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TV Guide Doesn't Know what a Blog Is

April 13, 2006 5:46 PM Posted by mac

I'm a big fan of TVGuide.com's news, rumors and columns (Michael Ausiello rules), but the folks running the Web division are dropping the ball when it comes to blogs.

My problem lies in their definition of "blog." Based on a typical entry, such as this one from Jenna Fischer of "The Office," TVGuide.com believes a blog is devoid of all the things a blog typically features.

Consider the evidence:

  • Is there an index page featuring reverse chronological posts? Nope.

  • Is there a comments mechanism so readers can share their own thoughts? Nope.

  • Are there external links to interesting articles, sites, blogs, etc? Not that I can see.
This isn't a blog. It's a column.

There's nothing wrong with a column. I often read columns. Hell, if they called it a column and said it was written by Jenna Fischer of "The Office" (she's awesome, by the way), I'd still stop by to read it regularly.

But this isn't a blog. In my mind (and understand, this is my opinion, I'm not working from the Blog Cabal Handbook or anything), a blog is about conversations. A blog isn't a top-down structure. A blog isn't a pulpit for a single person to pontificate with no feedback and no interaction. A blog isn't, by any stretch, a column.

A blog is a way for one person to start a conversation with many other people. If there's no way for anyone to converse, then the thing you're creating isn't a blog.

I applaud TVGuide.com for trying. I applaud them even more for consistently featuring excellent content and commentary. And if they ever figure out that conversations are the key to blogs, I'll be the first to give them a standing ovation. -- Mac Slocum

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