The Weblog Awards

Sixth Annual Weblog Awards: The 2006 Bloggies

Millions of blogs.
Thousands of nominees.
151 finalists.
Thirty winners.

It's now the sixth year of the world's most established weblog awards, the Bloggies™. Personal Web publishing never stops growing, and that means this year the public will have more contenders than ever to select from when choosing the year's best weblogs. 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 have their champions; now it's time for you to do your part for 2006. Read on.

Read the Rules

These rules may change at any time, but they probably won't.

Learn About the Procedure

From January 1, 2006 until 10:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (GMT-5) on Tuesday, January 10, anyone was able to nominate their favorite weblogs.

That Friday, January 13, three panels of 50 voters received an e-mail. It listed the weblogs that receieved the most nominations in ten categories. They had until 10:00 PM EST on Wednesday, January 18 to privately submit their five favorites (six for Weblog of the Year) for each category. The five (or six for Weblog of the Year) receiving the most votes became finalists. I (Nikolai Nolan) only voted for the panel in the case of a tie for fifth place. This panel was on an opt-in policy.

On Sunday, January 22, the finalists were announced and voting is open again to choose the winners.

Voting will close at 10:00 PM EST on Tuesday, January 31. The winners will be posted sometime between Sunday, March 13 and Tuesday, March 15.

Come to the Ceremony

The Weblog Awards™ ceremony will be held at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival for the third time in Austin, Texas, USA on Monday, March 13 at 12:30 PM at the Trade Show Day Stage. Webloggers including previous Bloggie™ winners and prize contributors will present certificates and prizes to those present.

Those who aren't attending may join the excitement on IRC, in #BlogIRC on irc.turlyming.com. Winners will be announced live and a play-by-play of the ceremony will be given.

After the ceremony, the results will be posted on this page.

Admire the Prizes

Because of the large amount of categories, I won't personally give a award to every winner, but the Weblog of the Year owner(s) will receive 2,006 US cents (US$20.06).

Also, contributors can donate their own prizes to the category of their choice, and if the contributor has a site, it will be linked from this page. If the contributor is going to SXSW, he/she can also have the privilege of announcing/presenting the category sponsored at the ceremony. To donate one, the contributor can bring it to SXSW, mail it to the winner, or send an online gift certificate or cash to the winner. Prizes that are more creative than my $20 are encouraged.

Send me an e-mail to get your prize added. Sorry, "to be announced" prizes to reserve categories can't be accepted. I'll send out a list of winner's e-mails to the contributors after they're announced, but all other prize arrangements will be handled by their respective donators.

Since I intend for the Weblog Awards™ to remain an independently-produced ceremony without corporate sponsorship, contributor links are restricted to individuals, non-profit organizations, or companies that contribute to the blog universe in some way.

South by Southwest Interactive offers Bloggie™ finalists a special discount to attend the ceremony in March. The cost of Interactive registration for Bloggie™ finalists is $175.

All Bloggie winners receive a gift certificate for ten bumper stickers from Bumperactive.com.

All Bloggie winners receive a DVD of The God Who Wasn't There from Brian Flemming.

Be Current with the Categories

Most categories will remain as they've always been. But because of revision or removal, it's time to bid farewell to:

In exchange, these spiffy new categories take their place:

Special thanks go to Jim McCann for programming and the die logo, and StayHosted for keeping the site running smoothly.

Here are this years winners!

Best Web Application for Weblogs

Something that helps you publish, make comments, anything that has to do with developing a weblog.

Prizes

US$50 Amazon.com gift certificate from Blogwild

US$20.06 from Okdork.com

A tote bag by and from April Marie Mai

US$20.06 from ImageHosting.us

 

Best Australian or New Zealand Weblog

Prize

Microsoft Optical Value Pack from JEM Promotional Products

 

Best Asian Weblog

Weblogs from Asia, not including the Middle East.

