Black Web 2.0

Friday Aug 1, 2008 – By Clutch

For all you tech lovers and social networkers out there we’ve found just the blog for you. Angela Conyers and Markus Robinson of Black Web 2.0 are dedicated to keeping us up to speed on the latest and greatest in internet and technology news and gadgets all from the African American perspective. Technically challenged? Don’t worry, Black Web 2.0 has a little something that everyone from the novice blogger to the social media expert can gain from.

Angela & Markus: blackweb20.com

Q : When did Black Web 2.0 launch?
August 16, 2007

Q : Why did you launch the site?
Technology Blogs were growing in number, but the consistent theme in the large majority of the tech blogs launched were their lack of coverage of sites that targeted African-Americans and African-American culture. Black Web 2.0 was created to address that lack of coverage, by not only covering mainstream internet news, but also the technologies that specifically effect African-Americans.

Q : Who’s behind the wonderful site?
Angela Conyers – Benton (Founder)
Markus Robinson (General Manager)

Q : For those not familiar with Black Web 2.0, what type of content does the site feature and highlight?
In addition to website and application launches Black Web 2.0 covers relevant Internet industry news as well as mainstream Internet industry news from an African-American perspective. Some of our segments include:

News – These posts are primarily news that relate to Blacks and Black companies in the web industry. However, we also cover mainstream internet industry news.

Black Web 2.0 Show (Podcast) – Our monthly podcasts with industry executives and entrepreneurs.

Peeps of the Web – A weekly post that features African-Americans in agencies and corporations in key positions that we often don’t know exist. The interviews are posted in their original for as Instant Message (transcripts) exchanges or email exchanges.

“Want it” Wednesdays – These posts are weekly and are related to hot gadgets that we all want or should try.

Q : Does Black Web 2.0 have any other contributors besides you two?
The Black Web 2.0 contributing writers are the key to the success of the website. Our contributing writers consist of:

* Jade Davis
* Lynne D. Johnson
* Liz Burr
* Wayne Sutton
* Fredric Mitchell
* Toby Morning

Q : In your opinion, how are African Americans doing online? Do you think we truly understand the vast opportunities that “new media” presents?
We have seen the numbers of African-Americans visiting and participating in “new media” sites grow exponentially this year, but even more important we’re seeing a serge in the number of African-Americans creating their own new media web properties. The growth of both of these are essential to the participants in this space and is key to the development and understanding of new media. The more successful new media sites specifically targeting African-Americans are, the more sites such as Clutch Magazine and others become relevant media outlets, and the “new media bug” will start spreading.

Q : Can you define social media?
Social media is simply any Internet media that allows users to interact, share, and publish content. Unlike traditional media such as newspapers, television, books, and radio; social media promotes open discussions and collaborations of content between a group of individuals. New media is also syndicated and embeddable which makes it easy to share, reuse, and remix.

Q : What social networking sites are you all members of and are there any that you think people are sleeping on for business or personal use?
We are all avid users of Linked-in, Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter, but some of the lesser known social networks we use are: Collective X Groupsites, FriendFeed and 12 seconds.

Q : What African American websites or blogs do you think “get it”? Meaning properly using social media tools and tactics.
I think most blogs “get it” to an extent just for having created a blog, which is a form of social media. All of our contributors have blogs so we love those of course. Some larger sites that we think “get it” are a couple of urban social bookmarking sites such as eVIPlist.com and GlobalGrind.com, sites like that have embraced a popular web 2.0 model and used it to bring the urban community content that is produced by others like them and just good content period. The model may take a while to catch on but I am seeing more and more bloggers sing tools like these.

Q : Black Web 2.0 had a very big presence at 1st annual “Blogging While Brown” conference last month. How was that experience?!
The experience was wonderful. We were both so surprised at the amount of love and were extremely excited to meet some of our readers! We met one who has been reading ever since we first launched so that was extremely special to us. It was also great to just kick it with other bloggers who are like us.

Q : Your podcasts are pretty amazing. So far which podcast interview has been your favorite?
Each podcast holds a special meaning to us both, but our first podcast with Rocky Wiliform of Streetcred.com had to be the most exciting. We had no show format, no introduction, and no proof that the show would work, but Rocky took time to speak with us. We also covered a lot of information during Rocky’s interview.

Q : Why should someone bookmark Black Web 2.0 on their computer or add it to their daily reading list?
If you are into technology or love social networks you should bookmark our site because we offer a different perspective on those related topics. You currently can’t get that anywhere else. And we have some pretty cool interviews ;)

Q: When you’re not writing for Black Web 2.0, what are some other sites that you visit?
PaidContent.org, TechCrunch.com, Mashable.com, ReadWriteWeb.com, Media Bistro, Allhiphop.com, Clutch Magazine, Jack and Jill Politics, and What about our Daughters.

Q : What’s next for Black Web 2.0?
We will be relaunching and coming out of Beta in August. During that time you can expect to see more content from us and will be able to catch our content around the web in other places.

Lauren says:

August 4, 2008 at 3:22 am

Great site! One of my techie friends put me on to this site a couple of months ago.

