BBC to embrace blogging and user-generated Web content

The BBC, the UK's leading web property, has decided that it's time for them to throw aside their somewhat stuffy veneer and embrace Web 2.0 - which means blogging, podcasting and all manner of user generated content in a massive relaunch of their sites.

The announcement comes a day after rival Channel 4 made a similar decision as they extended their reach into community-led offline offerings by launching a user-generated comedy channel which follows the earlier launch of a channel that allows audiences to post their own documentaries.

The BBC has also stated thast they want to become the premier destination for unsigned bands through broadband, podcasting and mobile phone services.

And it looks like this newfound desire to embrace the latest Internet trends is designed to make the BBC more appealing to youngsters. Yep, that'll work as long as the BBC and others create the right content and brand for the younger tech-savvy audience as well as getting users involved.

For the future is not about re-creating MySpace functionality alone - the future is truly understanding what converged media is all about for it is not only the convergence of media, tech and tellecomms that is at stake here, but is also about the convergence of user generated content as well as media company content - and that's gonna take a lot of thinking about.

And the more distant future lies in digital content marketplaces as explained by sister channel BigTrends. Let's see who wins this war. But competition will come from all sides - the traditional media companies such as the BBC as well as Internet giants, telcos and new start-ups. Let's see how the BBC manages the next phase of Web 2.0 and the digital content marketplace!