Jackson Jambalaya

This is in the Wall Street Journal today and addresses the growing power of blogs (There is an interesting story at the beginning of how blogs forced Sony to change some very questionable practices.):

"......
But blogs, of course, aren't only a vehicle for complaints; they recount events, propel debate and lavish praise, too. Some two in five Internet users in the U.S. read blogs, according to a 2006 Pew survey, giving citizen-commentators the potential for more influence than ever. How, then, should companies deal with the world of blogs, as well as podcasts, social-network sites such as Facebook and other "social media"? That question is at the center of "The New Influencers," written by former Computerworld editor Paul Gillin...............

From a corporate PR point of view, Mr. Gillin says, amateur bloggers differ greatly from journalists in both substance and style. For one thing, they are free of the newsroom rule to seek both sides of a story (though often the old media seem to follow it more in form than in substance). Looking at a study comparing coverage of Wal-Mart by bloggers and by traditional media, Mr. Gillin observes that bloggers were far more likely to write on the basis of personal experiences with the stores. When they did weigh in on broader matters--e.g., Wal-Mart's economic or environmental effects--they were vastly more negative than their old-media counterparts.
Even so, Mr. Gillin makes a persuasive case for companies' reaching out to bloggers--a strategy that political campaigns and film studios have pioneered. Consumers are increasingly turning away from print media, skipping TV commercials and ignoring 1990s-style cost-per-thousand banner ads. But they are still seeking information, and many are embracing social media. As in the Sony BMG case, moreover, blogs can help a message make the inter-species jump from ordinary citizens to journalists.
Mr. Gillin notes a few key rules for a marketer trying to win coverage from bloggers: assume they are knowledgeable (as avid enthusiasts tend to be); be frank about negative information (they will react badly if they feel they've been deceived by half-truths); and be available to respond to questions nearly around the clock......."
http://www.opinionjournal.com/la/?id=110010318