Salon Launches Weblog Publishing Service

Posted on July 26, 2002

Salon Media Group, an online media company, has announced the launch of Salon Blogs, a new service that will allow Salon's users to publish their own weblogs through Salon. Salon is offering the new service through a partnership with UserLand Software, which publishes personal weblogging and newsreading software as well as corporate content management software.

"Blogs are a dynamic new only-on-the-Web phenomenon, and we're delighted to offer our readers the chance to publish their own through Salon," said David Talbot, Salon's founder and chairman.

Salon Blogs will be powered by UserLand's Radio UserLand tool. The service will cost users $39.95 a year after a 30-day free trial. Salon defines a blog as "a personal website updated frequently with links, commentary and anything else you like." Scott Rosenberg, Salon's senior vice president for Editorial Operations and Managing Editor, will be writing his own blog to anchor the new service.

"Dave Winer's Radio UserLand is a great piece of software that's unbelievably easy to get up and running, but that also offers users tons of flexibility," said Rosenberg. "We're very excited about introducing it to our articulate, outspoken community of users."

Salon Media Group, which publishes Salon.com, an online news magazine, has been struggling financially but has been continually supported through new investors and loans. The company began charging for some of its content last year through its Salon Premium service. For Salon Blog to bring in significant revenues, bloggers must want to pay for the prestige of having a blog on the Salon.com website. Some bloggers may decide to move their blogs to Salon.com in hopes of increased traffic. Fees for blogging services elsewhere range from free to $50 per year.

UserLand Software has over 2,500 corporations and educational institutions as customers. UserLand's CEO Dave Winer was recognized as one of the top ten technology innovators by InfoWorld; and as the Tech Renegade for 2001 by Wired. UserLand is a privately held company based in Woodside, California.

"Radio weblogs are an excellent way to tap into the power, creativity, and intelligence of a community," said John Robb, president and COO of UserLand. "We are extremely pleased to be working with Salon, a leading innovator in online journalism, to bring weblogging to their readers."