Somebody's Thinking Out There

One of the greatest things about community is that intent and good will are primary commodities.  Yet, as Paul Simon says, "Proof is the bottom line for everyone."  Today, the Washington Post shows intent and good will with a strong hinting of proof. 

The Washington Post is starting a blogroll.  But not just a blogroll.  Someone there has been thinking.  Thinking about blogs, thinking about community, thinking about interaction. 

Currently they are gathering blogs and taking names.  Their group will review the blogs and have a blogroll - with punch.  The blogroll will have the stated benefits of:

A link to members' blogs will be featured in our Sponsored Blogroll index, giving your writing promotional space on the washingtonpost.com home page and giving you an introduction to an audience of 8 million readers monthly. At the same time, our hardworking sales reps will help connect your signature musings with the huge number of advertisers we deal with every day who are looking for the next big, slightly-outside-the-mainstream idea.

As a Sponsored Blogroll member, you'll maintain your independence. But you'll get additional site traffic, a little buzz and maybe some additional income.

Seriously, it nearly moves me to tears.  This is ambitious and truly outward reaching.  Yes, Mr. Simon's proof will be in the pudding, but even this stated goal is a major event in the relationship between the public (blogs) and primary information sources (the media).

One can only assume that the post will take the next logical step of providing print to particularly popular or poignant posts in their now-branded network.  It would be hard to imagine otherwise.  This, in turn, also provides a set of independent bloggers who nonetheless will be more sensitive towards quoting or discussing WaPo articles.

Here's an added bit of honesty and another indication that someone there really gets it.

Like a lot of experimental programs on the Web, we're trying this out to see what happens, and we're hoping you'll join us

The Washington Post is embracing my favorite Web 2.0 ethic: experimentation.  The Washington Post is huge and experimentation can easily be seen as dangerous.  But experimentation, innovation, and the willingness to connect are what keep communities vital.  With this program, WaPo is reaching out in a very creative and refreshing way.  This really made my day.

End note:  Steve Rubel makes the following recommendation that builds on my re-print idea.

This is a fantastic way for a newspaper to build relationships with bloggers. Everybody wins. There are a two suggestions I offer to make this program stronger. First, the Washington Post should create a page that aggregates content from the bloggers who are participating in its network. This is similar to what Federated Media does with its tech and parenting bloggers. Second, it should find a way to make the blogroll contextual so that links to tech blogger sites show up next to relevant stories.

Photo: Michael Connors

Technorati Tags: washington post, mainstream media, blogrolls, community_indicators, community, business cooperation, cooperation

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Comments

[geofones]

Sounds a really awesome idea to me. As people who are new to the blogosphere will have a helping hand to decent blogs rather than being put off when they find splogs in random searches. Will be interesting to see how much time they spend weeding the list once they have created it.

[Jeff Burkett]

J. LeRoy,

Awesome post! Its remarks like this that really get me fire up.

We'll do our best to live up to your expectations!!

Jeff

[Standard Mischief]

Funny, I see this totally differently than you do. Look, the WaPo already had their Technorati linkback tool, which means that any J. Random blogger could effectively comment on any WaPo story just by properly linking with a blog. As Tino noted:

http://tinotopia.com/wp/archive/2005/12/11/washington_post_reporters_dont_like_feedback/

not all the reporters at Pravda liked that feature. As the cost of world wide publishing has dropped down to the cost of one's own labor, the great unwashed may now automagicly toss their possibly “highly negative” two cents in.

Maybe I'm totally wrong, but this appears to be a WaPo “approved” list of bloggers in the proper frame of mind, plus a few select polite dissenting bloggers for “balance”. I know it's the Post's forum, and they can do what they wish with their site, but i don't think it deserves kudos.