Live Blogging? Nah.
I thought about taking my laptop into the convention center and doing some kind of live blogging reactions to each announcement made. It sounded like it might be fun. So I did some research on "live blogging" and ran across this piece on the blog In the Agora:
One gets the sense that these bloggers imagine readers experiencing things with them in real time through their blog, collectively partaking in the highs and lows of whatever is on television. Is this what we’ve come to?
I hasten to note there are moments when "live blogging" makes sense, such as when the blogger sees an event live but it will only be showed to the public sometime later (here’s an example). Or when you’re witnessing an event or conference that will not be televised or published at all (here’s an example). Yet the vast majority of "live blogging" I see does not fall within these exceptions. They’re simply real-time accounts that can be accessed elsewhere in a far more superior ways.
Huh. That’s an excellent point. You guys could get up at 7:45 a.m. and see the live webcast of these awards if you wanted to. And do I seriously think that people would want to have my blog up alongside the live awards for… what purpose exactly? No no. I’ll be at today’s awards but with my scoresheet rather than my laptop.
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About Betsy Bird
Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Kirkus, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on BlueSky at: @fuse8.bsky.social
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I couldn’t get the live webcast to work, so I wish you did post results live on your blog. Something to think about for next year….
Ditto on what Sue said! This is what the webcast was like for me:
…dead air… “–Invention of Hugo Cabret! *THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE*–” …dead air…
🙂 Fortunately a coworker wrote them all down and was eager to share.
Sleepyhead me missed the webcast. However, I’ve never been able to access the webcast. Luckily, the awards were on the ALA website by the time I got to work this morning.
(And was thrilled that we have all of the Newbery and Caldecott books! That doesn’t always happen. I’m very happy with the selections. I haven’t read any of the Printz books…. :-0 )
Yep. And for those of us not on the east coast who would have had to get up reeeeeally early to log into the webcast, but who didn’t want to wait until the official wiki posted them.
But man, you picked ’em! Congratulations!
I couldn’t wait to drag myself out of bed at 6:45 to watch the live webcast – it was great! I woke my wife up with a “You gotte get in here, they’re about to announce the Newbery Honor books!” and she was like, “Huh?”
Nice to see Hugo get the Caldecott, I think I could hear a collective sigh of relief over the internet…
Way to pick Good Masters Sweet Ladies as a “Should Win” – it truly is magnificent. No love for Leepike though?
My thought is, if the awards were dragged out longer, then a live blog would be really cool. They announce them so quickly, you’d probably have no time to even get in any commentary – “…the crowd’s reaction to the May Hill Arbuthnot Honor lecture was mixed with several boos and hisses, looks like another controversial year of debate – Whoops! I missed the Caldecott announcement – Wait! How many Newbery honor books was that – Argh!”
Matt you’ve totally pinpointed yet another problem with live blogging. These people know how to keep the show rolling. No fancy dance sequences or musical numbers to distract anyone here. I did record some of the announcements and I think my podcast will play some of the funnier audience reactions to the titles. I specifically picked a part of the room where I knew people would whoop up their favorites. And whoop they did! Poor Leepike got no love, nor did the Chicken Chasing Queen, but I seriously have very few complaints this year. Just great selections all around.
Can’t wait to read your reactions, esp. since you totally called the Newbery awards. Plus, plenty of Mo love was offered.
Seated two rows behind you this morning at the awards announcements, I enjoyed your body language reactions–and with good reason: your predictions were right on! Sorry we missed you Saturday at KidLit lunch, but thanks for posting the info on your blog.
We won, we won! Well actually the book you pickked here and I picked for the Cybills (sp?)
After the awards announcements, I happened to be passing the SLJ booth in the exhibits hall, so I blurted out — “Betsy sure picked them, didn’t she?” And was met with blank stares…… You know — Betsy Bird?….. Blank stares….You know — Elizabeth Bird, one of your bloggers?…… Blank stares. I gave up. …… Anywho, I want to add my congratulations for producing such darned good reviews and for practically predicting all the winners./……. — wendieO, (who sat way over to the right and didn’t see anyone she knew — not even Walter Maynes who was on the Prinz committee, and he’s pretty hard to miss, being 6 feet, 8 inches tall. )
I’m a little ashamed. I “live blogged” the awards, from the comfort of my home office, computer desk, squeaky, old leather chair, the live ALA webcast clicked on at 7:43 AM and eureka, I’m in!…and wearing my best pajamas, of course– and I loved every moment of the ride.
My Live Journal “Live Blogging Edition” was the perfect platform for my breathless, euphoric, and live typing.
And now, I need a coffee break. A pot of coffee break.
-Pamela Ross, congratulating all the winners and congratulating Betsy on the GOOD MASTERS! Newbery win. I will always associate that book with you.