TV and Sympathy

Keep 'em coming back for more

TVGuide.com has gradually, over the past several weeks, been moving towards a bloggier format. Sigh. I remember when I didn't know what 'blog' meant and wouldn't dream of using it as a comparative adjective. The times, they have changed, not just for me, but for online entertainment sites as a whole.

I use a blog format because it suits my low-tech, low-budget style. But why is TVGuide heading in the blog direction, when they have beaucoup d'argent and likely some tech-savvy people on staff? I think the answer is community.

When done right, a blog is a living thing, thriving off the comments and the feedback of those who visit it. When visitors express their opinions and the blog owners respond to it, there's an interaction. The site's visitors aren't just spectators, they're participants, helping even to create the content on the site with their comments. Along with the creation of content, blogs create a sense of loyalty. And what do loyal people do? They come back, because there's a relationship there. They're part of a community.

I'll keep on reading TVGuide.com every day, no matter the format. But there's something different about it now, knowing they "can't wait to hear from [me]." And you know something? Seeing the faces of the TVGuide bloggers, I actually believe it. Because everybody wants to know their work is having an effect on someone else. Even me.

(Hmm...how much more shameless a request for comments could this post have been?)

posted by Veltman @ 10:31 PM