PR companies should monitor the blogosphere, says Forbes

[Tags: interactivepr, pr, flash]. From The Weekly Spin:

"WHO'S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD BLOG?
http://www.forbes.com/home/forbes/2005/1114/128.html?_requestid=3211
A Forbes magazine article by Daniel Lyons, titled "Attack of the
Blogs," characterizes weblogs as "the prized platform of an online
lynch mob spouting liberty but spewing lies, libel and invective.
... Suddenly they are the ultimate vehicle for brand-bashing,
personal attacks, political extremism and smear campaigns." Lyons
urges companies that come under blog criticism to fight back by
hiring consultants to monitor the blogosphere, suing bloggers and
their web hosts - and by building their own "blog swarm." But PR
industry blogger Steve Rubel says he is "very disappointed" in the
Forbes piece. "With all respect to Lyons and the magazine's editors,
bloggers are not Corporate America's Boogeyman. They can be a
company's greatest allies and evangelists if AND only IF we take the
time to take them seriously and engage them in dialogue. Instead of
telling us about both opportunities and threats, you paint the
blogosphere as the Wicked Witch of the West."
SOURCE: Forbes, November 14, 2005
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