Press Release

ABN to launch blog network

JAKARTA, June 6 — PT Asia Blog Network, a new company specialised in blogging and Web 2.0, today unwraps its blog network to be accessed by public: AsiaBlogging.com. For the first phase, about 70 weblogs have been opened to public. Several domains have been arranged, but they are put under a single umbrella: AsiaBlogging.com.

The major part of the blogs is in English, and rest is in Indonesian language. The topic spreads from technology, business, sport, and science, to lifestyle, health, film, and music.

“AsiaBlogging.com is a blog network from Indonesian for Asia,” said Budi Putra, CEO of AsiaBlogging.com. “For the first stage, AsiaBlogging.com embrace only Indonesian writers. But we will open the doors for Asian writers to be our permanent bloggers soon.” Budi Putra himself is a journalist turned to be blogger.

Some renowned Asian writers, such as Wimar Witoelar, Jenny S. Bev, Ong Hok Chuan, and Andreas Harsono will also contribute to the blog network as guest bloggers.

According to Budi, the idea behind the network results from the observation that blogs created and managed by Indonesians have been growing vividly. “Still, the bloggers solely managed each blog separately. Our blog network was originally designed to organise them so they could have better bargain position.”

Actively updated Indonesian blogs are predicted to reach 30000.

At least, according to Budi, the launching of AsiaBlogging.com would mark a new era in Indonesian blogosphere: paid blogging era. “It has been common in America and Europe, but it is still fresh in Asia and here in Indonesia.”

However, the main point is not about the payment. “We give opportunites for anyone to blog about their own interests, so they will blog with love and enthusiasm. No need to care about the domain or hosting. They just need to write.”

He’s pretty sure that blog will soon be alternative reading for the society. “AsiaBlogging.com seeks to solve the alternative readings necessity by presenting specific niche topics for each blog within this network.”

Budi has founded AsiaBlogging.com with his fellow bloggers: Kuncoro Wastuwibowo, Harry Sufehmi, Ikhlasul Amal, Firman Firdaus, Rendy Maulana, and Thomas Arie Setiawan. “Now AsiaBlogging lengthens the record of prominent blog networks, such as Gawker, B5Media, and Weblogs Inc,” concluded Budi.