The Blog Hype is Over: Robert Scoble & Om Malik Moving to New Frontiers

by James Lewin

June 13, 2006 —

Two stories have been the buzz of tech meme-trackers over the last few days: "geek blogger" Robert Scoble leaving Microsoft to join a podcasting startup and writer/blogger Om Malik leaving Business 2.0 to develop a multimedia tech news site.

The stories have surprised the tech community, because Scoble and Malik have established themselves as two of the most respected tech bloggers. Both are leaving influential positions for the risks of Internet multimedia startups.

Scoble and Malik's moves represent more than two analysts moving on to new things, though. Their moves are a sign that the blog hype is over.

Both have "been there, done that" and are moving on to explore new technologies. Blogs have become accepted mainstream tools for business; Scoble himself has published a bestselling book on business blogging.

The Internet buzz has moved on to new things: podcasting and on-demand media.

Blogging Accepted as a Business Tool

In the last few years, blogs have become an accepted tool for business. A variety of publishers have demonstrated that blog-based sites can challenge mainstream media. Publishers like Weblogs, Inc., who publish Endgadget and Gawker Media, who publish Gizmodo, have built micropublishing powerhouses around blogging technology.

Meanwhile, mainstream media is adopting many of the technologies of blogging, including RSS newsfeeds, article commenting and using pings to announce site changes.

Blogging software is maturing. WordPress, a very popular blogging application, is free, open source and has an active developer community.

At this point, companies that aren't using blog technology either don't understand its significance or have internal barriers to adoption.

Internet Media is The New Uncharted Territory

Sites like YouTube and MySpace have demonstrated that there is huge interest in Internet media. With broadband, podcasting and on-demand media, individuals and small companies now have the ability to become global Internet media brands.

"Broadband is bringing about a fundamental change in the way people consume information," writes Malik. "The entire ecosystem is going through a change. This change represents opportunity."

Scoble is looking to take advantage of this shift to leverage his blogging success into something bigger. "When life hands you a metaphorical equivilent of a gold coin you better do something with it," he writes. "Invest it in something else. If you don't, I believe that's unethical. My ethical system says that you should reinvest your talents and your luck to make the world a better place."

Scoble and Malik, while not early blog pioneers, have helped pioneer the business use of podcasting. Their moves to Internet startups is a sign that blogs are established tools, the buzz has left the building, and pioneers that love virgin territory are moving on to new frontiers.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

It's Time To Transition

The joy on her face

ITworld.com