Online Journalism News

AOP to sharpen its cutting edge

The UK's Association of Online Publishers (AOP) is forming a working group to help members address trends in web content, such as blogging and peer-to-peer networks.

Blogs, regular diary-style web postings, often focus on specialist areas and readers can be invited to add comments and feedback. Many news sites have begun to incorporate blogs, which are a more informal method of publishing and can help to build loyalty among readers.

Peer-to-peer networks allow web users to transfer files between one another, and are most commonly used to share music and films.

"We want to ensure that our members are positioned at the forefront of the digital publishing industry, shaping the future rather than reacting to it," said Alexandra White, director of the AOP.

"By setting up a group to focus solely on content trends, such as blogging, community etc, we'll be enabling them to share knowledge and ideas, and work together to strengthen the role of content rich sites in an ever changing and diversifying marketplace."

AOP members include the Economist Group, BSkyB and the BBC. The organisation provides support through forums, workshops and research into industry issues such as advertising, new technology and paid-for content.

• The AOP's annual conference and awards ceremony takes place at London's Grosvenor House Hotel on 21 October. A record 208 entries were received for the awards, which cover 14 categories including best online publisher, best new launch and editor of the year.

The conference includes sessions on the changing face of classified advertising and transferring print publications to the web. A keynote speech will be given by Dan Gillmor - blogger, SiliconValley.com journalist and author of 'We the media': grassroots journalism by the people, for the people', which explores citizen journalism.

More news from dotJournalism:
Bloggers join ranks with journalists
http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/story1020.shtml
Citizen journalism discussed
http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/story1018.shtml
Pushing online publishing into profit
http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/story675.shtml

See also:
AOP: http://www.ukaop.org.uk
Dan Gillmor: http://weblog.siliconvalley.com/column/dangillmor

Tags (click tag to find related articles; click icon for feed):
bbc | london | alexandra white | dan gillmor | united kingdom | web content | classified advertising | web users | online publisher | grosvenor house hotel | economist group | bskyb | regular diarystyle web postings | peertopeer |

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