Comments on: “Simple statistics” and the blogging of humanitarian disasters http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2005/05/05/simple-statistics-and-the-blogging-of-humanitarian-disasters/ EthanZ's musings on Africa, media and international development Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:45:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: …My heart’s in Accra » Responding to Famine in Niger http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2005/05/05/simple-statistics-and-the-blogging-of-humanitarian-disasters/comment-page-1/#comment-385 …My heart’s in Accra » Responding to Famine in Niger Mon, 01 Aug 2005 16:54:58 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=60#comment-385 [...] ention as the 10 “forgotten emergencies” identified by groups like IRIN. I did a similar study, expanding these findings into the blogosphere.) What this means, I think, is that we n [...] [...] ention as the 10 “forgotten emergencies” identified by groups like IRIN. I did a similar study, expanding these findings into the blogosphere.) What this means, I think, is that we n [...]

]]> By: Open Source » Blog Archive » Pilot #2: Blogging Without Borders http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2005/05/05/simple-statistics-and-the-blogging-of-humanitarian-disasters/comment-page-1/#comment-77 Open Source » Blog Archive » Pilot #2: Blogging Without Borders Wed, 11 May 2005 21:17:59 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=60#comment-77 [...] ogle News.”…and blue countries were represented more strongly in Google News. [Ethan Zuckerman] We’ve reached out to bloggers in Africa, the Middle East, East a [...] [...] ogle News.”…and blue countries were represented more strongly in Google News. [Ethan Zuckerman] We’ve reached out to bloggers in Africa, the Middle East, East a [...]

]]> By: Martin Stabe http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2005/05/05/simple-statistics-and-the-blogging-of-humanitarian-disasters/comment-page-1/#comment-72 Martin Stabe Sun, 08 May 2005 20:44:09 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=60#comment-72 <strong>Blogs are failing in international reporting</strong> Another day, another bit of blog pessimism from yours truly. I’ve just posted a story I wrote about the scarcity of news coming out of Turkmenistan (one one of the scariest countries in the world) — and how the evidence... Blogs are failing in international reporting

Another day, another bit of blog pessimism from yours truly. I’ve just posted a story I wrote about the scarcity of news coming out of Turkmenistan (one one of the scariest countries in the world) — and how the evidence…

]]> By: Global Voices Online»Blog Archive » Brainstorming for a more global conversation http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2005/05/05/simple-statistics-and-the-blogging-of-humanitarian-disasters/comment-page-1/#comment-63 Global Voices Online»Blog Archive » Brainstorming for a more global conversation Sat, 07 May 2005 21:25:59 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=60#comment-63 [...] were less well represented in the blogosphere than in the mainstream media. (UPDATE: Ethan has a new post with more research on this issue.) Why don’t American bloggers link [...] [...] were less well represented in the blogosphere than in the mainstream media. (UPDATE: Ethan has a new post with more research on this issue.) Why don’t American bloggers link [...]

]]> By: button http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2005/05/05/simple-statistics-and-the-blogging-of-humanitarian-disasters/comment-page-1/#comment-61 button Sat, 07 May 2005 03:23:07 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=60#comment-61 Ethan, this is interesting as to the whys and wherefores... I did a little blogging about Nepal mainly because it touched upon my interest in Freedom of Expression (shutdown of the press, imprisonment of journalists, etc). Then I became uneasy. During the Sixties I lost a friend in Laos. I became concerned about who and what the Nepalese netniks were and if they might be affiliated with the Maoists. I didn't feel that I could trust the bloggers over there, what they were reporting, how much might be spin or propaganda. So I pulled back and just kept tabs on the situation without blogging it. I do not intend to be a Charlie McCarthy for Chairman Mao or anyone else. Ethan, this is interesting as to the whys and wherefores… I did a little blogging about Nepal mainly because it touched upon my interest in Freedom of Expression (shutdown of the press, imprisonment of journalists, etc). Then I became uneasy. During the Sixties I lost a friend in Laos. I became concerned about who and what the Nepalese netniks were and if they might be affiliated with the Maoists. I didn’t feel that I could trust the bloggers over there, what they were reporting, how much might be spin or propaganda. So I pulled back and just kept tabs on the situation without blogging it. I do not intend to be a Charlie McCarthy for Chairman Mao or anyone else.

]]> By: pony http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2005/05/05/simple-statistics-and-the-blogging-of-humanitarian-disasters/comment-page-1/#comment-60 pony Fri, 06 May 2005 22:39:43 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=60#comment-60 Bloggers didn't fail - they can't. Blogs do not answer to any ethical guidelines (outside the law). Bloggers just don't care, too. So you know. World events are boring - unless it's Brangelina on an African beach. And we're not being sarcastic. Deal with it. We are the generation that does not care. Next you're going to tell us we should vote. But you Xers should hold on to your value systems. They must accrue interest somehow (otherwise, what's the point?). Maybe you can sell them on ebay someday - like baseball cards. Have fun with futility! Bloggers didn’t fail – they can’t. Blogs do not answer to any ethical guidelines (outside the law).

Bloggers just don’t care, too. So you know.

World events are boring – unless it’s Brangelina on an African beach. And we’re not being sarcastic.

Deal with it. We are the generation that does not care. Next you’re going to tell us we should vote.

