Blogwire

by Daniel Rubin

Published Apr. 11, 2006, 9:50 a.m. ET

Psst. Wanna get your blog syndicated?

BlogBurst starts today, an attempt to create a wire service of sorts of out some 600 indie bloggers who will feed such MSM publishers as the Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle and Gannett.

An Austin, Texas blogtech company called Pluck is behind the venture. Pluck's staff - and it's looking for new hires - will screen and edit blogs so they're ready to pass the cereal test. An AP piece quotes Buzzmachine's Jeff Jarvis, who isn't so confident bloggers will make real money, but applauds the idea of getting blog matter into newspapers:

"The lines between the mainstream media and the rest of the world will start to blur, not because people (bloggers) are joining the mainstream media, but because of the opposite effect: The mainstream media rejoins the people," Jarvis said via e-mail.

Hat tip, Enrico, who's offering up his 700 Level for syndication.

Jason

Posted 04/11/2006 10:19:44 AM

You could easily fill a daily newspaper with high quality journalism with the stuff in "blogs", but they won't get paid?  That's a great business model :)

I guess with the licensing, and a lot of people licensing stuff under Creative Commons Share Alike or a similar one that is "copyleft" or free (as in drunken speech), they really can't charge for their work.  Their loss :)

But out of principle, newspapers will be charging for their work, they should see some of it, even if it's a minimal amount, enough to buy them a case of beer for the weekend.

Jason

Posted 04/11/2006 10:29:31 AM

I found this on their site in the "What will you get?" section.

"Performance based compensation (after our beta period)"

Honestly, and now I see where Jeff Jarvis gets his ideas, I'd be surprised if anyone sees any money from BlogBurst.  But, I tend to trust people right away and find reasons not to... it's part of that curs-ed optimism that runs through my veins

Daniel Rubin

Posted 04/11/2006 10:38:17 AM

sorry for leaving you to talk among yourself, but i was hunting and gathering for another piece. Yes, you're right. The idea is that people will be paid - after beta - based on how popular their pieces turn out to be. if I submitted blinq, i'd get paid for writing more T.O. posts, and the stuff I might like best may not turn out to bring in any money. T.O. posts get the most hits. Sex and T.O. Sex with T.O.? I could retire. Or maybe buy the Inky.

Jason

Posted 04/11/2006 10:56:44 AM

I'm used to it, and don't mind.  I kill me most of the time

I guess restrictions at work prevent you from being syndicated in (and indirectly paid by) the nation's newspapers?  Quit ;-)  That's what I always do.

Daniel Rubin

Posted 04/11/2006 11:12:54 AM

You mean quit the paper and just see how much my words are really worth? to be free of the institutional weight, and suddenly hungrier - younger - than I've been since age 22, and desperate to pay off college loans, only this time despereate to support a family, pay for two college tuitions at once, and all that food for a groaning beast of a dog? Think I'll ride the storm out from here for a while.

Jason

Posted 04/11/2006 11:17:44 AM

(Yes I was kidding) :)

It worked in "Field of Dreams"!  If you write it, they will come.

ping: Blogicized: B Is For Blog -->

Posted 04/11/2006 03:53:47 PM

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