Two surveys by the Pew Internet & American Life Project (PDF) find that blog readership is increasing at a rate greater than the creation of new blogs.

Blog readership in the United States is now at about 27 percent of Internet users, a jump from 11 percent in early 2003. In 2004 alone, the readership grew by 58 percent.

Blogger triumphalists should note that the report also showed that 62 percent of Americans who use the Internet don”t know what a blog is and and just nine percent said they regularly read political blogs during the Presidental campaign.

But as Jeff Jarvis notes, both the demographics and growth rate are pattern typical of early adoptor behaviour going mainstream.

(Also noted on Common Sense Journalism, and Dead Parrot Society)