Are you a Blogger?

I’ve been to a lot of blogger’s event and met different kind of bloggers. This is different compared to the times I was still a reporter way back 1999.

I remember I started blogging when Friendster was created. I regularly write my life story there in a daily basis. It’s like a journal but for everyone to read. I write about almost everything that happened to me every day. What new food I discovered eating, hating someone or simply describing what my day was like that time.

Then there comes the issues of other people who disagrees with my opinion. I remember being blasted by diehard Spongecola fans after I mentioned in my blog that I find Yael Yuzon as ‘maangas’ and comment I forgot referring to Yasmin Kurdi. I got tons of hate mails because of that. But of course that didn’t stopped me from saying my thoughts. It’s my opinion and I don’t think commenting is life threatening.

But things go out of control when some people tried to control my blog, e.g., a former boss. Yes, it’s wrong to rant about your problems at work… online. But nope, I wasn’t fired for that. I resigned because the ranting can’t do anything to change my boss’s stupid rules and attitude.

Then I shift to photo blogging. What’s photo blogging? In my own opinion, it’s still the same with any kind of blogging but the difference is the story is based more on photos. I love taking photos than writing. I wanted to express my thoughts and feelings with the pictures I’ve taken. I know it’s not the best out there but then again, I still enjoy it.

When I worked at Playboy Philippines, my photo blogging was put into halt because of the work demands. I met some new bloggers courtesy of Azrael Coladilla whom I knew during my bands pr phase. I, of course invite them to attend our events and blog about our magazine. I knew right then that blogging will be huge because it’s easier to access, easier to invite and cheaper to spend promotion with.

But I treat the bloggers same as I treat the tri-media we usually invite to cover our events. I was always fair and give everyone the same treatment. And when I say treatment, that includes the gift and extra stuff. Which makes me feel bad to other PR firms who treats bloggers like they don’t need them.

I’ve experienced being invited to cover events together with the traditional media (print, radio, tv). Some PRs will do raffles exclusive to them excluding the bloggers who are also present in the event. Some obviously giving cash even in front of the bloggers. Not that I’m expecting that they pay us too but I was hoping at least they have the decency to not shove it to our face that we’re not getting paid for covering and blogging their event.

I know a few media men who objects with bloggers being invited to events. And some are mad that bloggers are getting more access than them. I know it’s threatening for their work because like what I said, bloggers are not normally paid to blog. Although there are some who actually gets paid to blog. Like in media, not all of them are credible too. But the only difference is, bloggers don’t need a boss to write their stuff. And that it doesn’t need any approval if the story will be released.

But not all bloggers are perfect too. And that’s my concern with the other bloggers. To be honest, I don’t regularly blog the way I used to before. Before, I blog what I feel. But now, people dictates what you need to blog.

I often hear arguments about blogs that are copied and paste. I admit I am one of them. But I never credit any of those press releases as mine. That’s why I created Orange Magazine TV