Blog-Based Media Poised To Explode

San Francisco Chronicle:

In 2005, when Silicon Valley entrepreneur Michael Arrington started TechCrunch, his popular blog on Internet startups, he saw it mainly as a chance to indulge his obsession with young technology companies.

But it turned out that Arrington had latched onto something big. TechCrunch became the go-to site for the scoop on new Web companies. And, as technophiles flocked to TechCrunch, advertisers followed suit. Arrington's blog morphed from a labor of love into a fast-growing business.

Today, TechCrunch has a full-time staff of eight. This year, it hired a CEO. In August, 1.25 million people visited TechCrunch or its affiliated blogs at least once, according to comScore Inc. It brings in $240,000 per month in advertising, according to Arrington, and pulls in additional revenue from conferences and parties. Most important of all, TechCrunch is in the black.

Read the whole story: San Francisco Chronicle

Comments

[larry278]

11:51 PM on 10/22/2007

The UK's FINANCIAL TIMES has pointed to HUFFINGTON POST as the new prototype for web publications the SF CHRONICLE also sees. HP can be seen as a more catholic and successful site. HP appears to have left the coverage of sports to the already established and popular sports sites. HP aims at the progressive, more liberal, reader and has sections which appeal to a particular bent of mind. A blog which appeals to several interests appears in several appropriate sections of HP in the manner used by BBC News & other sites.
There is no sense in duplicating the work and coverage of well established sports that are well know to sports fans.
HP has over 40 employees who edit, monitor and possibly contribute blogs to HP which sets the tone Ms Huffington and her backers seek for HP. Advertisers know what demographics they are buying into with ads in/on HP. A more knowledgeable person could evaluate the DRUDGE REPORT & similar, established, popular sites. It looks like HP has the keen eye of FT which looks for style and success.