The 2008 Blog Awards will be in February, not in the usual month of March. As a result planning for it is starting earlier this year for it. I’ve been getting feedback all through the year so I’lll be removing some categories and I’ll be adding others. If you want to suggest a category please do but do remember I’m looking for a category/niche where there are least 20 blogs covering that area. Otherwise I’m not sure it is worth creating a category but perhaps the next year there might be numbers for Blog Awards 4.
These are the existing categories for the Blog Awards:
* Best Blog
* Best Blog Post
* Most Humorous Post
* Best Photo Blog
* Best Arts and Culture Blog
* Best Political Blog
* Best Group Blog
* Best Personal Blog
* Best Use of the Irish Language in a Blog
* Best Contribution to the Irish Bloggersphere Replaced with another award along same lines
* Best Technology Blog/Blogger
* Best Designed Blog
* Best Sport & Recreation Blog
* Best News/Current Affairs Blog
* Best Specialist Blog
* Best Newcomer
* Best Business Blog
* Best Music Blog
These will be in the Irish Web Awards instead:
* Best Podcast
* Best Podcaster
* Best Videocast
Suggested new categories:
* Best Youth/Under 18 blog
* Best Food/Drink Blog
* Best Arts and Crafts Blog
* Best Popculture blog
* Best blog from a journalist
How about splitting (for this year, given the Election) “Best Political Blog” into two sections – one for politicians/candidates, and one for commentators/non-candidates?
Maybe change current affairs to local blog
How about Irish expat blogs?
Best Review on a Blog (or would that be included under Best Blog Post?)
This my seem somewhat self-interested, but how about Best Eclectic blog.
And how many under-18 blogs are there, really? Best lift it p to under-21, eh?
Best Blog as Gaeilge.
Ask one of the TG4 crowd to be a guest judge.
Never mind. 🙂
/need coffee
[…] see that there’s a squeeze over in Mulley’s gaff to push categories into the 2008 Blog awards. Virtually all of the comments making suggestions so far have been made solely on the grounds of […]
Best Blog by a Gainford….
How about U.S. expats, better make that old farts instead.
Separate Arts from Crafts – not to be too snobby about it but arts suggests music, art, architecture… crafts is quilting 😉
If you are going to be ageist and have a “Best Youth/Under 18 blog”, then you can damn well have a “Best Mature/Over 50 blog”.
Though suppose that could be lumped in with “Old Farts”?
Hi !
Well , if Kevin , Gerry and Grandad can be THAT bold , so can I : how about a ‘Best-Blog-That-Sharon-Helps-To-Compile’ Award ?
I’m tired of leaving the ‘Ball’ early…..
(*sniff*)
Sharon !
Gerroffit Sharon! At least I’m allowing others in. Otherwise it would be “Best Blogger who heads up a Family of Bloggers and who is Insane”. I might have a chance at that one….
Hi Grandad !
You most definitely have MY vote in the ‘Insane’ Award , for sure !
But , seriously (!) – should you be in the building on the night , and WHEN you leave your seat to collect your Award , I intend to sprinkle your seat with thumb-tacks and/or saw half-way through your walking stick / spread super-glue on the handles of your zimmerframe . The ensuing commotion will ensure that we all get barred and Damien gets blacklisted . And it will be all YOUR fault …
(Damien , please note : Grandad has a family of bloggers to console him in the unlikely event that he leaves empty handed . I only have John and ‘Junior’ , neither of whom care for Awards , thumb tacks or super glue . Don’t you dare let me down , Mulley , ‘else I’ll start stalking ya again…!)
Sharon .
Agree with an award for Best Food/Drink Blog. There are a few of them out there now supplying recepies to expand my waistline.
What about Best Local/Regional Blog there is a suggestion above to replace the Current affairs section with this but I think they are different.
“Sports & Recreation” is a huge area. What about
Best Sports Blog And Best Hobby/Recreation Blog
To go with the Youth suggestion (which is good) what about
Best University Blog
Best Over 50s blog
Best Company Blog (not business but a blog run by and for a company)
Liking your suggestions Colm. Very good point about business blogs and a blog for a company. Do we have enough?
Are Irish expat bloggers catered for? *just wondering – I know who I’d vote for if they were*
maybe its time for best mirco-blog, adding in twitter users and jaiku users. Think it’s really been a massive year towards this and it should be noticed in the 08 blog awards 🙂
[…] is looking for suggestions for categories for the 2008 Blog Awards. How about a “best whingeing/moaning blog” and nominating this […]
any blogs around academic stuff?
Micro-blog? I don’t see how any of them differentiate themselves from each other.
