10 Web Sites That Will Matter in 2009
Arguably, 2008 was the year of Twitter, Facebook, and Hulu. Come January of next year, I wonder what Web sites we'll agree were the ones that really mattered in 2009. In fact I'll do more than wonder: I'm going to stick my neck out and try to make a few educated predictions. And I'll choose them from among the sea of new or up-and-coming sites you may not even have heard of yet.
While most are flying below the radar today, these ten Web sites and services have a good shot at emerging as the fastest growing and most buzz-worthy of 2009.
Back in May 2008, we predicted Hulu's rise to prominence, and it has fulfilled our expectations. This was a huge tactical win for NBC Universal, which owns part of Hulu (along with News Corporation). CBS is not taking this lying down. In its takeover last year of the tech Web site operator CNET, it bought the rights to the TV.com URL and has now added a good amount of full-length prime-time shows and movies (not just clips) to the site from major content partners like Sony (a wealth of great premium content), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and PBS. Content from CBS-owned Showtime is available there too.
