Last November 6, a student from De La Salle University (DLSU) sent me 15 questions about my life as a blogger and journalist. My hectic schedule prevented me from replying to her immediately. In any case, please find below my answers.

When did you start blogging?

I started blogging in August 2005. My blog then was titled Solar Power. In March 2007, I posted my first entry on this blog titled Rising Sun.

When you first found out about blogging did you accept the technology right away or was there reluctance at first?

At the start, I did not see the need to blog as I’ve been maintaining a personal website since 1999. However, its growing popularity prompted me to use this technology in a manner that complements my main website. At present, the main website dannyarao.com remains and the blog is just a subdomain of it. What’s interesting to note is that my blog has been getting more page views lately than my main website.

What are your reasons for starting a blog?

Aside from its growing popularity, it’s much easier to post information through a content management system (CMS) like WordPress. Besides, the said CMS is open source, giving me the option to tweak the themes and other widgets/plugins according to my needs.

What are the topics that are usually covered in your blog?

I normally blog about political issues. I also use the blog to post class-related announcements. There are also times when I talk about my personal life but in the context of overall social realities. I can safely say that unlike other personal blogs, mine is relatively more formal and serious.

Who are the regular readers of your blog?

Based on site statistics and the kind of feedback that I get, those who read my blog are students, professors and researchers from the Philippines and overseas, particularly the US and Europe. There are also a lot of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who send me feedback from time to time.

Do you feel like there is much more freedom in writing online? Why?

There is freedom in the sense that unlike print and broadcast, new media allow you to become your own gatekeeper. I should hasten to add, however, that bloggers and other webmasters are also vulnerable to certain restraints experienced by print and broadcast journalists like censorship.

Do you consider yourself a journalist? Why?

I’ve been a journalist even prior to blogging.

Does your blog have a print counterpart?

My column articles for Pinoy Weekly, a tabloid in Filipino, are uploaded to my blog. This is the only “print counterpart” of my blog posts.

How knowledgeable are you about the new online technologies?

While I do not work for any IT company, I know the basics of HTML and I teach web authoring at UP.

How often do you log on to your website? How often do you update your website?

I maintain my blog daily though I do not necessarily post every day.

Who moderates your blog?

I moderate my own blog. I do not allow others to post entries on my blog. Just like most other blogs, however, readers are allowed to post comments, subject to my approval. I should stress, however, that the moderation of comments is only meant to avoid spam.

How is your blog moderated?

My blog is moderated through WordPress, of course.

As far as you’re concerned, what are the disadvantages/advantages of blogging?

Blogging allows you to communicate with not just fellow bloggers but also other online users. The disadvantage, however, is the limited reach of the Internet. This would explain why, as a journalist, I prefer to straddle different forms of mass media. I do not see the new media as a panacea to reaching out to the people.

What are the topics that are usually covered in your blog?

I talk about media, politics, economics and culture. My degrees, after all, are in Journalism and Philippine Studies.

Do you think online journalism will replace printed newspapers in the future? Why?

I seriously doubt it. The different forms of mass media have their own unique characteristics. Besides, the limited reach of the Internet primarily explains why television is still the most powerful medium in the country.