'Best Job in the World' winner under fire for not blogging enough

Melbourne, July 24 (ANI): 'Best Job in the World' winner Ben Southall has been criticised for not updating his blog regularly.

The 34-year-old Briton has posted only seven times since beginning the coveted 150,000 dollars, six-month stint in Great Barrier Reef.

Blog readers have also criticised the jam-packed itineraries organised by Tourism Queensland that appears to have left Southall no time to explore the reef privately and to be more creative, humorous or personal in his reporting.

However, the officials blamed the difficulties with mobile phone or Internet access for the lack of daily blog posts.

Tourism Queensland chief executive Anthony Hayes said Southall had been attending media requests and interviews from more than 50 media outlets around the world but they were looking at ways in which his schedule could be freed up.

"In addition, he's had a documentary film crew capturing his every move and he's been the centre of several press conferences upon arriving in new Queensland destinations," the Courier Mail quoted him as saying.

"He's handling the role extremely well and we're currently looking at ways in which we can free up his schedule to ensure he has enough time to really savour the experience and the unbeatable Queensland lifestyle," he added.

QUT media studies specialist and blogging expert, Dr Axel Bruns, said that Southall's current output, with an extended blog post every three to four days, would work if it remained consistent.

"If all you are saying is, 'Hi, I'm still here', that is clearly not enough. But every two-three days is fine as long as it's substantial," Bruns said.

"Blogs take time to establish themselves and attract readership. As a blogger you have to engage your audience and respond to readers' comments and queries," he added. (ANI)