Classification of blogs & opinion about the most appropriate classification approach.

The weblog is known as one of the alternative media besides the mainstream media such as newspaper, television and so on. Basically, the bloggers can blog about everything based on the personal interest or public interest. Meanwhile, categorizing of blogs can be very subjective.

Chettri (2011) divide blog into five categories, personal, corporate, genre, media types and devise. However, I am not agreeing with part of the ideas in categorizing blogs into genre, media types and devise. The reason is simple, why would a blogger just blog about one specific type of media such as photo without posting any other thought on other issues? It just does not make sense because this type of blogs normally would not attract a good traffic.

In my own opinion, blogs are supposed to be categorized based on the main interest of the blogger. For example, it can be personal blog, political blog, automobile blog, entertainment blog, food blog, technology blog and so on. A personal blog, in detail, it is where the blogger share the thoughts and comments on a current issue that he/she is blogging and the remaining are the non-personal blogs. An example of political blogs as shown below:

(Source: http://anwaribrahimblog.com/)

In my further research on the internet, I had found a better way of categorizing the blog. Margaret Simons (Funnell 2008) suggests that the blog is supposed to be categorized into 9 parts, pamphleteering blogs (a blog that published by different authors on current political issues or broader event), digest blog (summarize of materials from mainstream media and also other blogs), advocacy blog (similar to pamphleteering but it is in a group, either an advocacy group or commercial organization), popular mechanics blog (a How-To-Do blog), exhibition blog (vanity publishing), gatewatcher blog (media observer), diary blog (an online diary), advertisement blog and news blog.

Personally, I would think Simons’ way of categorizing is the most appropriate to categorize the blogs because it is more reasonable. What do you think as internet user?

Reference list,

Chettri, S 2011, ‘What is Blogging? What Are The Different Types of Blogs?’ NetChunks, 5 March, viewed 22^nd August 2011, <http://www.netchunks.com/different-types-of-blogs/>.

Funnel, A 2008, A taxonomy of blogs, The Media Report, ABC Radio National, viewed 22^nd August 2011,

<http://www.abc.net.au/rn/mediareport/stories/2008/2372882.htm#transcript)>.