The news gives a clear signal that the UK's publishing industry is realising the editorial and commercial benefits of incorporating consumer-generated content into online media.
The AOP has shortlisted four blogs in the awards' Innovation category. They are Emap Performance Interactive's Q4Music.com blog, The Guardian's blogs, the BBC's inclusion of amateur video footage on the London 7/7 bombings and VNU Business Publications' Newsgator aggregation tool.
Other sites listed in the category include Blinkx.tv, AdGenie on AutoExpress.co.uk by Dennis Interactive, the Sun Online TV Video News on TheSun.co.uk, and The Scotsman's online archive.
"The sheer breadth and diversity of the 2005 shortlist is testament to the degree of editorial, and commercial, innovation and creativity which is happening in the UK online publishing industry at the moment," Alexander White, director of AOP, said.
Brand Republic is a media partner for the AOP Awards, which takes place on October 7. The event, which is in its fourth year, received 220 entries.
AOP is also holding a forum on blogs and user-generated content on September 21. It will include case studies from the BBC and Caspian Publishing.
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