Parsing the Online Ecosystem: Journalism, Media, and the Blogosphere

Abstract

In “Parsing the Online Ecosystem: Journalism, Media, and the Blogosphere,” John Kelly argues that major activity of the blogosphere actually focuses attention back to legacy media outlets. Kelly’s research shows that only about 40% of the links in bloggers’ posts are to other blogs. The rest point to other kinds of online resources, the most important of which are the websites of the mainstream media. The author argues that as the line between audience and stage is blurring, Bloggers are becoming just one part of a larger online media ‘ecosystem,’ in which the blogosphere acts as a kind of lens for collective attention, much of which ultimately ends up directed at traditional commercial media venues. Legacy media, particularly journalistic institutions, are star players in this environment.