Live Blogging: Inaccurate, Unedited Reporting
One of my pet peeves is live blogging. Live blogging, of course, is when a blogger tries to write about an event as it happens. It’s useless. No one wants to read inaccurate, unedited reporting. Maybe I’m just bitter that I’m at home this week, and not at Pubcon, and maybe I just can’t comprehend stream of consciousness writing, but I’ve never read a live blog that was at all useful.
For those of you living in a closet, I’m talking about people who try to keep up with a live speaker, or race to have the first post on breaking news. They just write as it happens. Have you ever tried it? It’s hard. And no one is good at it. There are lots of conference write-ups that are useful, and the authors above are great when they take the time to think about the post, and write clearly and concisely.
I read live bloggers regularly when they aren’t live blogging. I love their writing. I love their insight. I just can’t stand it when they try to be some sort of court stenographer.
Live blogging is shoddy journalism.
It’s a selfish disregard for reporting integrity.
Please stop.
