network, can play a role in ensuring clean and honest elections in 2010.

Rimban narrated that media outfits had limitations in coverages and so bloggers had filled up some of the gaps. Rimban said that in the 2010 elections, bloggers can again fill the gaps that mainstream media could not cover. Bloggers can even report about stories not normally reported in broadcast or print.

“Citizen journalists can help reconnect the public with the political processes, revive interest in elections, and create a sense of community among voters,” Rimban said.

For his part, Quezon emphasized the need to spur on voters against corruption, saying that a blogger covering the election should be a “pain-in-the-ass.” On the other hand, he noted that the low level of acceptance by voters of bloggers’ reportage of the elections could go beyond 2010 when more Filipinos get access to broadband Internet connection, especially in the provinces.

“It may take until 2016 for blogging to make an impact,” Quezon said.

In this video, Rimban answers a question about tapping bloggers for news coverage. With her in the video is Quezon.

Meanwhile, lawyer JJ Disini talked about the legal culpability of bloggers when it comes to copyright infringement and libelous statements. He cited the example of blogger Gorrell, who made allegations on the wayward lifestyles of members of high society.

Here’s a video of Disini talking about the copyright issues that bloggers must take into account and explaining the concept of fair use.

Editor’s note: Videos taken by INQUIRER.net community evangelist Alex Villafania.

Share This