March 8, 2000

3:03 PM

The Corporatization of Weblogs Has Begun, it is decreedThe current Editor & Publisher introduces blogging to its newspaper-editor audience and points out two blogs actually written by newspaper columnists. I do indeed agree that Weblogging is a viable new medium of expression for dead-tree media, and agree even more strongly that special-interest journalistic blogs are in desperate need. (I'm planning one myself, and wouldn't it be great to read dueling blogs on the same topic from rival newspapers?) I just worry that the column will have an illocutionary effect, i.e., it will cause something to happen just by uttering words, rather like "I now pronounce you married." In this case the words I worry about are "The corporatization of Weblogs has begun." I can hear Rushkoff griping about the good old days already. And I'd gripe along with him.
posted by joeclark (3 comments total)

BLOGWATCH 2000!
posted by CrazyUncleJoe at 5:12 PM on March 8, 2000

Speaking of a meme-storm, maybe we could talk the Weather Service into naming next year's hurricanes after webloggers: Hurricane Anil, Hurricane Brad, Hurricane Cam, Hurricane Dan (don't ask which one), Hurricane Eaton, Tropical Depression Foop...
posted by wendell at 8:33 PM on March 8, 2000