By Mark O’Neill
Contributing Writer, [GAS]

When I was working as a trainee journalist in newspapers back in the 1990’s, it was still considered to be very much a “boys club” (at least in the UK anyway).   Yes women were working in newspapers too but nevertheless, if you wanted to climb the ladder and get into editorial positions, those jobs generally fell to “the lads”.  I was a very young chap back then, just out of school, so my newspaper mentor was showing me the ropes.   One day, he told me in the cafeteria, “nowhere are you going to see more sexism, testosterone and outright machoism than in a newspaper newsroom”

Fast forward to today, 2008 and the internet.   How things have changed with blogging and the fifty most influential female bloggers.    Lists like these really make me happy because it shows that things really have moved on in the world.   No longer are we seeing discrimination and sexism in media.   Now women are really getting the chance to pull their weight and prove that they too can do the job just as well as a man, if not better.

After looking at the list, it’s more a case of recognizing the blog more than the person.    However, there are a few recognizable faces in there such as Veronica Belmont, Xeni Jardin, Tamar Weinberg and of course Ariana Huffington.

Do you agree with the list?   Who do you like?   Anyone you disagree with?   Anyone who isn’t there that should be?

NxE’s Fifty Most Influential Female Bloggers