So, if the Alexa stats for tech news sites are misleading indicators of hype, what measure should one use? We've updated our chart tracking mentions of "web 2.0" in major newspapers and other sources tracked by the Nexis database. One caveat: the mainstream media usually lags behind Silicon Valley chatter, and the tech blogs, in picking up on trends, and in dropping them. And, as Valleywag noted in December, use of the catchphrase seems to have finally reached saturation. Nevertheless, the Nexis counts show "web 2.0" — a shorthand for technologies such as dynamic pages and the current crop of internet ventures — remains as much of a staple in newspaper articles as ever. At the current rate, March will see more than 1,100 articles, a record. The chart, below.

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