New categories for Blog Awards 2009?

There were 22 categories for the 2008 Blog Awards. That’s a hell of a lot. A lot of people, a lot of glassware. A lot of Rick calling out winners. Suggestions for new categories for 2009 include a Beauty and Fashion Category, a Youth Category and a Health and Science Category. Should there be new categories? Should old ones be culled? There were a lot of people suggesting categories on a very selfish basis last time out even if they were the only Irish blog on polka-dot coloured unicorns. Those kind of suggestions this time round will be publicly pointed out and laughed at.

We’ll happily consider creating a new category if there are at least a dozen active blogs covering that category in Ireland. Get suggesting, you have a few days.

2008 Categories:

* Best Popculture blog

* Best Blog from a Journalist

* Best Food/Drink Blog

* Best Crafts Blog

* Best Arts and Culture Blog

* Best Political Blog

* Best Group Blog

* Best Use of the Irish Language in a Blog

* Best Technology Blog/Blogger

* Best Designed Blog – Buckley

* Best Sport & Recreation Blog

* Best News/Current Affairs Blog

* Best Specialist Blog

* Best Newcomer

* Best Business Blog

* Best Music Blog

* Special Recognition Award

* Best Personal Blog

* Most Humorous Post

* Best Photo Blog

* Best Blog Post

* Best Blog

18 Comments

  1. Merrill says:

    I think an award for the Best non profits/charity Blog could be nice.

  2. Declan says:

    Ok I know some people will scream my ideas down because their categories could be impacted but I think we should consider cutting or combining some categories to make space for new ones?

    1) Why not combine Best Blog Post and Most Humorous Post?
    2) Combine Best News/Current Affairs Blog with Best Political Blog?
    3) Combine Best Arts and Culture Blog, Best Crafts Blog and Best Music Blog into 2 blogs not 3
    4) Introduce a Youth Category?
    5) Introduce a Foreign Language category?

    There should be a clear list of criteria for blogs and blog awards. For example, if someone wants to create a new category they should provide 8 example blogs. A blog cannot be nominated for a category other than best newcomer if it exists less than 3 months? A group blog needs 5 active posters? Should we include categories for podcasts, flickr, myspace/bebo, twitter?

  3. Mike says:

    Will there be a video category? eg highlighting community issues such as environment, planning,sustainability social inclusion and local economy?

  4. stwidgie says:

    Not sure of the best name for this, but sometimes a blogger runs a finite series of posts on a particular theme that is so compelling it can stand on its own, distinct from the blog as a whole. I’d love to see a way to recognize this.

    In a similar vein, some bloggers have features that they return to (regularly or not) which are very interesting/fun. You might call them themed posts, too, but they are ongoing instead of finite.

    So Best Miniseries and Best Recurring Theme?

  5. Best locale blog? Thinking of a way of recognising blogs like NALIL and which post about topics which pertain to the area, but stretch across many of the other categories (politics, culture, news, etc)

  6. Fergal says:

    Best public service/philanthropic/do-gooder/shit-stirring blog, or blog post?
    Best written post?

  7. lisadom says:

    I like the Charity NFP blog catagory too. But then I guess we fit into specialist bloggers (or Sploggers as I like to call us)

    xx

  8. Maz says:

    I think there should be a best Lifestyle Blog category (not for selfish reasons since I don’t do a lifestyle blog anymore). There are a good few interiors blogs, fashion blogs and at least one beauty blog, they would all come under the catogory of Lifestyle. Those type of blogs don’t really fit into any of the categories above. Just a suggestion 🙂

  9. Sabrina Dent says:

    I’m with all of the above who are for lumping. The problem is that when you get the odd, very finite blog award category (Best Craft Blog) it eventually makes it quite silly to not have additional, equally finite blog categories (as with the suggested Best Science Blog.)

    Now, *how* to lump is another question but I think all of the above are nice suggestions.

  10. CW says:

    How about best comedy blog? Best Irish ex-pat blog (ie by an Irish blogger based overseas)?

  11. Eddie says:

    How about a travel blog category? Maybe this would fit under lifestyle, but there are probably enough Irish travel bloggers out there to have it as a category of its own.

  12. Sharon says:

    I too reckon some categories could be combined, like pop culture/music/arts and culture, personal/parenting and photos/videos. I like the idea of a lifestyle category for arts, crafts, interiors, fashion and beauty. Obviously, whatever the people who do all the hard work organising and running the damn thing decide is OK with me.

    I agree that any new category has to have enough blogs to take part. You could try out new categories and if there aren’t enough blogs nominated, then combine them into the specialist category used last year.

  13. HJ says:

    How’s about an award for best educational blog? Check out blog.sccscience.com or http://www.sccenglish.ie. How can you nominate?

  14. Fran says:

    I think that their should be a category for Best Blog Award prop/event promotional gimmick. To qualify they have to lightweight, unique, easily stolen, and recyclable. Unfortunately, if they are digestable they don’t qualify (http://www.dublincupcakes.com/).

  15. UnaRocks says:

    Best LGBT blog?

    “We’ll happily consider creating a new category if there are at least a dozen active blogs covering that category in Ireland. ”

    http://www.pantibar.com/blog.aspx
    http://tainerblog.blogspot.com/
    http://theljournal.blogspot.com/
    http://www.gaelick.com/
    http://www.gcn.ie/blogs.aspx
    http://bonhom.ie/
    http://butcherqueers.blogspot.com/

    Um, I’m sure there are more…

  16. Why not best religious blog. This would be religion in the widest sense including militant atheism (does this still exist) and agnosticism (for completeness). It would not exclude humour, sarcasm, cynicism and pure faith.

    This is Ireland, after all!

  17. PLAYLIFE says:

    I can’t see any categories for LGBT (Gay)community.

    I hope mine will qualifies for the gay personal blog 🙂