When being just Creative isn't enough … Oliver Starr breaks off on his own.

Again, one of the best thing about the blogosphere are the connections you make with people.  I connected with Oliver through Jim Turner of One By One Media (where I am a partner now as well).  Well Oliver is one of those cool, nice guys who not only has great stories to tell (ask him about being Lance Armstrong’s teamate), but has amazing insight and passion about the whole mobile sector.

Oliver had been blogging for Creative Weblogging, but I guess it hasn’t been going well.  Okay it wasn’t going well at all I guess because Oliver jumped ship to hang with Michael and start another, competing, Moble blog Mobilecrunch.com.

If you’ve been watching his old blog you might have noticed calls for a new blogger.  Well, clearly, this is why.  I can speak from a little inside knowledge from talking with Oliver that, well, maybe you should ask around before signing on.

Here’s the opener from the press release Oliver sent me this morning:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Jan 10, 2006

Starr Leaves Mobile Weblog, Joins Techcrunch Network

The Mobile Weblog has been one of the most popular blogs devoted to mobile and wireless technology for some time.  With over 650,000 hits per month, the reach of the blog coupled with its devoted audience have made it a powerful platform for author Oliver Starr.  However, Starr, who is also an Executive in Residence at Angel Strategies, a $300 million VC fund that focuses on early stage tech and biotech investments, has decided to walk away from the Mobile Weblog which is part of the Creative Weblogging Blog Syndicate.
Citing a combination of irreconcilable differences with CW Management and the Opportunity to work with Arrington who authors Techcrunch, one of the most well read and fastest growing blogs focused on Web 2.0 technologies, Starr will be launching Mobilecrunch.com (http://mobilecrunch.com ) Tuesday, January 10th, 2006.

Beyond how nice juicy gossip drives the blogosphere … I think this is just the first of many defections to come.  I think that individual bloggers are becoming as famous as the blogs or blog networks they write for.  Frankly, I think this is good.  Good writers deserve attention.  If someone says, "Hey … I love you’re stuff … how about helping me with my new blog (or network) and leaving the other one behind … "  You know you have to think about this.

To me this is one of the next, and important, phases in the evolution of Web 2.0 (I think we’re all getting tired of typing "blogosphere").  Writers are re-gaining prominance.  The ease of publishing and new revenue streams make it very easy (and tempting) to consider yourself more freelance or at least potentially available.

I wish Oliver the best of luck and I’m adding his feed now …

Tags: Oliver Starr, Mobilecrunch

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