Let’s start with “What is a blog?” It is a website where users post informal journals that are updated frequently and reflect the views and interests of the blog's creator. Mine “Sarasota Livin’ (www.moraca.org)” focuses on urban issues in Sarasota.
“Is communicating about neighborhood issues through blogs the wave of the future?”
The future is already here it's just not evenly distributed .... in some area's blogs or hyper-local news web sites are an important way for locals to share information and in "big" cities they can be very specialized such as NYC real estate sales / rentals by neighborhood. Lawrence Kansas has an awesome "hyper-local" blog scene much of it helped by the local "media empire"
The part of blogging that appeals to me is that the story persists and can remain current. In print / TV / Radio media a story comes and goes it's only current for that issue or broadcast. Blogging is helped by google and other search engines that bring people interested in a specific topic to your site long after you wrote something.
“Are blogs superior to traditional media and how?”
Since I am a very part-time "reporter" of what goes on in Sarasota I don't have the ability to cover all of the "news" but most of what is in the news paper or local TV news -- crime / traffic / weather / sports is only interesting in a very superficial way ... not something to think about much after the story is finished.
Blogs can focus coverage on very local issues. Everyone cares about what development is going on in their neighborhood. I think the secret of activism is that people only join in when something "bad" happens. So when I post about knocking down houses for parking lots or cell phone towers in a park people respond.
“How active and vital is Sarasota's blogging community?”
Sarasota is showing that it’s an up-and-coming blogger community. Think about the type of people attracted to the area - they are smart and articulate. The barrier to entry is very low since the monetary startup costs are minimal (or free), what it takes is the commitment to keep commenting on the issues.
I think I was the first blogger that focused on Sarasota issues, but that was only by weeks. Save our Sarasota was right there. There are now several others in the local area. "We" now have a group blog http://www.suncoastblog.com that has five contributing bloggers with the intent of focusing on issues in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Who knows where we will be in six more months.
How do you feel now?
I mostly live at work or in White Springs...