When I appeared on 18 Doughty Street a couple of months ago, I was asked by Iain Dale why I wrote a blog. I told him it was occupational therapy, and that is quite true. I have always enjoyed writing, and blog primarily for my own recreation rather than as a means of communicating my profound innermost thoughts (such as they are).
Indeed, I don’t know how many people read this blog; I know some do, because they are kind enough, on occasions, to post their comments. Whether it is a handful or several hundred, I really can’t say. But I would blog even if there were no audience at all.
I had been moving toward the opinion that blogs (the so-called, foully named, “blogosphere”) were taking over as the new journalism. The printed word, I had begun to suspect, was fast becoming obsolete. In a few years, all the great writing on current affairs and anything else you might care to mention was going to be found in the great blogging universe. Newspapers and magazines were about to become redundant.
And then you get a reality check. Such a moment came this morning. If you can spare the time (and I strongly urge you to do so), read this article in today’s Times by the peerless Matthew Parris. Marvel at his analysis of the character of Gordon Brown (even if you don’t agree with it) and the elegance of his prose.
I’ve never seen anything as good as that in any blog. The printed word isn’t dead yet.
Indeed, I don’t know how many people read this blog; I know some do, because they are kind enough, on occasions, to post their comments. Whether it is a handful or several hundred, I really can’t say. But I would blog even if there were no audience at all.
I had been moving toward the opinion that blogs (the so-called, foully named, “blogosphere”) were taking over as the new journalism. The printed word, I had begun to suspect, was fast becoming obsolete. In a few years, all the great writing on current affairs and anything else you might care to mention was going to be found in the great blogging universe. Newspapers and magazines were about to become redundant.
And then you get a reality check. Such a moment came this morning. If you can spare the time (and I strongly urge you to do so), read this article in today’s Times by the peerless Matthew Parris. Marvel at his analysis of the character of Gordon Brown (even if you don’t agree with it) and the elegance of his prose.
I’ve never seen anything as good as that in any blog. The printed word isn’t dead yet.
3 comments:
Perhaps you need to get yourself a counter for your blog.
My newsagent no longer stocks the 1 copy of the Times that he used to stock, and we live in a little village, called Arse end, so it is very awkward to get one.
Thank the lord for the internet.
Ps.
Village not really called that!
I agree. I think that the best print journalism stills tops the best of the blogs. Isn't part of the reason for this, that bloggers can't really afford to spend days crafting a piece?
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