Some of the biggest names in web journalism — ESPN.com, Slate.com, and People.com — were among the finalists for the 2007 National Magazine Award in “Online General Excellence.” But when the American Society of Magazine Editors announced the winner on May 1, a lesser known spirituality-and faith-based site called Beliefnet.com walked away with the top prize.
If Beliefnet is not exactly a household name, it is an interesting experiment in online journalism. For one thing, its own turbulent history in some ways reflects the trajectory of the internet itself. For another, the strategy it has settled on — a subject specific site that offers interactivity, networking and journalistic even-handedness — may offer one working blueprint for the rapidly evolving field of Web information. “There is something about religion and spirituality that makes people want to connect with one another,” says Paul O’Donnell, a former senior editor at Beliefnet. The site’s message boards cover virtually all faiths, from Christianity, Judaism, and Islam to less traditional ones, like Paganism, Witchcraft and Scientology.
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