Should political leaders blog? September 15, 2006
Posted by rajAT in blogcamp, blogcampindia, india, indiablogcamp, political blogging.4 comments
That was the question that Veena was trying to ask the audience.
People were having various opinions.
Well I think they should blog.
Indian demographics are going to change increasingly over the next 5 years. We are going to have 60% of young people. Most of these young people will be working out of home. People like me.
Now I dont have any first hand information what the MPs and MLAs are doing in my constituency. How junta is reacting to their policies ? What are the views of opposition parties. So whenever there are general elections in my town, I end up asking my dad whom you want me to vote. As I dont know anybody who is standing in the elections. Its been 8 years now that I am living out of my home.
BJP did use sms to reach the younger audience. But that was broadcasting of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. “Main aapka pradhanmantri bol raha hoon“. It failed because they were not able to enage aam aadmi in a conversation.
So if these guys will start blogging and will encourage participation over their blog that will really be helpful for guys like me to make an informed decision :).
Please note that in recent times the difference between the winner and loser in elections has really thinned down. So now every vote counts.
I hope someone is listening.
Coco-Cola threatened Sharad Haksar September 15, 2006
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Sharad Haksar a leading international photographer and winner of the 2005 Cannes Silver Lion, placed a large billboard in one of Chennai’s busiest areas – one of India’s largest cities – with his own “work (which) is solely an expression of creativity.”
The billboard features the ubiquitous red Coca-Cola wall painting, commonly found across India. Directly preceding the Coca-Cola ad, and part of the billboard, is a dry water hand-pump, with empty vessels waiting to be filled up with water – a common scene in India, particularly in Chennai.
Coca Cola sued Sharad Haksar for the above billboard. Sharad’s point was that the billboard is not at all tryinig to demean the cokes brand. But Coke went ahead and sued the guy. Sharad went to mainstream press but they refused to do the story because Coca – Cola is big advertiser. Talk about the unbiased nature of mainstream media.
After that fellow bloggers picked the story and within days it was talk of the town. Then BBC and Rediff published it on their websites. Now newspapers dint hve much choice and they also published it. Seeing that more harm has done Coca Cola withdraw their case.
Really this story showed the power of bloggers. 🙂
Blog as a personal history recorder September 10, 2006
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Chennaist said a nice point of blog as a personal history recorder i.e. your grand children reading your blog. How cool it would be for them to see the blog of their grand pa. I myself have thought about it before I started blogging and some affects of it. But then it got so complicated that I left it there and got to blogging. :). My future generations will figure it out on their own what to do with what all shit their grand pa has written.
How big a nut he was !! 🙂 🙂
But just think out loud it is a real powerful medium. We always hear of cases where sometimes people have lost a hang of their family tress and then they go out to search their forefathers. Or how they were living in those times. Have you ever thought how your parents or grand parents have spent their time in youth or childhood etc. But now if you are blogging your future generations will have some sense of how things were in those times.
When I was working in US a jew girl who was working with me there once told me that she will be going to Israel sometime to see how her fore fathers were living. And she wants to see her ancestoral house. But now we put pictures of our abodes on our blogs. And it is a timeless picture which can be accessed by anybody anytime.
Priceless !!
Blogging for a global audience September 10, 2006
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Rajesh Shetty on blogging for a global audience.
Dos
1. ROII – return on investment on interaction. If someone is coming on to your blog make his time worthwhile.
2. No Indian blogger syndrome – First we are bloggers than we are indian bloggers.
3. Getting hits from lots of countries. Is it indian in other countries or is it others who are reading your blog.
4. Guy Kawasaki – Everybody knows how to get into blogs. My dog can start a blog now.
5. Aim for quality traffic.
6. Caring for concerns.
7. Participate in global conversation. Make other bloggers succeed. What can I do to increase the value of other blogs. Link love.
8. Focus – Free to express your views. But do think about your readers. They are spending time on your blog.
9. Increase the timeless content on your blog. Go to old posts are they still relevant. 90% of your posts should be relevant from 3 years from now.
10 Personal branding for tech geeks.
Donts
1. Mudslinging
2. LInks without context.
3. News without perspective.
4. Local jargon.
5. Too much of self promotion.
Blog Brands September 10, 2006
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Hur blog yeh kehta hai andar usmein kaun rehta hai
(Inspired from Asian Paints ad)
1. Sticking to niche area.
2. Catering to the demand of the blogosphere.
3. Following your site stats carefully.
4. Promotions via community of bloggers
Would it be a case of ROI fever and killing the geese that layed the golden eggs.
A very difficult thing to do but one has to maintain the original character of the blog.
Amit Agarwal – Blogging Inspiration September 9, 2006
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Amit @ CNN IBN Blog Buzz
Physical Wiki @ Blogcamp September 9, 2006
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Waking up to what others are reading September 9, 2006
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A great topic. It happens when we read the review first before reading the news item itself.
(Neha, Chandru, Ravages)
Social Bookmarking
– Its a popular way to locate, classify , rank and share internet resources.
– Its like a platform where nothing is forced.
Classification is done by humans. Better from editorial control – a filter blog, lets say a Desipundit or an India Uncut excercises a fair degree of control on the content. Putvote (Indian Digg) is better way of aggregating content as people can vote and talk about the link.
How it is different from other Indian bookmarking sites. Neha says – the difference is the community that gets build out there.
A deep statement but a very uphill and difficult task.
