Does the Media Byte?

Shelly Palmer is a blogger of digital media and its most current effects on consumer society and business. His website is called “MEDIABYTES” and his blog breaks technological news and discusses the effects of technology updates on the general pubic. He posts quite frequently, and while he seems quite passionate about his subject matter, his voice and tone are fairly blunt. This is not to say that his posts aren’t extremely interesting, but his tone is very informative and simple. One might think that this writing style would get boring, especially when discussing dorky things like web databases and copyright infringement, but his writing style and voice actually make for very effective blogging.

            Shelly does one thing really well, and that is write in a style that simultaneously describes difficult concepts in layman’s terms AND speaks in detail for more comprehensive, educated audiences. He will alternate between complex ideas and much simpler explanations of what those ideas mean in a general sense. He will outline a very intricate concept with academic jargon, and then bluntly summarize it in a simple sentence like it’s no big deal. For example:

The NAB reached out to the RIAA and both organizations went to Congress and proposed the inclusion of, let’s say it again: Government mandated FM chips in mobile phones. It’s brilliant! And, it has created a really good fake fight.

Palmer does this almost mechanically, and I find it a really well balanced way to keep his readers alert and providing sound evidence for his opinions while satisfying audiences who may be visiting his blog with some previous knowledge on the subject matter.

         By using informal punctuation and alternating between complex and extremely simple sentences, Shelly manages to make complex subject matter seem more approachable and less formal. He also uses humor and personal opinion, but in a way that doesn’t contrast his serious and academic subject matter too extremely. In reading many of his blog posts, it almost appears as if the more Palmer wants to drive home a point, the fewer words he uses. It sounds strange, but it truly is effective. Examples of this include sentences like, “We’re not all doomed. Wow, that was close,” and “Now imagine this on a global scale. Game over.”

        Most of Palmer’s post titles are fairly straightforward, much like his actual posts are. They usually summarize the post well, but leave just enough room for intrigue that you want to read the post. They don’t tell you everything, but they aren’t so ambiguous that you don’t care at all. Two of the posts that I found most relevant to my own interests are titled “Government Mandated FM Chips In Mobile Phones: A Fake Fight,” and “Why Can’t I Pay You?” If you were to read the articles, you would likely agree that these titles are appropriate and simple.

         In comparison to many of the other bloggers I have read on the topic of technology, Palmer’s post are refreshingly organized and to the point. His voice is one that is informative and fairly plain, but really refreshing at times. He’s like the movie character that seems really tough and quiet, but gives you the chills when he does something sweet or shows emotion. His personal opinions and humor are scattered, but when they show through in his writing, they really tell you something about both himself, and his topic(s) of interest.