Alternet has set up a new blog syndicate called PEEK, compiling a list of lefty bloggers for the masses. I looked at it late last night and was irritated to see it was more of the same lefty voices with no surprises. WAATFB again?
I wrote last night:
I love your website, so it is with great chagrin that I noticed your new feature is compiling only popular, well-established blogs. There are plenty of other blogs out there worthy of greater recognition, and I hope you will take these demographics into consideration.
And so it’s clear, this isn’t a request to be syndicated. I’d rather not.
Good luck with your new project.
Lauren *****
feministe.us/blog/
And got this response this morning:
Thanks for the feedback Lauren, I really appreciate it. The content and blogroll at this point is only a reflection of our recent reader survey. My list goes well beyond that. The plan is to gradually begin to include
the less established blogs as readers, many of whom are getting their very first introduction to the blogosphere, become more comfortable with the medium.
Please feel free to send suggestions as well…
Evan
So I responded again:
Excellent!
I was hoping your answer would be something along those lines. I think there’s something to be said for the so-called apolitical blogs, though on some level, I think most bloggers are political. But that’s the topic of another letter.
Lauren
feministe.us/blog/
And received this:
Lauren,
Yes, I feel bound to mostly politics for now. But my hope is for people to begin to see that sometimes the BEST ways for the political landscape to change is through subjects, discussions, arguments that aren’t explicitly so.
Thanks again for your comments. Not to get too corny but these dialogs are exactly what make blogging the fascinating and promising medium I believe it is!
Evan
Looks like this guy is one of us. Finally.
I thought I would post this correspondence because I saw several criticisms of the new syndicate among feminist bloggers. I say we take him up on his offer and send a list of suggestions.
UPDATE:
Further correspondence and then some. I suggested a short list of bloggers and then pointed to the Link Portal on Gender in the Blogosphere to give the PEEK editor some context to the criticism he’s received so far. This being only day two of the PEEK blog, I say we give Alternet some slack. They are more than pro-feminist when it comes to their choices of syndicated articles and site content. I predict that they will become more representative of the blogosphere over time.
Or should, if this project is to be successful.