LeMonde readers can now
start a blog on the French newspaper's website, and see their unedited writings published under the
LeMonde brand. Some 300 readers have started blogs since the launch of the service, which uses
Sixapart technology.
An online subscription to
LeMonde costs €6 per month (almost US$8), and provides full access to the website and a number of other services, including the option to have your own blog.
Half of the top 10 most popular blogs are now occupied by readers.
In France, more media properties have taken an interest in their audiences' wish to be visible online. Newspaper
Le Nouvel Observateur, commercial TV channel
M6, and radio channel Skyrock all have opened up their sites for weblogs from their readers, viewers, and listeners.
Skyrock launched its blogging service in January 2003 under the name
Skyblogs and is the uncontested market leader: The site has more than 1 million blogs created by listeners, with an average of 35 entries per blog. Skyblogs' front page lists the most popular of the week, day, and hour, and has a
top 100 list as well as an
overview of audio blogs. Skyblogs also provides assistance for mobile weblogging, and has begun to host video commercials on its front page.
(For more on the French blogosphere, see
Pointblog, in French).
