Business blogging just made the cover of Business Week.

You cannot afford to close your eyes to them, because they're simply the most explosive outbreak in the information world since the Internet itself. And they're going to shake up just about every business -- including yours. ... Given the changes barreling down upon us, blogs are not a business elective. They're a prerequisite.

The response to the article has been mixed -

The Business Week cover means that companies will pay attention to blogs, hire consultants who at best are *dumb* in the ways of blogging, spend millions of dollars, make some people rich and eat into the ever shrinking marketing budgets. A backlash, and hype’s over. After which good corporate blogging will continue. Om Malik

Henry Copeland of Blogads wrote

Yesterday a friend who runs a hedge fund reminded me of the Wall Street maxim -- "sell when Business Week's cover says buy." I'm pretty sure Business Week is right about blogging but wrong about its own role in the game.  

Steve Rubel, who is mentioned in the article, takes a more positive view

The story's message: blogs will change your business! Get on the Cluetrain or you will be run over!!! Maybe now the business world will be convinced that blogging is here to stay!

Kevin OKeefe at Lexblogs said this:

The Internet economy is coming back big and business blogs are going to play a big role on the Internet marketing side of things.

Business blogs are certainly now mainstream. If you haven't wrapped your wits around how blogs,RSS and optimized press releases fit into your marketing or PR plan 2005 is the year to figure out an Internet Marketing Strategy