State of the Blog: screeners, comps, reviews, tweets n' links

For all newbies who only recently have started reading, I like to check in with my readers from time to time with a "State Of The Blog" post like this one. Here I can let everyone know the status of Dan's Media Digest, promote a few things, let you know about any future plans, and get any concerns off my chest.

Screeners

I've been toiling away these past few months, trying to get DMD on the list for "screeners" (preview copies) of Blu-ray discs. It's quite frustrating most of the time. I'm hoping this will result in occasional disc reviews for products not yet released in the UK, which will obviously be more appealing to read than reviews for films that have been out months. The first such review was for The Damned United, actually, but the first truly pre-release review was for Moon.

Competitions

I'm suddenly being approached by companies about hosting competitions on the blog, but not all of them take my fancy. One that did was to win a copy of Moon, so last weekend I popped my competition cherry and offered readers a chance to win a free copy on DVD or Blu-ray. The response was pretty good for a last-minute contest, so I hope to get another one setup soon with more time for people to enter. Or possibly something for international readers only, to keep things equal. Any PR companies out there who can help? Get in touch!

Reviews

I've decided to stop reviewing White Collar and Strictly Come Dancing, as my schedule bloats and my eyes threaten to turn square. No disrespect to either show, but they're the least compelling of everything I review right now, and the most difficult to cram into my already overstuffed itinerary.

So my regular weekly reviews are now as follows: Defying Gravity (tenuously), Dexter, FlashForward, Fringe, Heroes, Hung, Merlin, Misfits and V. Of course, V will go on extended hiatus very soon and Dollhouse will take its place for its final run of episodes. A few of the least popular shows on my list (Defying Gravity, Hung) are thus prone to belated/smaller posts -- to help me cope -- and I'll be following Fringe at the UK pace from now on.

Twitter

I'm still "tweeting" if anyone wants to follow me on Twitter. I don't constantly update about my bowel movements and choice of sandwich filling like some do, but I have bursts of activity and it's a good way to keep abrest with DMD updates. I also find it a useful place to make quick comments about TV/film and celebs I don't blog about, so maybe it's of value for that. I think it's worth following me, and there are 200+ people who agree with me. And only 15% of them are porn spammers, too!

Links

My Stargate Universe article "Down The Wormhole" (ten reasons I think the Syfy series is a disappointment) has proven to be incredibly popular online, mainly due to the fact the Chicago Tribune's critic Mo Ryan re-tweeted it last month, and a few days ago linked to it from her own piece on SGU. Yes, you always know when someone with a readership in the zillions gives you a shout-out, as you break 1,500 hits before breakfast! Thanks again, Mo!

That's about it, I think. Oh, beyond the fact I've been messing around with the fonts again. Yes, it's an obsession. I can never decide what looks better -- Verdana, Arial or Trebuchet MS? Something else? Once I get used to one, the others look so much better to me. "The grass is always greener...", etc. Anyone have an opinion? Does Verdana look good to everyone? I worry it's easy to read but looks a bit childish.