Prize

US$20.06 from Blueprint for Financial Prosperity

 

Best African or Middle Eastern Weblog

Prizes

£10 from Hybrid//Kei

US$200 in graphic design services from thesuperheavy.com

 

Best European Weblog

Weblogs from Europe, not including the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Prizes

US$20.06 and a US$50 credit for vK Translator human translation services from von Kempelen

 

Best British or Irish Weblog

Weblogs from the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Prizes

Eats, Shoots, and Leaves by Lynne Truss from Petite Anglaise

A Beachhutman print from Beachhutman.com

One Stop Short of Barking - Uncovering the London Underground by Mecca Ibrahim from the London Underground Tube Blog

 

Best Latin American Weblog

Prize

Blogs. La conversación en Internet que está revolucionando medios, empresas y ciudadanos by Octavio Rojas, Julio Alonso, José Luis Antúnez, José Luis Orihuela y Juan Varela from eCuaderno

 

Best Canadian Weblog

Prizes

CDN$20 from Macsupport.ca

CDN$23.82 from All New Comics

A set of Twotiny icons from Twothirty

CDN$20.06 from Dailypixel Network

Ten clear shoe boxes from Shoe Lover

CDN$20.06 from Useless Advice from Useless Men

 

Best American Weblog

Weblogs from the United States.

Prizes

US$20.06 from The Blog Herald

US$25 from Lastminute Auction

US$25 from Random Good Stuff

Triple Chocolate Karate Care Package from Kung Foodie

Ten clear shoe boxes from Shoe Lover

US$20 from MillionDollarBlogs.US

 

Best Tagline of a Weblog

Prizes

A specially designed Artistamp from The Artsy Asylum

US$20.06 from Stuntdubl

 

Best Podcast of a Weblog

Downloadable feeds of audio available on weblogs.

Prize

US$40 iTunes Music Store gift certificate from Simply Scripts

 

Best Photography of a Weblog

Photoblogs and other weblogs that regularly feature photography.

Prizes

One print of choice from Shifting Pixel

US$21.12 Denny's gift certificate from Bighappyfunhouse

Original photo/collage by and from Grainbag On-Line Gallery

 

Best Craft Weblog

Prizes

US$20 Herrschners gift certificate from Polyester Bride

A specially designed Artistamp from The Artsy Asylum

A dozen homemade cookies from Totally Unauthorized

Spirograph tote bag from Poise.cc

Silver Rock Star pendant from Maize Hutton

 

Best Food Weblog

Prizes

Godiva chocolate truffles from Fatty Weight Loss

A specially designed Artistamp from The Artsy Asylum

Alejandro & Martin olive oil gift box from Alejandro & Martin

Gourmet Tea Starter Set from Adagio Teas

 

Best Entertainment Weblog

Weblogs about music, movies, television, and/or theater.

Prizes

Memento Limited Edition DVD from Drew's Script-O-Rama

US$20 iTunes Music Store gift certificate from eFanGuide

A T-shirt from the Queen of All Things Creative

One item of jewelry by and from California Beadworks

US$20 from MillionDollarBlogs.US

Custom-made neck ruff from The Very Merry Seamstress

 

Best Weblog About Politics

Prizes

The Screwtape Reports by and from Adam Graham

US$75 from The Agonist

An 11×14 photography print from Will Knot Di

George W. Bush puppet from Home Security Blog

$US20.06 from SoCal Grassroots

Ten clear shoe boxes from Shoe Lover

US$20 from MillionDollarBlogs.US

 

Best Web Development Weblog

Weblogs completely about Web design and development.

Prizes

US$20.06 from Jens Meiert

US$20.06 gift certificate to Amazon.com from Dealazon

 

Best Computers or Technology Weblog

Weblogs about computers and/or technology, other than Web design.

Prizes

US$50 from Threadwatch.org

PSP Gamer Kit accessory package from Mobility Site

US$20.06 from Ubergizmo

US$20.06 from Gadgetell

 

Best Topical Weblog

Weblogs with a definite topic other than the ones in the categories above.