One Eyed Child September 9, 2006
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The mother of a one-eyed child born in Chennai, India, in early August might have been given an experimental anti-cancer drug, according to an internal hospital report seen by Wired News. However, the report does not say how or why the mother might have been given the drug. The birth defect could have any number of causes, including a rare, but natural, chromosomal disorder.
This one-eyed child was born in early August at the Kasturba Gandhi Hospital for Women and Children in Chennai, India. The baby girl, diagnosed with a rare chromosomal disorder known as cyclopia, was born with a single eye in the center of her forehead, no nose and her brain fused into a single hemisphere.
The news was published by Wired journalist Scott Carney.
Scott is digging more into the news and is trying to find out that an experimental anti-cancer drug was given to the child. Hospital has destroyed the medical records of the drugs administered to the mother.
Life is so cheap in India, isn’t it.
Collaborative Blogging Discussion September 9, 2006
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(Peter, Neha, Dina)
What are the benefits of collaborative blogging ?
Its a zero sum game. Explanation – So there are bunch of guys who came together for collaborative blogging they all benefit from each other.
A blogger brings his audience on the table and B blogger brings his etc.
And that snowballs into a large audience for the collaborative blog that will also get directed to personal blogs over a period of time.
Win ! Win !! Win !!!
Mainstream media Vs Bloggers September 9, 2006
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Garima worked for TOI. Bloggers are our alies. Both have different roles.
Raghu from DNA – get story ideas from bloggers.
Marathi daily. Lots have to be done in native language blogging.
Early action @ Blogcamp.in September 9, 2006
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Neha got threat calls because of some of her posts. Man thats scary !!
She has learnt how to cook sambar from her blog readers. Mind you she is a tam girl :).
Ever enthusiastic Atul.
He got Dominoes to open a pizza outlet in his vicinity after he blogged for a need for it. So we got something in common apart from big bellies that is Pizza fetish. 🙂
Energetic Veer !!
Announcing new version of BlogStreet.com and urging people to increase the quality of blogs.
I dont agree. User generated media is very subjective and is not for masses. So wotever a blogger is writing is quality material for niches.
How blogging has changed our World ! September 9, 2006
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Lots of participants shared their experiences about ‘How blogging has changed their world‘. Well we keep on hearing that blogging will change people life and things are going to be different in the “We Media” world. But I really couldnt find any story from the audiences that was inspiring or mind boggling. If this new publishing platform is going to define way things will be done in 2.0 world. Then there should have been one true outstanding experience of “How blogging has changed our world”, but sadly there was none. Do note that we have most of the ace indian bloggers in this room.
Most of the anecdotes were routine that how domestic relationships got changed, some people getting threat calls, some people blogged about a banks bad service and how they got them on knees etc. I only find Mohit’s experience of blogging really kewl. He is a scorpion so he doesn’t generally share lots of his personal things with his friends while chatting with them (But I dont think so 🙂 ) . And they will always remain inside him. Guy got lots of knots in his stomach. But by blogging he was able to share lots of things which were inside him and untied those knots for ever. So blogging gave him a platform where he can be himself and share his things. Even guy needs outlets yaar ! Its not only girls forte.
For me because of blogging I have become a ‘beliver’ that sometimes things do come easy in life. I didn’t share my experience in the conference I thought I will blog them :). Normally we hear stories that they have won a lottery, or they put up a google adsense and money is pouring in like hell and stuff like that. Where in you got outstanding results by a little effort.
After lot of thinking I started blogging on my 2006 birthday. In one month I got an email from Pearson education that do you freelance. I was like what the hell and said, “Yessss”. I freelanced for them and got paid also in USD. Awesome !!
There are couple of other experiences also and that really made me think that sometimes sweet things do come in short notices :D.
Dream On !!
At India’s Biggest Blogging Unconference September 9, 2006
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Frankly I find your blog kinda boring – On a girls t-shirt
Tidel Park – Venue of BlogCamp.in
The Stage
BlogCamp.in September 8, 2006
Posted by rajAT in blog, bloggers, india, indiablogcamp.1 comment so far
I will be camping at BlogCamp this weekend. 🙂
Conversations that will keep people chatty at the camp are –
- Blogging and Governance – How blogs are being used to provide assistance during times of crisis, uncovering potential crimes, activities, taking on the government, etc.
- Blogging and Entrepreneurship – Many professionals are using blogs to change their world. Here we talk about how blogging can work towards career development and related areas.
- Corporate Blogging – Many corporates have started blogging, taking them closer to customers. Here, you could share your stories on why you are incorporating blogs in your products and media strategies.
- Getting Geeky – The Art and Science of Blogging, how to go about it, tips and tricks of trade and taking blogging to the next level.
- Blogging as New Media – As blogging goes mainstream, it complements journalism. Here we talk about why traditional media should care about blogging as a form of citizen journalism.
- Blogging as a Hobby – How blogs help you in showcasing your talents and skills, in sharing your deep thoughts.
- Blogging and Community – As a tool for action, collective or distributed, as a binding force, as a way for individuals to contribute, and to get back something
There is beach party planned on Saturday night. An evening on the lawns, a bonfire, booze, music, swimming pool, good food. Place is a minute’s walk from the beach. We will be crashing the night at the beach house and will be camping out in the lawns. Looking forward for it the most :D.
Going by spicejet 🙂 to make the whole experience spicy. 🙂
Dream On ! 