# simon Says:
November 14th, 2007 at 10:39 am
Maybe change current affairs to local blog
Why not have both?
Each blog should only be able to make it into 1 main category each to prevent the same ‘A list’ blogs coming up for ‘best this, best that’.
Vote Donncha De Long for best blog by a journalist.
*implodes into a singularity of sarcasm*
Best Taxi blog written by a bloke called Roy award
I think Arts and Crafts and Arts and Culture should be a little more differentiated…I know they’re both catchphrases, but still. Craft blog maybe, instead of Arts and Crafts?
And what would be in Popculture? Isn’t that covered by all the other different types already?
Blog from a journo…aren’t they already covered by the best tech blog or best political? If you’re gonna give them their own category, they’re gonna get all big-headed 🙂
I second a best expat award. Might be difficult for the winner to accept though.
In addition to technology, how about a category for science blogs?
Can of worms opened, methinks. Can everyone who has suggested categories here, really give at least examplar 20 blogs in that category? It’s easy for the ex-pat category and a few of the others… but some of the rest *whistles*
Let’s be serious here for second. All these extra categories are going to be looking for sponsors too, right? Adding a hundred extra categories (okay – I exaggerate here a little) generates more work.
Also, I’m noticing the curious pattern where people are suggesting categories that seem to fit their own blog types… I don’t think that Damien was looking for this, when he asked for suggestions from the floor.
@Alexia You’re spot on. I won’t be considering any category unless people show me high numbers of blogs suited to that new category.
How about best blog about a startup data centre?
HAHAHAHA! I second Tom’s suggestion!
My only dilemma with last year’s categories and the voting within them, was that for some of the categories, personal and business blogs were grouped together.
For example, best specialist blog. Whilst I really enjoy icecreamireland.com and think its a wonderful blog, I also believe that the waiting game and one breast less were very powerful and great blogs but totally personal.
Is there any way that like could be judged with like? Should there be a complete split within all categories for business and personal blogs or would this lead to an awards ceremony days long?? 😉
I think you’ve most reasonable areas covered. We can’t have one for everyone in the audience.
But how about “Best Blog Never To Have Won An Award” blog? It could be sponsored by Virgin.
Then there is the “Alternative Blogger Awards”, you know most rambling comment, most sporadic post, worst HTML faux pas, etc.
Paige
Are you going to have a “In Memoriam” slot (a la Oscars) where you highlight the many blog greats that have passed on?
How about least known blog – best avoider of the public? 😀
Best Damien Mulley Row
And the nominations are:
Ace Internet Marketing
The SAS baggage handlers
Eamon Ryan
Noel Dempsey
Green Party
Thinkhouse PR
I’m sure there’s more…..
Best Food/Drink Blog, Pop Culture, Best Youth/Under 18 blog and the blog run by a business (best Corporate Whore Blog?) are all good ideas.
I’m not sure about best blog from a journalist though – why should journos be treated any differently to other bloggers by giving them their own category? If you have a best blog from a journalist category, then you’ll soon need to have ‘best blog from a writer, best blog from a teacher, best blog from a lawyer’ and so on, no?
@Elana Craft blog instead then. Ok.
@Colm Best Blog from a Business
@Robin Yes, I’m in agreement on that. What about Best Blog being the Grand Prix where all the other category winners feed into?
@Squid @Simon Get me a list of 15 regional blogs and Regional can become a category
@ManicMammy I see what you mean alright. Best Specialist (Non Professional) Business Blogs can go under Best Blog of a Business then?
@Paige Was thinking of having a “Shafted” award. Jett Loe from Letter to America could be nominated but the poor bastard would probably lose out knowing his luck.
@Una, why I’m thinking about Best Journo blog is to encourage the media companies to get more of their staff blogging (and pay them for it). I guess the idea of the Blog Awards is to get the existing bloggers recognition but it is also about raising awareness of blogs. If we recognise the addition to blogging that these journos have made, it might push some media outlets to agree to let their staff blog. I know in some papers a lot want to blog but the dinosaurs are saying no.
Best blog based outside the capital?
It can be a very lonely blogging world reading about you all meeting up at gigs, awards and such. ( Breaks out the air-violin)
Perhaps if a few more blogs based outside the Pale were nominated it’d be a little more inclusive?
“why I’m thinking about Best Journo blog is to encourage the media companies to get more of their staff blogging (and pay them for it).”
why? I’m out here doing it for free. last week things got so bad I ate a falafel.
Hi Damien
Best food/drink blog great. How about best blog from a blogger who is now a journalist as a result of being a blogger????? Just kidding of course…….Best regional blog yes yes
Do we have best educational blog? Are there any?
Val