The Blogosphere
Is it better to have a blogosphere filled with lots of different sites, or to have divergent views under one online roof?
Is that too much like copying corporate consolidation?
In terms of local Cincinnati blogs, would it be better to have one stop, or fifteen?
I ask these questions honestly. Sometimes I wonder at the power of blogs, and I wonder if they are more powerful having many small places or one big one?
I guess that depends on the tactic or the attack.
Do we have any tactics? Is there a plan of attack?
Is that too much like copying corporate consolidation?
In terms of local Cincinnati blogs, would it be better to have one stop, or fifteen?
I ask these questions honestly. Sometimes I wonder at the power of blogs, and I wonder if they are more powerful having many small places or one big one?
I guess that depends on the tactic or the attack.
Do we have any tactics? Is there a plan of attack?
Lot's of different sites...
This would seem to offer more opportunity for checks and balances among various bloggers.
With consoldation comes conformity and inane back-patting among the chosen few that are included in any given niche grouping.
Posted by Dave Hickman | 12:02 AM
I definitely prefer multiple sites; it encourages independence and permits a diverse, well-rounded view of current events. On the other hand, I can see how it would be efficient for people who are comfortable working together to use a single site and share the work of maintaining a consistent pace of new material.
I know you're concerned about too much fragmentation, based mainly on egos, but I think that would happen in any similar space and it's the price you pay for an open micro-society. A wide spectrum of editorial views is one of the good things that sets the blogosphere apart from traditional mass media.
Posted by Josh Krekeler | 7:36 AM
Dean,
If you think all blogs should be put into one place, then the blog roll at the Cincinnati Beacon accomplishes it. It is the same cconcept as leftyblogs.com or any news aggregator really.
Different clicks (as in clicks of the mouse) are annoying, but blogs seem to be unique because of the distinct personalities and the niches they are able to carve out.
Having a unified purpose, or a plan of attack, may not be as easy as it sounds. Joining together a large group of blogs has two main problems:
1) The people writing all sound the same and it becomes an echo chamber.
2) The people are too different and can not work together (as in joining the "left" and the "right" together on a site).
What would be accomplished that leftyblogs doesn't accomplish?
However, will there ever be a true challenge to the MSM if there are just a bunch of pretty popular little blogs?
Not sure. A joining together would just be another paper, not a blogging project (as in City Beat or an alternative weekly).
Posted by Andrew Warner | 11:49 AM
I'm suddenly reminded of Steve Novotni's old idea for the "Cincinnati Independent Media Network."
Should we resurrect the idea?
Posted by The Dean of Cincinnati | 4:13 PM