Blogsite provides readers the opportunity to write and comment

A PLEDGE by the SNP, to assist small businesses become more competitive, made a little piece of history yesterday – by being flagged up on a new, blog website launched by the Sunday Herald newspaper.

www.sundayheraldtalk.com allows for the Sunday Herald’s writers to publish extended versions of what has appeared in the paper – and to receive replies from readers – plus provides a platform for writers not published in the paper.

Which is why Jim Mather MSP, the SNP’s Shadow Enterprise Minister, was able to write about the small business sector, and why Polly Purvis, executive director of ScotlandIS – the private body representing Scotland’s software, communications and IT services businesses – was yesterday able to continue a debate about a skills shortage in her sector.

The blogs are essentially comment pieces with the facility for readers to add to the discussion. In effect, the new site ‘increases the number of pages’ in the Sunday Herald, albeit virtually, and increases the facility to interact with its readers.

Comments and replies will not be vetted by the web manager ahead of going up on site, but there is a facility for readers to notify the web manager of anything they find offensive.