Verizon, #18 on the Fortune 500 list, jumped into the blogosphere today with its Verizon PoliBlog. It will cover technology and telecom policy. Check out the drop-down which reveals that there will be nine polibloggers, including CZ, John “CZ” Czwartacki, Verizon’s executive director of external communications.
CZ cleverly announced the launch of the blog by leaving a comment on Edelman senior VP Steve Rubel’s widely-read Micro Persuasion blog. Haven’t seen a press release or other old-media announcement. This is considered *best practices* these days for how to quietly launch a corporate blog.
Verizon also recently announced that it will launch a no-holds-barred, 24X7 customer response blog before the end of the year.
Where are the Blog Naming Police?
I don’t want to sound like a naysayer but where in heck are the blog naming police? A poliblog makes me think of polident. Update: PoliBlog contributor Tom Tauke compares the blog’s name “with the terminology for
amphibious offspring… yet in one sense the comparison is
appropriate. PoliBlog is very much a site in its infancy, and none of
us here at Verizon is sure how it will evolve.” Hey nicely put!
Quibbles aside, it’s cool to see a major F500 enter the blogosphere. It will be interesting to watch how the PoliBlog develops. Will all nine contributors write regularly??
And if you’re reading this and wondering, how in heck can a giant telecom get into blogging…
See these links:
About this blog (excerpt):
[The PoliBlog] seeks to encourage intelligent discussion of public policy issues affecting the
telecommunications industry and Verizon in particular. We will do this by
posting our own points of view regularly, engaging in conversation with other
posters who offer fact-based comments and reacting to the relevant ongoing
blogosphere conversation.
Comment Policy (excerpt):
We request that you stay on topic, be courteous and productive and avoid
comments that are off topic, obscene, offensive, sexually
explicit, inappropriate, inflammatory or otherwise objectionable.
Disclaimer/Terms of Use (excerpt):
The views expressed by outside contributors, whether in comments or in material
linked from the Website, do not represent the views of Verizon, its management
or employees. All content on this Website is made available on an “as-is” basis
and without representation as to the accuracy thereof.
P.S. Looks like the Fortune 500 Business Blogging Wiki hasn’t been updated yet with Verizon’s new blog.