BusinessWeek launches 25th blog

BusinessWeek.com has launched its 25^th blog – “The Oil and the Gloryâ€? — as part of its strategy to expand its online offerings. The blog focuses on oil and geopolitics, with a concentration on the former Soviet Union.

Written by BusinessWeek’s foreign affairs reporter Steve LeVine, “The Oil and the Glory� offers a continuation of LeVine’s book of the same name, published in October, 2007. His new book, “Putin’s Labyrinth,� profiles Russia through the lives and deaths of six Russians. Previously, LeVine served as correspondent for Central Asia and the Caucasus for The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times for 11 years.

Visitors to the blog can read updates from LeVine on food, energy, global warming, politics, and even murder within the former Soviet Union. “The Oil and the Glory� joins other new BusinessWeek.com blogs on small business, Europe, b-schools, the game business, and energy. New video podcasts include The Digital Dish and The Wireless Way.

In the first six months of 2008, BusinessWeek.com’s page views were up 24 percent from the year-earlier period, to more than 280 million. The site’s unique visitors increased by 21 percent to more than 49 million, while the reader engagement initiative continued to build as well.

In the first half, reader comments on stories — excluding those on BusinesssWeek.com blogs — were up 79 percent.  Furthermore, the page views to comments made by readers were up 117 percent.

“We’re very pleased to be able to offer a place on BusinessWeek.com where readers can gain insight into the oil industry and geopolitics within Russia,� said John A. Byrne, editor-in-chief of BusinessWeek.com, in a statement. “Steve LeVine is a true expert, and we are thrilled to offer his blog as the 25^th on BusinessWeek.com.