Yahoo Tech Is Tech For the Rest of Us
Yahoo launches a consumer tech site and the blogosphere is not impressed . Why — because they're all a BUNCH OF GEEKS (with all due respect). — Here's why I think Yahoo Tech is a serious threat to CNET: — 1. "Advisor" Blogs — Sure they're …
Context & Ripple Effects
Yahoo’s new consumer-technology site combines technology blogs with a weekly video program, extending the company’s consumer-media lineup into a category led by specialist publishers. The launch is aimed at readers who want technology coverage framed for mainstream use rather than technical enthusiasts.
The immediate blogosphere response is negative, underscoring the gap between Yahoo’s intended audience and the early opinion leaders evaluating the product.
First-order effects
- Yahoo Tech gives Yahoo a dedicated consumer-tech destination and a new editorial format—blogs plus weekly video—to compete for the same general-interest technology audience as CNET.
- CNET gains a well-distributed rival whose product is positioned around accessible consumer guidance rather than specialist coverage.
Second-order effects
- Yahoo’s consumer framing raises pressure on CNET and other technology publishers to make advice, product coverage, and presentation legible to less-technical readers.
- Negative blogger reaction makes editorial credibility an immediate execution issue for Yahoo: reaching mainstream readers will not automatically win endorsement from the technology-blog audience.
Third-order effects
- The launch points to consumer technology coverage becoming a mass-market media category, where large portals can pair distribution with service-oriented editorial rather than rely on enthusiast readership alone.
The trend: Technology publishing is broadening from specialist news and reviews toward mainstream consumer guidance delivered through portal-scale media brands.