{"id":2320,"date":"2008-04-06T08:52:27","date_gmt":"2008-04-06T13:52:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mathewingram.com\/work\/?p=2320"},"modified":"2008-04-06T08:52:27","modified_gmt":"2008-04-06T13:52:27","slug":"new-york-times-blog-trolling-101","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mathewingram.com\/work\/2008\/04\/06\/new-york-times-blog-trolling-101\/","title":{"rendered":"New York Times: blog trolling 101"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’m sure someone at the New York Times has to be feeling pretty smug right now — after all, look at all the attention<\/a> the paper’s story on bloggers is getting from the blogosphere. Obviously, the Times has learned the first rule of getting attention from blogs: talk about blogs. The Times also seems to have learned the second lesson, which is related to blog “trolling,” namely: associate blogs or blogging with some kind of apocalyptic or otherwise incendiary statement, viz. “Blogging kills.”<\/p>\n

It’s true that the NYT didn’t actually use that phrase, but the story about two deaths (Russell Shaw from ZDNet and Marc Orchant, whose last gig was the ill-fated Blognation) and a near-death experience (Om Malik) in the blogosphere might as well have had that headline, as Marc Andreessen notes in his hilarious roundup of future potential<\/a> New York Times headlines about blogging (including “Hitler probably blogged”).<\/p>\n

Mike Arrington helps the Times out by saying he has gained 30 pounds, has a severe sleeping disorder and is on the verge of a nervous breakdown — which may be true, but could just as easily be said by someone who has become obsessed by major-league football during the playoffs, or someone whose hobby is building miniature ships in bottles. It has nothing to do<\/a> with whether they spend every waking moment typing on a keyboard or obsessively checking Techmeme.<\/p>\n

For me, the low point in the piece — which goes on to talk about how some bloggers for sites like Gizmodo spend dozens of hours blogging for pay from their tiny apartments — is when the Times coaxes<\/a> this incendiary quote from blogger Matt Buchanan: sometimes, he confesses, he is so tired “I just want to lie down<\/em>.” Stop the presses! (best quote comes from Gizmodo editor Brian Lam, who has trained as a Thai kick-boxer: “I’ve got a background getting punched in the face… that’s why I’m good at this job.” Definitely should have been higher up).<\/p>\n

Further reading:<\/b><\/p>\n

Om Malik’s thoughtful take on the issue is here<\/a>, and Henry Blodget says the startup life probably has more to do<\/a> with the phenomenon than blogging does. My friend Howard Lindzon says the story is bunk<\/a>, and a sign that the NYT is out of ideas, while Dr. Tony Hung takes a look at whether stress actually does increase your chances of having a heart attack<\/a>. Doc Searls has a thoughtful response<\/a> as well.<\/p>\n

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I’m sure someone at the New York Times has to be feeling pretty smug right now — after all, look at all the attention the paper’s story on bloggers is getting from the blogosphere. Obviously, the Times has learned the first rule of getting attention from blogs: talk about blogs. The Times also seems to … <\/p>\n

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