Reuters News Agency To Offer Blogs Through BlogBurst Network

International news agency Reuters has agreed to offer its media clients Pluck Corp.'s blog syndication service.

In a strategic alliance unveiled Tuesday, the news agency said it has also agreed to make an investment in Pluck, a privately held Austin, Texas, company that owns the BlogBurst network. Financial details were not disclosed.

BlogBurst publishes 2,800 blogs, some of which are posted by The Washington Post, Gannett News, The San Francisco Chronicle, the Austin American-Statesman, and other news outlets. The blogs provide commentary on a variety of topics, including news, politics, sports, health, fitness, technology, gadgets, travel, food, and entertainment. Publishers often use blogs as opinion pieces alongside related stories on the Web.

In offering the service, Reuters is following its continuing strategy to embrace new digital platforms, Chris Ahearn, president for Reuters Media, said in a statement. The new offering is seen as a way to connect voices in the blogosphere with traditional media.

Reuters has been aggressive in its pursuit of the Internet. The company last month opened a newsroom in the online virtual world Second Life, a 3-D fantasyland where members are building a real multi-million-dollar marketplace.

BlogBurst blogs are being posted on Reuters's Website. The London-based news agency plans to offer the syndication service to its clients worldwide in the coming weeks.

Bloggers apply to have their works syndicated by BlogBurst. Bloggers accepted into the network are paid based on the demand for their postings.