Readers' use of news blogs.

Appearing at the end of the 1990s, the phenomenon of ‘blogging’ or weblogging is now attracting serious academic research. However, the majority of this research has so far focussed on the ‘bloggers’ themselves – who they are; their motivations for blogging and their relationship with the mainstream media. Limited research has been undertaken on the readers of blogs. Why are readers drawn to accessing the opinions and thoughts of mostly non-professional writers, many of whom are happy to admit to a lack of objectivity and having an axe to grind? In particular, why do people read blogs which focus on current affairs and news, and is their reading of such news blogs in addition to the electronic offerings of the mainstream media, or a substitute? This paper reports on the results of an investigation undertaken in spring 2006 into the readers of ‘news’ blogs