Blog in a bag
Something troubles me about the Gawker Media blog line, which includes Wonkette, Defamer, and a dozen other niche blogs. [The latest addition is Jezebel, whose introduction prompted this entry.]
On content, the Gawker blogs are fine; the problem is that they feel too...mass-produced and vaguely inauthentic. Like they came out of a box. You get the feeling that these are bloggers who possess best practices binders, can expect a raise at the 2nd, 4th, and 8th year on staff, and attend lame conferences in Houston hotels where they get wasted at the local Ruby Tuesday's with the guy from the LA office.
The mild decline in quality at Wonkette since founding editor Ana Maria Cox left exemplifies what has started to bother me about Gawker blogs. Remember when Cox's replacements spent a good week making non-ironic puns about John Boehner's name....until they learned its actual pronunciation (rhymes with "saner," not "loner")? Listen, it's an easy mistake to make, but in a blog all about beltway politics and personalities??? Sigh.
On content, the Gawker blogs are fine; the problem is that they feel too...mass-produced and vaguely inauthentic. Like they came out of a box. You get the feeling that these are bloggers who possess best practices binders, can expect a raise at the 2nd, 4th, and 8th year on staff, and attend lame conferences in Houston hotels where they get wasted at the local Ruby Tuesday's with the guy from the LA office.
The mild decline in quality at Wonkette since founding editor Ana Maria Cox left exemplifies what has started to bother me about Gawker blogs. Remember when Cox's replacements spent a good week making non-ironic puns about John Boehner's name....until they learned its actual pronunciation (rhymes with "saner," not "loner")? Listen, it's an easy mistake to make, but in a blog all about beltway politics and personalities??? Sigh.
posted by Waage on Tuesday, May 22, 2007
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