State of the Blogosphere: for Who’s Benefit?

Exploding growth, OR a Larger Peanut Gallery?

Rather than just quote Sifry’s data, I can tell you in a nutshell it supports the fact that the blogosphere continues to grow at a phenomenal rate.

So I would rather discuss why this is happening, and the simple answer is that blogs give anybody with access to the internet a podium. It is the great equalizer and as important a technology as the invention of the printing press itself. Or at least it should be according to the theory.

Speaking of podiums, this brings me to another trend that is near and dear to my heart. It concerns me the problem it seems is that a priviledged few see the growth of the blogosphere as a problem. Apparently the blogosphere upper crust is feeling a bit cramped by it all, and one of the contenders leading the charge is Technorati itself.

Why else would they create a hierarchy filter that “sorts by authority” to drown out the ‘noise’, or should I say the rest of the mere mortals? And as Steve Rubel pointed out - where is the data for the MySpace blogs?

So the questions is — is the blogosphere growing for the benefit of everyone? Or does it really just represent a larger peanut gallery dancing to the tune of an old boys network? Which is it?

Food for thought.

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