I too attended the Cool Running event last year and as events go, it was fairly dull. I enjoy the process of being a finalist tho, if only to get my blog exposed to a wider audience.

I think the SA Blog Awards are pretty much a work-in-progress and each year some things improve and some stay the same. And it's only thru people discussing the flaws that things will improve.

I have to agree that I don't agree with Thought Leader being considered a “blog” … I nominated a specific Thought Leader Blog in a certain (discarded) category and I think that's a far better approach. If Thought Leader itself should be a finalist (or winner) in any category it should be a category like: “Best SA Web Application for Weblogs” or similar.

I think there should definitely be more of a consensus regarding the award categories (I mean really, what kind of award system has a category for people writing about the awards?)

And for what it's worth I think it's okay that some categories were discarded. If only one SA blog got nominated for a category, firstly: perhaps the category wasn't very well thought out and secondly: where's the competition, it kinda defeats the purpose. But then again, I agree that there should've been a bit of a better explanation around this decision!

I too attended the Cool Running event last year and as events go, it was fairly dull. I enjoy the process of being a finalist tho, if only to get my blog exposed to a wider audience.

I think the SA Blog Awards are pretty much a work-in-progress and each year some things improve and some stay the same. And it’s only thru people discussing the flaws that things will improve.

I have to agree that I don’t agree with Thought Leader being considered a “blog” … I nominated a specific Thought Leader Blog in a certain (discarded) category and I think that’s a far better approach. If Thought Leader itself should be a finalist (or winner) in any category it should be a category like: “Best SA Web Application for Weblogs” or similar.

I think there should definitely be more of a consensus regarding the award categories (I mean really, what kind of award system has a category for people writing about the awards?)

And for what it’s worth I think it’s okay that some categories were discarded. If only one SA blog got nominated for a category, firstly: perhaps the category wasn’t very well thought out and secondly: where’s the competition, it kinda defeats the purpose. But then again, I agree that there should’ve been a bit of a better explanation around this decision!

To truly reward the best in the industry – in whatever field – is such a complex task that one should not expect this to easily happen. Even with mainstream awards – like the Telkom journalist of the Year awards – many problems occur and controversial choices are made.

I personally think that any awards process should involve readers, writers and industry experts – assuming that there is a large enough user base. With limited resources this is not possible, which is why many of the top blogs and podcasts are absent. This however does not mean that the awards are useless – just less accurate than what it can be. The question really is how inaccurate…here I can not judge…

To truly reward the best in the industry – in whatever field – is such a complex task that one should not expect this to easily happen. Even with mainstream awards – like the Telkom journalist of the Year awards – many problems occur and controversial choices are made.

I personally think that any awards process should involve readers, writers and industry experts – assuming that there is a large enough user base. With limited resources this is not possible, which is why many of the top blogs and podcasts are absent. This however does not mean that the awards are useless – just less accurate than what it can be. The question really is how inaccurate…here I can not judge…

The “Best SA Podcast” category for the SA Blog Awards. The description clearly reads “Best independently produced video or audio podcast in SA”. It so happend that a huge number of the nomincations are clearly not independent podcasts and added to that, that one of the nominees, 2oceansvibe.com is not even a podcast, but a blog with embedded YouTube videos! I was unable to locate the RSS feed for the Just Plain Darren podcast on the webiste and without that, it isn't considered a podcast.

I am extremely greatful for my podcast getting a nomincation this year, but I think there should of been some form of obvious filtering done in this category, even if the public vote is the exclusive vote. Jon has been made aware of this, but with the rules this year, is unable to do something about it.

The “Best SA Podcast” category for the SA Blog Awards. The description clearly reads “Best independently produced video or audio podcast in SA”. It so happend that a huge number of the nomincations are clearly not independent podcasts and added to that, that one of the nominees, 2oceansvibe.com is not even a podcast, but a blog with embedded YouTube videos! I was unable to locate the RSS feed for the Just Plain Darren podcast on the webiste and without that, it isn’t considered a podcast.

I am extremely greatful for my podcast getting a nomincation this year, but I think there should of been some form of obvious filtering done in this category, even if the public vote is the exclusive vote. Jon has been made aware of this, but with the rules this year, is unable to do something about it.

Every year you all get your knickers in a fat knot and make derogatory comments about other peoples mothers. When you have all finished with your annual self masturbatory flagellation of how important you all are let it dawn like a new rainbow nation that no-one other than the ones who run it or whine about it give a flaying faaaaark.

as long as I win something that is. I want to be great.

Have a nice day.

Are you telling me David Bullard is not a quality blog and that Bolton didn't highlight many key issues in our blogosphere?