Ahmed at Tech Soapbox argues that the time of blog networks has passed. The luster is gone, and while blog networks were the hot thing on the Web in the past year, it’s time for online entrepreneurs to think of other business models.

I remember a time when Blog Networks were the it thing. Everyone and their mother was setting up blog networks. People actually cared when a name was changed from ‘Pajama Media’ to ‘Open Source Media’ (though I do agree OSM doesn’t sound very good).

Blogs were the path to easy riches.

About time reality set in.

Perusing around, I came across this sale: Parents Behaving Badly for sale. On its own not very notable, but what was interesting was that they were under the b5Media umbrella. For those that don’t remember, the network recently announced 2 million in funding.

This sale sets off some questions.

These days we’re seeing blogs and blog networks being sold left and right. Heck even this very blog you’re reading has passed hands at least one time. Does this mean then that the golden age of blog networks has, indeed, passed? Does this mean that those who have sold know something that the rest of us don’t? Does this mean blog networks are going the way of the dodo?

Well, perhaps in a way, yes. That’s why people are looking for new things to do, new ways to earn. People foresee that there are bigger things and better things.

But then again there are still those blog and blog networks—those brands!—that remain strong. It’s hard to be a Blog Herald, or a Blogging Pro, or even a b5media or a Weblogs, Inc. because these are already established in the blogosphere.

That’s why there are the new startups that try to be different. The focus today is not just blogs and blogging, but new media and social media!

That’s why blog networks are not necessarily passé. Blog networks are just evolving, just like the rest of the world—and the Web.