Microblog
围脖 (wéibó)
"围", wei, is "to surround, to form a ring"; "脖", bo, refers to "neck". The literal meaning of "围脖" is a scarf. But here it stands for something else: 微博 (wēibó)which means "microblog". The former is the colloquial form of the latter. The two share similar pronunciations which only slightly diverge in tones.
The emergence of the microblog seems to be all of a sudden. It began in the internet portal, Sina and then snowballed to all portal websites including Sohu and Tencent. As a convenient way to spread facts and express opinions, microblogging has rapidly developed in China during the past year. But the larger reason for its popularity lies in Sina’s marketing strategy. To promote its microblogging platform, it invited many celebrities to open a microblogging account, gaining tremendous attention from the public. This strategy was also a success in promoting the Sina blogging platform several years ago.
Currently, the microblog has become an all-purpose tool for Chinese people. On the one hand, it shows others what you see and what you eat: it's a lifestyle. You can make your life as transparent as you wish. On the other hand, for media workers, microblogging is a kind of silent news source because it keeps releasing exclusives, from gossip to real news. Of course, rumors and facts may get mixed and you have to be able to tell right from wrong.
Microblogs have shaped people's understanding of privacy, the public sphere as well as the media. With a microblog account, everyone is a fact recorder and commentator. Convenient as it may be, it sets higher requirements for people's ability to judge facts and reminds people to mind their words and behavior anytime and anywhere so as to avoid being improperly "broadcasted". But more importantly, it challenges the operation model of traditional media, including newspapers, radio, TV, mobile phones and also, the Internet, and forces them to follow its step to make news faster, closer and better.
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