Did Blogs Have An Impact On SBC Convention?
Well, not so according to Dr. James Smith of the Florida Baptist Witness.
Dr. James Smith's editorial this week in the Florida Baptist Witness was amusing to me and I think validates a comment that I made earlier on a SBC discussion list.
Those who have been in the field of traditional print media are beginning to feel the pressure of change in the field of journalism and they do not quite know how to handle it.
The following remark of Dr. Smith's might just be the hint that all is not roses when it comes to the future of State Baptist Papers.
"The idea that Weblogs that are read by a very small number of people was definitive in the presidential election grossly fails to appreciate the fact that the annual meeting was held in the winning presidential candidate’s hometown and in the state neighboring his current place of ministry. It also fails to recognize the overriding factor Cooperative Program giving played in the outcome. I know many messengers who voted for Page who most definitely did not take their cues from the bloggers."
It was the phrase "very small number of people" that raised my eyebrow. How many will it take for Dr. Smith to realize that his world is changing?
Dr. Wade Burleson's webblog has received almost a quarter of a million hits since he began it just a little over 6 months ago!!
The cold hard facts are very simple. We are just now beginning to see the potential of the technology that can put print newspapers out of business. Especially State Baptist Papers! And personally, I think there are some Southern Baptist Editors who are concerned for their Futures.
It's a heady thing to be the ONE man who controls the flow of all news in one's state convention through the state Baptist paper - It's quite a different feeling to find out that Joe Blow down at Possum Trot Baptist Church has a blog that is attracting more readership every week than your own editorial piece.
Dr. James Smith's editorial this week in the Florida Baptist Witness was amusing to me and I think validates a comment that I made earlier on a SBC discussion list.
Those who have been in the field of traditional print media are beginning to feel the pressure of change in the field of journalism and they do not quite know how to handle it.
The following remark of Dr. Smith's might just be the hint that all is not roses when it comes to the future of State Baptist Papers.
"The idea that Weblogs that are read by a very small number of people was definitive in the presidential election grossly fails to appreciate the fact that the annual meeting was held in the winning presidential candidate’s hometown and in the state neighboring his current place of ministry. It also fails to recognize the overriding factor Cooperative Program giving played in the outcome. I know many messengers who voted for Page who most definitely did not take their cues from the bloggers."
It was the phrase "very small number of people" that raised my eyebrow. How many will it take for Dr. Smith to realize that his world is changing?
Dr. Wade Burleson's webblog has received almost a quarter of a million hits since he began it just a little over 6 months ago!!
The cold hard facts are very simple. We are just now beginning to see the potential of the technology that can put print newspapers out of business. Especially State Baptist Papers! And personally, I think there are some Southern Baptist Editors who are concerned for their Futures.
It's a heady thing to be the ONE man who controls the flow of all news in one's state convention through the state Baptist paper - It's quite a different feeling to find out that Joe Blow down at Possum Trot Baptist Church has a blog that is attracting more readership every week than your own editorial piece.
posted by Jim Shaver at 4:05 AM
6 Comments:
Maybe it's easier to convince yourself that there is just one guy checking each blog a quater of a million times.
I'd add that number of readers isn't necessarily the decisive issue. It's who is reading them. Face it, information is power. The establishment can no longer control information and it's causing great frustration.
I personally don't receive any baptist newspapers and our church is not a subscriber. I occasionally read an issue of the AR Baptist News that floats through the office. (by the way, Charlie Warren at ABN does a great job and I ought to subscribe)
Having said that, I do read blogs. I found out about the blogs from a conversation I overheard in my office. I talked about what I read on these blogs to other people that I know. I never had discussions pre-convention about issues that would be addressed at convention before I found these blogs.
Not only are there many people reading the blogs....newspaper editors are reading the blogs and writing in their papers about what they are reading. So.......even people who only read their state paper hear about what is being discussed in the blogs.
Jim, are we going to get a daily bird hunting report on this blog come November?
Aaron
I'll probably have to start a new blog to show off pictures of my new pup as she shows off for the camera.
New blog or not I need to see these pics. What did you get?
Aaron
Send me your email address. I had a computer crash and lost it.
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