The Book Tower

I'll Blog for Richard and Judy

Friday August 25, 2006 in |

I’ve noticed a lot of so called celebrities/media types/pains-in-the-arses are making derogatory comments about bloggers and blogging.

Take Jane Street-Porter, who recently slagged off bloggers in her Independent on Sunday column. Her main gist was that people who blog have nothing interesting to say, and clog up the internet with their own inane and worthless view of the world. Anyone is entitled to their own opinion, but what annoys me is that Janet Street-Porter clogs up the pages of the Independent with her own inane and worthless view of the world. And she’s paid to do it.

Take Chris Moyles, the Radio 1 DJ, who lazily slags off blogs on his morning show. Apparently Mr Moyles had a blog, or something or other on MySpace, but “couldn’t be arsed” to keep it up to date. He’s now gone on to laugh at a blog started by a friend/colleague of his because it’s all basically “shite”. What annoys me is that Chris Moyles is paid to talk shite on a daily basis.

Over on Radio 2, Chris Evans had to bring somebody into the studio to talk about blogs and explain to him how to set one up. I got the impression that the lady who reads out the traffic jams, and enjoys flirting with all of the Radio 2 DJs with the exception of Ken Bruce, found the whole thing rather silly indeed.

Anyway, I’ve always failed to accept the argument that many blogs are worthless because they are the lives of ‘ordinary’ people who we couldn’t possibly be interested in. This argument is often supported wholeheartedly by people who buy The Guardian every Saturday to read the countless columns from people I have never heard of and have no interest in. Columns about:

How I met my partner.
How I met my partner’s dog.
How my partner and I get along, despite us both being rather odd.
How my partner annoys me.
How I survive as a ‘stay at home’ Dad.
How I’ve heard about blogs, but haven’t actually seen one yet.
How I secretly enjoy watching Big Brother/reading Heat magazine.
How I walked around with the most recent Ian McEwan novel under my arm on holiday but was really reading the book by Jordan in my hotel room.
How my child/nephew/friend’s child spends rather a lot of time in front of their computer and I can’t possibly comprehend what they are doing.

The tide may be turning because when I returned from my holiday (did I tell you I’d been on holiday?) the Saturday Guardian had suddenly pricked up its ears to blogs and blogging because, apparently, Richard and Judy had recently featured the subject on their afternoon show.

I can picture it:

Richard: Anyone can start one?
Blog expert guest: Yes, a blog is a type of website, an online diary in actual fact, and anyone can start one.
Richard: I could start one and Judy could start one, your mother could start one?
Blog expert guest: Yes, anyone can start one, they’re very easy to set up.
Judy: Tell us about the lady who got sacked from her job for blogging about it.
Richard: A French lady!
Judy: I think she was an English lady living in France.
Richard: Tell us about that!

Now, just as you see ‘Richard and Judy book choice’ stickers on paperbacks in Waterstone’s (I’ve bought and read them – although I always remove the stickers), perhaps you are going to start seeing ‘Richard and Judy blog choice’ logos on websites?

I’d be up for it. Who needs 9 Rules when you’ve got R & J?

As a blogger yourself however, do you not think it’s possible that you’re biased and that a lot of non-web people aren’t particularly arsed about blogs?

I mean look at my friends and family. I doubt they read my blog. Apart from my mam, who does. And my dad sometimes. But I doubt that any of the lads I go drinking with do. Apart from one of them, come to think of it; and another one has mentioned it a bit. Okay, so maybe people do read blogs then.

Could it not just be the mainstream publishing media’s fear of being put out of work by the fact that somewhere out there you can pretty much guarantee that there’s a blogger who’s better at what you do that you are?

And as for R&J, yeah, why not. I’ve never bought a book on the strength of their recommendation alone, but I have read the blurb of a book with an R&J on it that I would never normally have read, thought “that looks interesting” and then bought it.

So, next questions: do you have their email address, and can you persuade them to feature my blog on the show?

JackP Saturday August 26, 2006

I guess it’s partly jealousy, or frustration, or whatever you want to call it, on the behalf of other bloggers as well as myself. If I’ve got the time, I can guarantee I’ll read stuff on people’s blogs that is infinitely superior to newspaper columns. I’ve commented on lots of blogs I’ve found witty or insightful or where I’ve thought my opinion might, somehow, make a contribution. I’ve never felt compelled, though, to write in to respond to a newspaper column. I know it takes more effort, but if you’re inspired to do something you will do it.

As for R & J, I don’t think it’s too fantastic that they’ll feature a blog competition sometime in the future. I’ve just thought of something, have they got their own blog? I really hope they have. I’ll go do a search…

Stephen Saturday August 26, 2006

I’ve sent a comment in to R&J themselves as I couldn’t find their blog… we’ll just have to wait and see…

Was having a discussion with another blogger about “Richard & Judy” recommended reads (book club etc), and about whether Richard & Judy would ever recommend particular blogs ( www.stephenlang.co.uk/article/48/) Okay, it’s a very light-hearted and tongue-in-cheek discussion but to my mind it raises a valid point: not only are more and more people creating blogs, but more and more people are reading them, and going off someone else’s recommendation as to what’s good to read. Why shouldn’t certain blogs that are sufficiently entertaining and/or informative get an R&J “award”? I appreciate you’d maybe need to categorise them separately because some contain swearing (but let’s face it, so do some of the books they recommend).

And in addition to that, isn’t it about time R&J has their own blog?
cheers
JackP

JackP Monday August 28, 2006

No, all I could find was the R & J page on the Channel 4 website, which isn’t very good.
I also think they should have their own blog, which would probably be superior to the newspaper column of theirs I’m sure I’ve seen (which takes me back to my original gripe…)
I agree with everything you’ve said and would be interested to hear if you get any feedback from them.

As an aside, there is a new programme starting this week on Radio 4 called Meet the Bloggers. Might be interesing listening. Expect a review here soon…

Stephen Tuesday August 29, 2006

They got back today, but weren’t so much non-committal as thanks but no thanks:
Thank you for your email.

We have recently had a discussion on blogging and so it may be something that the team look at in the future. However we still need to be mindful of our audience a high proportion of which are still not connected to the web.

So it looks like we’ll need to wait a while longer before we’re international blogging megastars.

Re: meet the bloggers I believe my old mucker Anna Pickard of little red boat (no relation, surprisingly enough – although frankly there’s so few Pickards we probably are related if you get back to the 1830s) was on there today. Her site’s worth a look too. It’s a very personal blog but generally entertaining.

JackP Wednesday August 30, 2006

Hmmm… I’m sure a higher proportion of their audience read a lot more than they used to thanks to their book club. So if R&J or their producers really wanted to promote the web more I’m sure they would.

Anna Pickard – yes I did wonder if she was any relation! I listened to the programme last night and liked it – I like her blog too, although I must confess I hadn’t read it before.

Stephen Wednesday August 30, 2006