Blogging from Malaybalay City, Philippines

Global Voices April 18, 2006

This is someting else I don’t get and never have from day one. I watched Global Voices grow from its inception and lots of people I respect have a lot of respect for Global Voices. It’s based at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School, for crying out loud. And they just got some big funding and support from Reuters.

But the Philippine blogosphere is so much more robust than what is represented on Global Voices. And that makes me suspect how other countries are represented. The stories under the Philippines heading are a very very very narrow window onto our (on-line) lives and issues here. How do they pick and choose what gets in and what doesn’t?

It’s a little like talking to Americans back home whose only perception of what’s happening in the Philippines is what they see in the news. If your only perception of the Philippine blogosphere is Global Voices, you’re missing it.

Here I go again with a negative post, and I know I will regret it. And Rebecca’s in town. What bad timing. Hopefully I can listen to a podcast of her presentation at iBlog and gain a better appreciation.

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    Comments to “Global Voices”

  1. Rebecca MacKinnon April 18th, 2006 at 6:30 pm | Permalink

    Greetings. Thanks for your input. As I mentioned at iblog today, we are seeking volunteers from the Philippino blogosphere to rectify this problem, of which we are well aware. Our Southeast Asian representation generally is still quite anemic - we’re a very young project and we still have a lot of gaps. Would you like to help? If so please e-mail me and I’ll put you in touch with our managing editor.
    Thanks.

  2. Nick April 18th, 2006 at 7:03 pm | Permalink

    Rebecca - I’m not exactly sure how to help. I’m not Filipino - so I’m really not a voice you’re seeking. But there are other voices I can point out. I need to read up more on how your system works.

  3. mer June 1st, 2006 at 2:16 am | Permalink

    Good point! I suspect it’s the same for other countries. For Indonesia (and Malaysia) I also get the same impression. Blogging is about connecting. So I think only those blogs that are well connected to the representative authors would be well covered.
    Having said that, I’m a fan of Global Voices.

  4. Mamutong » “I Want To Be Able To Ask Questions That Matter” August 12th, 2006 at 8:47 am | Permalink

    [...] I am so hooked now on Global Voices (after being a critic and re-born). [...]

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