One of the biggest advantages, I think, of CEO's using blogs to communicate is that it unplugs the corporate communication drainpipe. Previously, the blockage was due to the layers of management that information had to flow through/filter through before it got to the field personnel...the ultimate destination as these are the folks that actually execute on the CEO's strategy.
Now, a CEO puts out some information, either externally or internally, and everyone sees it. Unfiltered.
Was it possible in the past? Sure. Memos from the CEO... but then there is the logistics of distributing that memo. Now, Blog written, blog read in near-real time -- given that the field personnel have the time to read the blog...and the CEO has the time to write the blog.
Further, we've exercised the Peter Principle from the equation. All those mid-level managers who are struggling to look competent and blocking corporate communication...both ways...
The beauty of this, is, of course, those managers, who shouldn't be managers, can go back to what they are good at. That's the Peter Principle...taking somebody who is good at something and putting them in a role where they are not good at it...all in the name of climbing the corporate ladder.
Blogging is helping to flatten the organization and remove the ladder.
Disintermediation was the term for Web 1.0 - removing middlemen who really didn't add value, but added cost and time.
Disintermediation is also valid for Web 2.0 - but it's internal middlemen who are going to feel the brunt of this go round...
What happened to the middlemen of Web 1.0? Hopefully they went on to more productive work.
What is Web 3.0 going to bring us ?
(note: sorry for the gender-specific term... middleperson just doesn't seem right...middleman
is gender-neutral in this context.)