↑ Reply

Stephanie says:

August 6, 2008 at 7:18 pm

This is an awesome article. It’s great to see young African-American professionals doing their thing! I have visited their site many times and they definitely keep me updated with what’s going on in the world of technology. I have also listened to their podcast interviews and they are very informative! Awesome website!

Ed says:

August 12, 2008 at 8:47 am

I’m not going to sugarcoat,

At best, I’m extremely disappointed at “Black Web 2.0″ as they revealed either two things to those of us that are really in the tech arena. Either “Black Web 2.0″ chose to ignore the very documented racism specifically targeted towards me and my startup and other Blacks or they simply are followers with no inside industry knowledge.

This is not an arena to front in and some of us expect homework to be done before claiming to cover a sector from a Black perspective.

Angela Benton says:

August 12, 2008 at 10:26 am

Thanks for the love Lauren and Stephanie! :)

Thanks Ed for leaving a comment and not sugarcoating your feelings about us. We value all sides! :) While I know we can never be all thing to all people we still appreciate your opinion. We have actually be following you for quite sometime and really like what you are doing however I will say you appear as if everyone is out to get you. That is not the case with us, we like your work but really feel the need to highlight the positive things we are all doing in the Tech space. This is exactly why we featured you in a Start-up segment we had last year on September 20th (http://www.blackweb20.com/2007/09/20/startup-fookycom/), we wanted to cover the positive things you do and not focus on the negativity that seems to come your way.

Thanks again for commenting and sharing your feedback! We appreciate it! :)

Angela Benton

Siddiq Bello says:

August 12, 2008 at 11:52 am

LOL great comments Ed, although they do seem a bit bitter. Still steaming over that Tech Crunch Kerkuffle 2 years ago? After a couple hundred years of Black folks in the US, I for one am actually glad that racism has become focused on one person, in one medium. Thanks for taking one for the team Ed. You make Issac “Chef” Hayes proud.

There are far to many AA’s building successful business online to take this kind of flame bait seriously.

On another note I do think Ed is right on one point. Angela and team need to up their insider game… The site definitely needs to get better to breaking news and showing that they have access beyond press releases.

August 14, 2008 at 9:12 am

Siddiq Bello,

You just revealed a lot based on your comments that you are an observer with a lot of comments.

Flame bait? Racism focused on one person, one medium? Are you serious?

The sad part is yes you are.

And let’s go there, I don’t know you and that’s says a lot. If you don’t know me and make that kind of sideshow sidelines comment, that’s says a lot.

August 14, 2008 at 9:29 am

Angela,

My word was “disappointed” and whether you say nice things about me or not is not the issue. Believe me, I do appreciate it. However, highlighting positive and ignoring the negative does not equal true progress. This may have worked for Johnson Publishing but this arena is far too aggressive for sugarcoating.

Where I was “disappointed” was on several factors. First and foremost, you choose to call yourself “Black Web 2.0″ which have two fundamental issues. Please take the criticism as constructive, not personal

First issue is Tim O’Rielly applied for trademark rights to “Web 2.0″ which even if it does not go through, shows he has intellectual property rights over the term and can exercise it if he want to. This technology game involves a lot of IP research, not just the great stories and to see “Black Web 2.0″ is no different than seeing “Black Google” or “Black IBM” and I wish you provided a better name.

Second is your understanding of what Web 2.0 is to call yourself “Black Web 2.0″. Web 2.0 was nothing more than a VC stunt, not a movement. All of the participants were pretty much moving the same money around and what Web 2.0 ended being was nothing more than people with nice resume, building up a nice portfolio only to be “bought” by a larger company as a full-time employee and VC principals get the kickback. Please explain to us what is so Black about that?

And last, African-American technologists predates Web 2.0 and actually was responsible for laying the groundwork for the platform Web 2.0 claims to be about. Omar Wasow, no further discussion necessary. All I’m suggesting is if you want to discuss African-Americans in technology, do your homework and realize “Black Web 2.0″ suggest to those that have been around means you are barking up the wrong tree.

August 14, 2008 at 9:32 am

I did a little research and just realize who you are. A typical wannabee who works at a company with a tech position and feel empowered with the paycheck.

Usually those are the ones that have snotty comments about me and the matter regarding Michael Arrington, cats that want to do it also, talk about it but nothing there. I was wondering why you dismiss a matter with the term “flame bait” and now I know why.

August 15, 2008 at 1:09 am

Hey Ed,

For a guy running a search engine your internet research skills are pretty bad. I’m unemployed! No company, no tech position, no paycheck. I eat what I catch. You should probably give Google a try for future internet research projects.

You say, “I don’t know you and that’s says a lot.”

Uh, right it does. It says you dont know many people who arent screaming that everyone online is a racist trying to persecute them.

Angela needs to consider your points about her site name, but since you handing out naming advice I’d suggest you take some of it yourself and think twice about Fooky.com. Why not call it Pookydem.com its easier to remember or just cut to the chase and name it watermelonandfriedchicken.com

While you were bagging electronics at The Sharper Image and making photocopies at the American Marketing Association there was a whole bunch of folks already building internet strategies for companies large and small. Many of those folks still run Internet businesses and dont cry on every blog they find about “the man” keeping them down.

Ed I do want to thank you for you posts both here and elsewhere on the web. The mixture of hubris, entitlement and ignorance is always entertaining.