With the recent release of the TechMeme Leaderboard, it’s been noted that most of the top 100 sources wouldn’t fall under the general definition of a blog. And if you consider a blog to be the thoughts of a single person (as opposed to multiple writers or an editorial staff), the count is even smaller.
Some consider this to be a sign of disinterest in “traditional” blogs, but for me, the opposite is true. I’ve found that lately I’m much more interested in the blogs of a single person, who gives their opinion and take on current events.
When I first started reading blogs, my main goal was basically “don’t miss anything”. I felt that there was so much news out there that it was important to be able to keep up on everything that was going on. I spent most of my time reading blogs like TechCrunch or link aggregators like Reddit.
But now I find that simply getting the headlines is pretty easy. Usually skimming through TechMeme is enough to update me on the days events in the tech world. After that, I want to go beyond the headlines and read the opinions and views of bloggers based on their personal experience and expertise — people like Robert Scoble, Fred Wilson, Allen Stern, or Dave Winer.
And I think this is where the blogosphere provides value beyond traditional media. Blogs allow influencers and insiders are able to share their views in a way they couldn’t before. So while news sources like the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal will always be around, I don’t think traditional blogs will be going anywhere.
