This doesn’t mean that these users aren’t utilizing the service anymore, but rather it means that they have few followers, produce few updates and take little pride in their profiles. Then why are they on Twitter? They want to read what other people are saying.

What does this mean for news orgs? It might mean having a mixture of Twitter accounts, some that specialize in engaging active users, while others that target passive users. I have to believe the majority of people who follow @nytimes are passive users, as it’s a passive account.

Here are some key findings that the study found:

• 80% failed to provide a homepage URL
• 76% of users have not entered a bio in their profile
• 69% have not specified a location
• 55% are not following anyone
• 55% have never tweeted
• 53% have no followers

WordPress 2.8 now available for download — The latest version of the open source blogging/CMS software WordPress has just landed.

The new WordPress offers a bunch of bug fixes, as always, but perhaps the biggest new feature is the easy new theme browsing interface. WordPress keeps getting better and better, which is good for some people and bad for others.

WordPress makes it incredibly easy to launch a Web site (or new media Web site). WordPress is poweful, easy to use and easy to customize. It powers sites like BeatBlogging.Org.

But this is bad news for existing news organizations in the sense that the easier it is to launch a great Web site, the stiffer competition will get. Competition, however, is good for users.

Bloomberg forbids mentioning competitors or linking to them — Thinking of making a social media/linking policy? Take note of the policy at Bloomberg News. It’s one of the most backwards, anti-Web policies I’ve ever seen.

Gawker has a scathing look at Bloomberg’s social media policy:

It all but bans personal Web posts and status updates of all sorts. First it outlaws discussion of any topic covered by Bloomberg News. The financial wire covers a huge swath of events — “companies, markets, industries, economies and governments,” per its own marketing materials, plus “Arts and culture” and food — leaving little else to talk about.

And even if a Bloomberg journalist does find an allowed topic, he would be hard-pressed to link to or even describe any relevant content, since company policy says staff may not “direct Internet traffic to media competitors or discuss them” (emphasis added).

Some sensible social media guidelines — This is something that Bloomberg News and The Wall Street Journal should check out. It features some sensible ideas like:

• Do not create policy that prevents people from being social. For a case study in how NOT to do it, see the Wall Street Journal’s social media policy.
• If someone is monitoring posts, inform employees. They have a right to know that what they say may be read. Do not censor posts and do not restrict comments. You cannot violate an employee’s freedom of speech. Remember, the purpose of social media is to encourage ideas and conversations with people outside your normal network.

How to think about the new news? Listen to Best Buy — Best Buy’s business model has been under assault from the Internet, just like newspapers (and new competitors like Wal-Mart). Instead of shriveling up and dying, Best Buy has evolved.

Watch Best Buy CMO Barry Judge talk about social media, the Web and how Best Buy is evolving.