I'm having to write "____________ Got Funding" so much now that I've added that as a category now.

Social networking is hot and so is public radio... Um, no that's not right, is it?

Well, VC is counting on public radio being hot enough to support a social networking site. The VC on board here:

• Jim Manzi, former CEO of lotus Development Corp. in Cambridge
• Allen & Co., the New York investment bank co-run by former Senator Bill Bradley

Both of them will take a seat on the board.

And now, they'll be filling the site with educated book reviews, lofty discussions and other high-brow conversations. Think of Gather.com as a scholarly MySpace with less hook-ups and more intellectual stimulation.

The site, Gather.com, positions itself as a kind of eBay for online writers and their readers -- a gathering spot for musings and discussions on everything from wine and computers to fitness and spirituality. And, with a business model that could shake up the writing profession, executives from Gather Inc. are recruiting bloggers by offering them a share of the company's advertising revenue.

Eventually, popular writers will be able to earn a living by posting their work and attracting eyeballs to advertisements, said Gather's founder, 35-year-old technology entrepreneur Tom Gerace. That won't happen right away, though.

Last year, Gather.com got a $1M boost from American Public Media Group (APMG), parent company to Minnesota Public Radio. Gather.com has been in operation for about a year, left stealth mode behind last summer. Look for their 'grand opening' or launch in February or March. They already have around 8500 visitors and hundreds of writers.

It will be interesting to see the scholarly social site launch. It will be addicting, but soooo beneath me. ;)