Childhood Obesity

“Introduction: Examining the Blog-Media Relationship” by Mark Tremayne discussed the ability of online journal comments to travel via the web to very distant places and many different people very quickly. A simple comment made on a personal online journal can draw media attention as it did in the case of the boy here. Tremayne discussed that because blogging has become so popular it is likely for information to spread like wildfire but previously the young boy’s journal entries would have remained more private and intimate for family and friends. This makes me very aware of the importance my postings for childhood obesity on my blog. If it is out on the internet it can be easily accessed my any audience. I have to ensure I don’t make any false statements, I credit all of my sources and that I am prepared to defend and respond to others comments and critics. 

 Tremayne points out the importance of our creditability as bloggers because we aren’t “supported” the same way traditional media has been. However, blogging seems to be taking on a new kind of respect because blogging can be a collaboration of many minds, many sources it can be a very creditable source of information. I would like my childhood obesity blog to take on that kind of creditability and usefulness. My blog can be the place where my audience will obtain information that they haven’t already been bored with on the news. It can be interactive and therefore more useful and personal. 

 According to S.Shyam Sundar, Heidi Hatfield Edwards, Yifeng Hu and Carmen Stavrositu’s article,  “Blogging for Public Health: Putting the ‘Public’ back in Public Health,” some of the reasons we write personal journal blogs are for: connection, coping, and to construct identity. I agree with all of those reasons. Although my blog is more of an educational or factual blog and not much as a therapy session it would be interesting if somehow it could be both.

According to Tremayne, the media typically focuses on political blogs. I found Tremayne’s description of “the blogsphere as a network” very educational. I have learned more about blogs in the past few weeks then I have ever known.   I previously would have described blogs as a page location on the web where some strongly opinionated person would try to shove their theories down your throat. The author points out the usefulness of blogs and why they are needed in addition to typical media: (1) readers can visit one site for all of the “unique facet” stories and links on they can’t get at work or from the media and (2) there is an opportunity to see comments and give yours. Most people who believe in something want the opportunity to persuade others to see it their way and blogging allows that.

My favorite point Tremayne makes is the threat to mass media and media’s efforts to “if you can’t beat them join them” in responding to the new blogging hype. In my opinion media today has become another reality show trying to entertain and get the ratings; if you want some real debates or information that is uncensored by the political influences of the press stick to blogging. Where your audience is given an opportunity to comment and offer further insight on the topic. This will be very helpful for my blog on childhoodhood obesity. I want to ensure my audience is reached with the appropriate points therefore some parental opinions may help me to understand what their concerns are more than a pediatric journal can!