So, with a touch of pride, I can now firmly say that BC is the blogging mecca of Canada. an Ipsos-Reid poll has shown that people in BC who use the internet already are more likely to read blogs than other Canadians.
Fifty per cent of all online British Columbians said they have read a blog -- more than in any other province and eight percentage points above the national average, the poll shows.
There's even a quote in there from Darren Barefoot, a local Vancouver writer and consultant whom I've met at a spattering of blog meetups, about our local pride in being a blog central, even if we don't understand why. Darren was the organizer of Northern Voice, Canada's first blog conference, and the place I basically got my feet wet in blogging.
"It seems to me there are more bloggers in Vancouver than anywhere else in the country," he said, explaining that the high number of local bloggers is likely to translate into a higher level of awareness and readership.
Qumana is based in Vancouver, with Tris living just a hop and skip away on Salt Spring Island. It's hard to say how much location has played in what we've all come to do in the blogosphere. I'm sure it's had some effect. The support and the general energy around blogging in Vancouver, and probably around BC, is infectious. I like to think I do my part in spreading the blogging glory.
The Ipsos Reid poll also showed that 41% of Canadians believe that blogs are influential in determining public opinion, and 33% percent believe they influence mainstream media. That's saying something. The number may be skewed slightly since the poll queried only online Canadians, rather than a true cross-section, but it's nice to think we have a high opinion of our mass media.
25% of Canadians (30% in BC) think blog content is accurate - no longer just aimless ramblings by perception, they are a place to come to for facts, information, and opinion. I am not sure how to take this fact, as good or bad. It's good that there is some speculation about credibility, as not all blogs will be credible and every fact, in any media, should be judged with some criticism. However, the fact that BC thinks blogs are more accurate is, it would seem, a factor of greater awareness. It would seem that awareness leads to trust.
