It looks like blogs have hit the big time, joining the media mainstream and beginning to fetch significant amounts of money in the market, writes ClickZ, citing recent deals by AOL and VNU with two prominent blog networks in an effort to reach their audiences - and tap into ad revenue that's begun to flow. The article cites AOL's decision to buy Weblogs Inc. for roughly $25 million, and Gawker Media's licensing arrangement with Adweek and Billboard publisher VNU, which is translating and distributing Gawker Media's Gizmodo gadget blog in European markets.

"If there's any wake-up call here, it's that blog media is worth a lot to somebody," Susan Mernit, a media blogger and advisor to publishers, is quoted as saying; she adds that both deals signify that blogs can be managed like any other media entity.