Mark Evans has announced that he is leaving his job at the National Post to jump into the blogosphere full time by becoming vice president of operations at b5media. Congratulations to Mark and I wish him well.
b5media, despite the irritating non-capitalization problem that someone a few years ago incorrectly decided was techy and cool, seems like a pretty solid network. I read and enjoy quite a few of its blogs.
I have never been involved in a blog network, but I’ve been a part of several other internet-related networks, and I suspect the challenges are largely the same.
On the one hand, a consolidated group of people can often accomplish more together than the individuals could do alone. Ad sales, sponsorships, cross-selling and recruiting new members are among the many benefits of such an association.
On the other hand, I suspect there are some common problems that have to be managed (I know nothing about b5media’s structure; these are just my thoughts based on some of the networks I have been involved with). One is the fact that the people at the top of the hierarchy generally make some of their money, directly or indirectly, off of the efforts of those below them. There’s nothing wrong with this- it’s the same sort of pyramid that applies at law firms, accounting firms and many other businesses. And like those businesses, I suspect blog networks will have trouble keeping their up and coming bloggers happy. When there is a pyramid of any sort and a limited supply of money to pass out, there is always an unhappy camper in the next tent. Someone always thinks they’re getting too little or the other guy is getting too much.
Another problem is the structure that comes with being a part of a network. Some networks have a lot of it, and some have only a little of it, but a blogger who has been his own boss with nothing but his whims to direct him may chafe at the structure of a network. Not all bloggers will find the addition of a little structure problematic, but some will. And others may find that what seemed like useful structure at the time starts later to feel a bit oppressive.
Don’t get me wrong- I’m not anti-blog network. I just think they will face a lot of challenges as they- and the blogosphere- mature. Some of the challenges are common with other businesses, and some will be specific to the young and evolving blogosphere- and the effort to monetize the same.
I think Mark is a great addition for b5media, and I’m looking forward to following his, and its, progress.
Tags: blogs, blog building, b5media
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