China's first blog research report due out soon

What is being called China's first blog reseach report is set to be released by a blogger named "Shun Feng" (顺风）. We're not sure exactly what approach or how "academic" this work is (it is being published by an academic press -- Southeast University Press) but at least it's some kind of first and is predictably riding high on hype. Shun Feng is himself known as a thinking person's blogger, holding forth on everything from politics, to society, culture, technology, literature, etc. They say he puts the "bo" (博, meaning wide or widely) in "boke" (博客，the PRC word for blog) with his far-ranging ruminations. (Though we all know that Shanghaiist could give him a run for the money). You can read what he/she writes here. We think that's his official blog, though he's popular enough that you'll find his essays cropping up all over the place. Why now? Well, there are currently 60 million blogs in China from people ages 16-39 and the total number is expected to reach 100 million by next year. Of course, this means that more people are going to try to make money off their blogs, so hence there has to be a greater understanding of what these things are how they function in this particular market. Is that what Shun Feng's report is going to provide? Wait and see.

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