VNU launches blog platform for readers'Tech news network VNU has introduced a branded blogging platform for UK readers in an attempt to build loyalty among its tech-savvy and literate audience.

The initiative offers readers a free blog tool so they can contribute their own stories and comments to the VNU community.

Journalists at VNU have been using blog formats since mid 2004. Silicon Valley Sleuth and IT Sneak typically generate between 8-10,000 page impressions each week and also help feed new ideas and leads to VNU's journalists.

"It's an important element of the site," said Paul Briggs, associate publisher at VNU.

"As Dan Gillmor says, 'my readers know more than I do'. It's great to have reader input to help build and develop that story - and it's an instant response from our community."

VNU's blogs for readers project builds on the interaction between the readers and the site. A similar project on VNU France already has 600 bloggers, with posts aggregated on a VNU readers' blog homepage.

Users have the usual range of blog tools available to them - photo albums, mobile phone posting and trackbacks to monitor comments - and the basic service is free. Upgrades to three more advanced services start at £25.90 per year, offering advert-free pages, multiple author IDs and personalised domain names.

The project was set up with Typepad, which also recently worked on a similar service for French newspaper Le Monde. As with le Monde, VNUNet has the legacy of a loyal print readership as its audience base.

"There are around 80 million blogs out there, and they have given people a platform to write about what they passionately care about," said Mr Briggs.

"Readers don't need technical skills - they can instantly post their thoughts. These blogs will interconnect with our news and help our stories to develop."

Blogs are finally becoming a staple tool for news sites, providing a quick, intuitive and flexible format for publishing breaking news and comment.

The internet can easily be impersonal and faceless, but the best blogs also encourage a rapport between an engaging writer and an active, interested reader. For news sites, the format is a valuable tool for building a loyal readership and providing a simple, accessible platform for reader involvement.

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