• by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, September 29, 2005

For at least the last six months, much of the talk about new developments online have centered on the rise of consumer-generated media -- blogs, podcasts and the like.

But, while consumers have been busy creating millions of blogs this year, another development has been quietly taking place behind the scenes: Established media companies have built out their sites to include blogs, podcasts and in-depth information.

Larry Kramer, president of CBS Digital Media, outlined some of those efforts at OMMA East this week. For instance, Web pages for the network's reality shows, such as "Survivor" and "Big Brother," don't just offer bios and head shots of the contestants. "Survivor" also includes blogs by former players, and an Internet talk show, to name just two features.

For another show, "Ghost Whisperer" -- about a psychic who talks to the dead -- CBS hosts a blog by co-executive producer and self-professed medium James Van Praagh.

Obviously, these initiatives aren't going to appeal to everyone. They're probably not even going to appeal to most loyal viewers. But those who can't get enough information about what Jenna Survivor thinks of the current crop of contestants, now have one more reason to stay on the CBS.com site -- which takes time away from visiting, say, TelevisionWithoutPity.com, to read other viewers' opinions.

In fact, despite all the talk about reaggregating the Web's "long tail," it looks as though CBS and other media companies are taking another approach. It appears they're trying to consolidate both the mainstream and niche audiences at their own sites, with basic information -- show times and characters' names -- available on landing pages, and other, in-depth information available for the more fanatical fans.