But you Xers should hold on to your value systems. They must accrue interest somehow (otherwise, what’s the point?). Maybe you can sell them on ebay someday – like baseball cards.

Have fun with futility!

]]> By: Ethan http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2005/05/05/simple-statistics-and-the-blogging-of-humanitarian-disasters/comment-page-1/#comment-56 Ethan Fri, 06 May 2005 19:05:44 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=60#comment-56 Thanks for the feedback, folks. I think a number of these suggestions are probably partial explanations - the act of god aspect, the ability to effect change, the personal reporting, the language barriers. Some pushback to lawhawk, though - there's been extensive tsunami mentions in the blogosphere long after the conflict. That's probably not a firsthand-reporter situation, but some sort of longer-term effect. As for the NYTimes and Darfur, I have to disagree with you on this one. The Times has covered Darfur quite heavily, including a couple of front page stories. They've run 5% as many mentions of Darfur as they have of Iraq, while bloggers weigh in with 2.1%. I think Darfur's a place where the mainstream and bloggers have both failed, but as much as I like criticizing the Times, I think this is one place where they actually did pretty well. Thanks for the feedback, folks. I think a number of these suggestions are probably partial explanations – the act of god aspect, the ability to effect change, the personal reporting, the language barriers. Some pushback to lawhawk, though – there’s been extensive tsunami mentions in the blogosphere long after the conflict. That’s probably not a firsthand-reporter situation, but some sort of longer-term effect.

As for the NYTimes and Darfur, I have to disagree with you on this one. The Times has covered Darfur quite heavily, including a couple of front page stories. They’ve run 5% as many mentions of Darfur as they have of Iraq, while bloggers weigh in with 2.1%. I think Darfur’s a place where the mainstream and bloggers have both failed, but as much as I like criticizing the Times, I think this is one place where they actually did pretty well.

]]> By: lawhawk http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2005/05/05/simple-statistics-and-the-blogging-of-humanitarian-disasters/comment-page-1/#comment-55 lawhawk Fri, 06 May 2005 16:47:56 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=60#comment-55 I would have to disagree with your conclusions. The fact is that bloggers happened to be at the forefront of the tsunami because they were in a position to report faster. The proliferation of US mainstream news outlets to the tsunami stricken areas promoted easy blogging opportunities because stories could be piggybacked. Meanwhile, one could barely count the number of US mainstream news outlets reporting from Dafur on a single hand. The paucity of reporting translates into a comparative lack of information on which bloggers can comment upon. Instead, they look towards European and Asian news outlets for information, and as noted above, the language barrier can be an issue in getting the story out. There is also a tendency for people to blog about what they see in papers and hear on radio or tv. If the main stories are about the war in Iraq or the tsunami, that is where their blogging interests will head. Certain media outlets dominate the coverage and set the agenda- the NYT for example. Their lack of front page coverage of the Dafur genocide is disgraceful, so a casual reader would not likely know what is going on there. However, someone reading the BBC news page would get regular reporting on Dafur. If the NYT began to show an interest in Dafur or other humanitarian crises by keeping those stories on the front page, the corresponding number of blogs about those issues will also rise. I would have to disagree with your conclusions. The fact is that bloggers happened to be at the forefront of the tsunami because they were in a position to report faster. The proliferation of US mainstream news outlets to the tsunami stricken areas promoted easy blogging opportunities because stories could be piggybacked.

Meanwhile, one could barely count the number of US mainstream news outlets reporting from Dafur on a single hand. The paucity of reporting translates into a comparative lack of information on which bloggers can comment upon. Instead, they look towards European and Asian news outlets for information, and as noted above, the language barrier can be an issue in getting the story out.

There is also a tendency for people to blog about what they see in papers and hear on radio or tv. If the main stories are about the war in Iraq or the tsunami, that is where their blogging interests will head. Certain media outlets dominate the coverage and set the agenda- the NYT for example. Their lack of front page coverage of the Dafur genocide is disgraceful, so a casual reader would not likely know what is going on there. However, someone reading the BBC news page would get regular reporting on Dafur.

If the NYT began to show an interest in Dafur or other humanitarian crises by keeping those stories on the front page, the corresponding number of blogs about those issues will also rise.

]]> By: Caro http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2005/05/05/simple-statistics-and-the-blogging-of-humanitarian-disasters/comment-page-1/#comment-54 Caro Fri, 06 May 2005 15:13:58 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=60#comment-54 I think also that blogging is deeply tied to news sources that are in English. There may be more information about an under-represented story from Latin America in Spanish, but many American bloggers (for example) won't have access to it because of the language barrier. I think also that blogging is deeply tied to news sources that are in English. There may be more information about an under-represented story from Latin America in Spanish, but many American bloggers (for example) won’t have access to it because of the language barrier.

]]> By: Kenyan Pundit http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2005/05/05/simple-statistics-and-the-blogging-of-humanitarian-disasters/comment-page-1/#comment-51 Kenyan Pundit Fri, 06 May 2005 03:18:34 +0000 http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=60#comment-51 I think this has been brought up before, but I think the fact that the tsunami was natural disaster/act of God also had something to do it...unlike other the crises which have a heavy act of man element to them. I think this has been brought up before, but I think the fact that the tsunami was natural disaster/act of God also had something to do it…unlike other the crises which have a heavy act of man element to them.

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