How do you start a news blog or news website?

Do you have the resources to support you own? If so, go with WordPress. Do you want to start out with something freely hosted? Go with Blogger. Both allow the addition of your own domain name. WordPress generally gives a more professional impression, while it seems everyone from every background uses Blogger.

There are other blogging platforms out there, but most services for blogs are geared at the big two, Blogger and Wordpress.

i have the website hosted, it looks alright, but i meant as far as content goes. Sorry about that. Do I use widgets? Links? Do I write my own articles and quote and cite sources (like profootballtalk.com)?

Widgets add color and engage readers (as long as the use is not exaggerated). Otherwise your blog is just a decorated .txt file. The use of links add credit and color to you text, both of which grab the reader’s attention. Well formatted quotes draw the reader’s eye, in a good way. Citing sources is big for establishing your credibility. Without cited sources, your posts look like uneducated opinions or near-plagiarism, both of which turn readers off.

Any more questions? :)

Uhm, no, not really, no. I thought it was harder than that, like some secret frat hazing ritual put on by the AP and Reuters or something.

Nope. There wouldn’t be billions of blogs out there if it was that complicated. :)

sorry, i’m new. I just don’t want to mess it up, heh

That’s good. You’re motivated to research before pasting the final code in. Some of us had to learn that the hard way… ;)

find a niche, get good at writing the niche, set up blog using squarespace (more expensive but easier) or wordpress.