Prizes

An 11×14 photography print from Will Knot Di

Triple Chocolate Karate Care Package from Kung Foodie

eBay Fees Calculator for Sellers and eBay for Beginners booklet from Paix120

US$20.06 from Taste the World

 

Best GLBT Weblog

Webloggers in the gay/lesbian/bisexual/ transgendered community.

Prizes

"The Bette Davis Collection" DVD from Naked Blog

Lucas Entertainment DVD from LucasBlog.com

US$20.06 gift certificate to and from EverythingYoga.com

A T-shirt by and from April Marie Mai

 

Best Teen Weblog

Weblogs written by those 19 and under.

Prizes

A T-shirt from the Queen of All Things Creative

US$20.06 or a one-year Flickr Pro upgrade from Gaea

 

Most Humorous Weblog

Prizes

US$20.06 Amazon.com gift certificate from Hipstercards.com

A specially designed Artistamp from The Artsy Asylum

Bacon of the Month club from Shanntastic

US$20.06 and a "Grammatically Correct Comedy" T-shirt from JenIsFamous.com

For each finalist: The Lost Blogs by and from Paul Davidson

 

Best Writing of a Weblog

Weblogs with great writing, from personal journaling to professional journalism.

Prizes

Old Man's War and Agent to the Stars by and from John Scalzi

Risking Everything: 110 Poems of Love and Revelation by Roger Housden from Feminine Expressions

"Writing Well Is the Best Revenge" T-shirt from Fussy

Personal library kit from Shanntastic

BlogJet from BlogJet

A Pocket Ninja from Sweetney.com

One item of jewelry by and from California Beadworks

US$20 from MillionDollarBlogs.US

 

Best Group Weblog

Weblogs written by an exclusive group.

Prizes

Triple Chocolate Karate Care Package from Kung Foodie

US$20.06 from BizNicheMedia

Margarita party kit from UFOP: SB118 Star Trek PBeM RPG

 

Best Community Weblog

Weblogs where everyone is invited to post.

Prizes

US$100 and SEO Book by Aaron Wall from SEO Book

US$20.06 from ImageHosting.us

 

Best-Designed Weblog

Prize

US$20.06 Amazon.com gift certificate from Delight.com

Custom-made neck ruff from The Very Merry Seamstress

 

Best-Kept-Secret Weblog

The best underrepresented weblogs.

Prizes

US$20.06 from The Blog Herald

US$20 Target gift card and How to Be a Budget Fashionista from The Budget Fashionista

A specially designed Artistamp from The Artsy Asylum

US$20.06 from Blueprint for Financial Prosperity

 

Best New Weblog

Weblogs that began during the year 2005.

Prizes

US$20.06 from Jürgen Nation

Risking Everything: 110 Poems of Love and Revelation by Roger Housden from Feminine Expressions

A specially designed Artistamp from The Artsy Asylum

US$20 from Hybrid//Kei

US$20.06 gift card for gas from got detroit?

 

Lifetime Achievement

Webloggers who have been blogging at least since July 1, 2001. This award can only be won once, so Jeffrey Zeldman, Evan Williams, Jason Kottke, Heather Powazek Champ, and Tom Coates are not eligible.

Prizes

Two registrations for the 2007 South by Southwest Interactive Festival from SXSW

Two Sanders fudge gift packs from DetroitWonk

 

Weblog of the Year

This is it: the category for the best weblog overall.

Prizes

US$20.06 from Nikolai Nolan

Two registrations for the 2007 South by Southwest Interactive Festival from SXSW

US$20.06 from Jürgen Nation

US$20.06 from Ubergizmo

Two Sanders fudge gift packs from DetroitWonk

For each finalist: The Lost Blogs by and from Paul Davidson

BlogJet from BlogJet

US$20 from MillionDollarBlogs.US

Custom-made neck ruff from The Very Merry Seamstress

 

Thanks for your participation, and look forward to 2007!