Orac is the nom de blog of a (not so) humble pseudonymous surgeon/scientist with an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his miscellaneous verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few will. (Continued 
My benevolent overlords at Seed Media Group yesterday announced (to me at least) a surprise new initiative. But, then, I'm always one of the last to find out about these things. In any case, it would appear that we're teaming up with National Geographic to share blog content and various other initiatives. The press release describes what's going on:
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DIGITAL MEDIA AND SCIENCEBLOGS.COM FORM STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPWASHINGTON / NEW YORK (Dec. 3, 2009)--National Geographic Digital Media (NGDM) and ScienceBlogs.com today announced that they have formed a strategic partnership spanning technology, advertising, business and content development.
Through this partnership, Nationalgeographic.com and ScienceBlogs.com will create and exchange content through connected social media features, as well as work together to create new multimedia programming for both sites. ScienceBlogs.com will feature content from National Geographic bloggers and National Geographic explorers. The site also will have access to National Geographic's news resources and will significantly increase its exposure through NGDM's worldwide audience. NGDM in turn will feature content from ScienceBlogs.com and renowned SB bloggers on its award-winning site Nationalgeographic.com.
In addition, NGDM will lead advertising sales -- headed by Jim Hoos, VP of Digital Media Sales -- on ScienceBlogs.com, adding a vibrant social media platform to the portfolio and giving advertisers access to an audience of more than 2 million young, educated and digitally savvy readers. Under the terms of the agreement, NGDM will acquire a minority stake in ScienceBlogs, LLC, parent company of ScienceBlogs.com.
"ScienceBlogs.com shares our mission to create a fully comprehensive Web destination that allows users to explore, engage and exchange," said John Caldwell, NGDM president. "This partnership not only allows National Geographic to strengthen its leadership in the science and technology space, but it also allows NG.com to reach an extensive community of young and engaged users who are deeply immersed within it."
"We are thrilled to be teaming up with National Geographic, a brand we greatly admire and an organization that shares the values of the ScienceBlogs community. This partnership highlights SB's standing in social media and lays the foundation for growth and greater reach and recognition in the future," said Adam Bly, chairman of ScienceBlogs, LLC.
NGDM and ScienceBlogs.com's initial rollout will feature blog content and applications that highlight green, science and technology subject matter.
Supposedly ScienceBloggers now have access to National Geographic's archives for our own nefarious blogging purposes. Given the nature of this blog, I'm not sure how much I'll avail myself of it, but I'm sure my fellow ScienceBloggers will do some cool stuff with it.
Humanities & Social Science
Comments
National Geographic is teaming up with "Science"Blogs? That's depressing.
Posted by: Jake Crosby | December 6, 2009 1:47 AM
No more depressing than AoA teaming up with Talk About Generation Safe Research Institute, or whatever front organizations the quacks and trial lawyers are using this week.
Posted by: a-non | December 6, 2009 2:14 AM
@Jake Crosby
Be forewarned! Depression may lead adult "autism"...
Your friend in arms,
just another CAM kook.
Posted by: SGK | December 6, 2009 4:44 AM
Cool! If we want archived NG material we can now harass our favourite bloggers. :-)
Posted by: Daniel J. Andrews | December 6, 2009 10:55 AM
OT, but is there going to be a continuation of the Suzan Somers series?
Posted by: Andreas Johansson | December 6, 2009 3:33 PM
How does this strategic partnership fit in with your dark, secret Big Pharma alliance (as per anti-vaccine groups' claims)?
Does Pfizer have a comment on this? Can they give Jake Crosby some anti-depressants at cost?
Did you notice I posted nothing but questions instead of a thoughtful comment? Do I remind you of someone?
Posted by: Rene Najera | December 7, 2009 8:57 AM
Orac, surely you know the most important question to be asked in connection with this merger: Does this mean that our natives will now be shown topless?
;^D
~David D.G.
Posted by: David D.G. | December 7, 2009 6:23 PM
Crosby just ruined ScienceBlogs for everyone with his clever use of scare quotes. Damn you, Jake!
Posted by: Joseph | December 7, 2009 7:01 PM
"National Geographic is teaming up with "Science"Blogs? That's depressing."
A reputable organisation is teaming up with a reputable community, why is that depressing?
Posted by: Dedj | December 7, 2009 7:32 PM