Being a large media outlet, msnbc.com has a number of special sections. One I stumbled upon today is its consumer blog, The Red Tape Chronicles. It focuses on the pitfalls of being a consumer in 2011: online scams, ripoffs and technology-induced problems.
The latest story is a remarkable one — interesting enough to make the front page. It tells of Jonathan Barnett's attempt to track down the 50 people who have acquired his social security number. It's surpising because it's almost entirely a personal story and not a basic informative one or guide to preventing it. It does have a paragraph at the end, titled "Re Tape wrestling tips," but the focus is on Barnett's story.
Apparently, this style of article is something of a break for Bob Sullivan, the blog's author. More typical are stories like this one on cell phone contracts. Nonetheless, the identity theft story was well-written. The writing sometimes fell prey to cliches, but it kept my attention and was informative.
But what about the blog as a whole? I won't go into detail about the articles but will look at a question relevant to Digital Journalism II: How does the blog use social media? The author is active on his (public) Facebook page and his Twitter. Additionally, he seems to use them as more than a way to announce new blog posts. He answers readers questions, replies to other tweets and occasionally, enjoys a bit of levity. So, full marks for interacting with users. He also isn't afraid to link to other articles his readers might find interesting. Instead of sending people away, it makes him look genuinely interested in informing people rather than just trying to self-promote.
The latest story is a remarkable one — interesting enough to make the front page. It tells of Jonathan Barnett's attempt to track down the 50 people who have acquired his social security number. It's surpising because it's almost entirely a personal story and not a basic informative one or guide to preventing it. It does have a paragraph at the end, titled "Re Tape wrestling tips," but the focus is on Barnett's story.
Apparently, this style of article is something of a break for Bob Sullivan, the blog's author. More typical are stories like this one on cell phone contracts. Nonetheless, the identity theft story was well-written. The writing sometimes fell prey to cliches, but it kept my attention and was informative.
But what about the blog as a whole? I won't go into detail about the articles but will look at a question relevant to Digital Journalism II: How does the blog use social media? The author is active on his (public) Facebook page and his Twitter. Additionally, he seems to use them as more than a way to announce new blog posts. He answers readers questions, replies to other tweets and occasionally, enjoys a bit of levity. So, full marks for interacting with users. He also isn't afraid to link to other articles his readers might find interesting. Instead of sending people away, it makes him look genuinely interested in informing people rather than just trying to self-promote.
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