Harris Interactive: Gay, Lesbian Blog Readership Up (Not That There's Anything Wrong with It)

A total of 54 percent of gay and lesbian respondents to a recent national survey by Harris Interactive said they read blogs, compared with 40 percent of heterosexuals, and the research firm reported that the gay and lesbian figure was only 32 percent in November 2006. Harris also found that 36 percent of gay and lesbian respondents read blogs focused on news and current issues, versus 25 percent for heterosexuals. The figures for other types of blogs are 25 percent and 16 percent, respectively, for pop culture; 22 percent and 14 percent for politics; and 16 percent and 8 percent for travel. As far as blogs that feature gay and lesbian news and interests, 35 percent of gay and lesbian respondents said they read those blogs, with 53 percent of those readers saying they visit the blogs weekly and 19 percent saying they do so daily. When it comes to social-networking sites, Harris found that 73 percent of gay and lesbian respondents were members of Facebook, compared with 65 percent of heterosexual respondents. The figures for other social-networking sites: 32 percent and 22 percent, respectively, for MySpace; 22 percent and 16 percent for LinkedIn; and 29 percent and 15 percent for Twitter. As for visiting those social-networking sites, 55 percent of gay and lesbian respondents said they do so daily, and 30 percent said they visit several times daily, versus 41 percent and 17 percent, respectively, for heterosexual respondents. Veteran gay blogger and media activist Michael Rogers said: My own work tells me gay men and lesbians have tremendous need and appetite for authentic gay news and information, and they want it fast. As director of the National Blogger and Citizen Journalist Initiative, I work with scores of bloggers to enhance skills, improve delivery and content, and grow connections with a very receptive lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender audience across the United States. And Witeck-Combs Communications CEO Bob Witeck added: Over this past decade, through many comparative measures, we see first-hand that online media consumption for gays and lesbians is strong and growing stronger. A majority of LGBT households are hungrier than ever to stay well-informed and to expand their social, professional, and personal connections online. In today's uncertain economy, and with companies and organizations competing for share of attention, it is clear that blogs and social-networking sites have not only come of age for gay America, but in many ways have become the virtual, new gay community centers and marketplace.

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Harris Interactive: Gay, Lesbian Blog Readership Up (Not That There's Anything Wrong with It)

David Cohen

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