We have all heard that Americans are increasingly turning to blogs for newsinformation and entertainment. But what is the content of blogs? Who writesthem? What... » 

We have all heard that Americans are increasingly turning to blogs for newsinformation and entertainment. But what is the content of blogs? Who writesthem? What is the consequence of the populations growing dependence on blogsfor political information? What are the effects of blogging? Do readers trustblogs as credible sources of information?This collection of all new essays will address these and related questions inseeking to increase our understanding of the role of blogs in the contemporarymedia landscape. The volume includes quantitative and qualitative studies ofthe blogosphere its contents its authors and its networked connections. Thereaders of blogs are another focus of the collection how are blog readersdifferent from the rest of the population? What consequences do blogs have forthe lives of everyday people? Finally the book explores the ramifications ofthe blog phenomenon on the future of traditional media television newspapersand radio. «