Shortly after starting this blog, I began monitoring the comments — reviewing them before they are posted on the blog. I had become concerned that the comments could become nothing more than irrelevant rants, not the civil discourse I had hoped to share. Since that time, I've rejected only a handful of comments. The most recent rejected comment was nothing more than a promotion of a "Fair Tax" Web site. That comment was irrelevant to my post about the state budget and state taxes. The Fair Tax folks are lobbying for reform of federal taxes.
One recent anonymous comment took me to task for allowing a commenter to tell an earlier commenter to "get a life." Anonymous 2 thought such insults cheapened the blog and risked turning it into a tawdry tempest. Anonymous 2 asked that his comment not be posted; it was just a message to me. My problem is that Blogger, the Google software I'm using to create this blog, doesn't allow editing of comments. I can accept them in their entirety or reject them in their entirety. So I've allowed a few "get a life" type comments added to the end of otherwise relevant or thoughtful comments.
I've also received a few e-mails about this blog (a link can be found in my profile). One recent one lamented the decline of the local press. "I have canceled my subscription and so have many others," this person wrote. "At least when you were with the paper there was news."
So I've been thinking: Would Wilson support an alternative newspaper, or perhaps an alternative news Web site? By support, I mean, would local businesses spend their money to advertise on a Web site or in another newspaper? Newspapers derive 80 percent or more of their income from advertising, and it has been a loss of advertising that has created a crisis in American newspapers. News Web sites, which are proliferating around the country, have lower overhead but have more difficulty attracting ad dollars. Either way, it's a risky venture and would require strong community support. Is it out there?
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6 comments:
I am not a business owner, so I can't promise to support you with advertising. However, I would love to see an online news source or a print alternative. If there are any business owners out there reading this, let our editor & the rest of us know what you think about advertising potential. Sounds like a good idea to me.
i am a business owner but my ad dollars are spent very conservatively. The yellow page adv I felt I had to do all these years was a scam. Overpriced and very uncalled for and now poor old donnelley is paying the price for ripping people off all these years. And for their ceo to live so high on the hog in the rtp pissed me off so i dropped yp totally. And another thing anytime a sales person drove up into my parking lot in a car nicer than mine I ALWAYS made it a point NOT to buy anything from that person. Case in point was the bankrupt yp that eatman bought and resold to the wdt.
Now to the point. I would hesitate on a new start-up dependant on ad dollars, especially in this economy. Especially if you need the income on a monthly basis and did not have the working capital to see you through. And NO liquidating a 401K is NOT working capital nor should EVER be looked as as startup funds.
would like to see more communication coming from our business leadership....like the chamber(a member) or the wilson business alliance(not a member). Not sure my thought process but I think these type of organizations are missing an opportunity to REALLY touch base w/ their membership. They already have an income stream and if you can talk Bruce into doing something a little diff and get more out there publically showing how the chamber is going to HELP and be there for its membership. Maybe you be the blog for the chamber. I do not know but am just brainstorming.
But a new stand alone start-up news group just for Wilson? I do not have deep enough pockets and the risk tolerance to consider something of this nature.
Ads would have to be cheaper than other outlets for one thing, and as i talk with folks all over town, they are generally unhappy with the Wilson Daily Times - businesses that have placed ads have little or no return for their money - even though ads are really for exposure purposes anyway - coupons are not redeemed, etc.
Feedback from the community about WDT is mostly a show of disappointment - I was hearing more positive opinions of the WDT about a year ago or more - talking with and meeting people everyday as a newspaper photographer one could gauge how the paper stands with its readership...although not out there everyday like before i still hear many who have changed their opinions and are less enthused about a newspaper - why is this?
In Boone NC there were two major newsprints on the stands - The Watauga Democrat (120 yrs+) and The Mountain Times (25-30 yrs) The Watauga Democrat is a broadsheet and the Mountain Times is a healthy tabloid size free weekly. I noticed the Mountain Times rack would always empty first as the 50 cent Democrat would just sit there with a few issues sold. Well, eventually the The Mountain Times supposedly bought the Watauga Democrat paper out of kindness and to just to keep a town institution afloat. (geez...how freakin' nice is that)
The Mountain Times impresses its readership with hyper-local news and better designed ads coupled with a very populated and interesting classified section, they do really well actually. It seems the weekly newprints are doing better than the average bear.
Everywhere you go - restaurants, downtown, (yes, Boone has a very active town district) the gas station, school, a country store, somebody's house, The Mountain Times is there - for free. They survive with a small but talented staff in a downtown old building office - selling ads, writing news and listing community events. Their ad design work steps beyond anything the Watauga Democrat could muster. The Mountain Times is the first paper where i actually did not mind the ads and even looked at them more than the copy at times - very strange, but i am a visualist anyway. The Mountain Times website is a nice one too.
While looking internationally for a photographer job i found this listing from a total online news start-up.
http://www.veronews.com
Online news site job description:
"Competition is back! We're seeking hard-working editor-reporter(s) and tireless photographer(s) for a new online newspaper in a small Florida seaside city that plans to kick the butt of the tired print daily. These are NOT 40-hour a week jobs. If you are looking for a position that will let you spend evenings and weekends working on your golf, go apply to our competitor. We are looking for passionate journalists whose idea of an exciting Saturday night is breaking a story right under the nose of the competition. If you have great news judgment, know AP style, and are ready to work your tail off for lousy pay ($20K to $30K to start) while learning a lot, proving yourself and upgrading your portfolio, you could be the kind of next-generation journalist we are looking for. Persuade us in 300 words or less that we absolutely have to talk to you."
...and here's a reflective "Daily Show" clip and response from blog post: A Photo Editor
Editorially, you'd need an alternative viewpoint and a strong focus first. Alternative meaning the same, but different, won't cut it. It needs to be hip.
A free weekly with plenty of creative and simple ads are imo the way to go.
Many are very unhappy with the "NEW" Wilson Daily Times. It's a smaller paper, with less content, less local flavor, less in-depth reporting, & weak commentaries. Sad to say, but somedays I pick my paper up outside & take it immediately to to recycling bin. I really hate to see it go down so quickly.
In all fairness, besides the crummy visuals, and some sort of "attempt" at titillating the "readers" with tabloid style stories or news flashes, I don't see a big difference with the WT. I see the same amount of local stories than ever.
That paper isn't exactly known for its in depth reporting. The letter of the month thing is just plain juvenile. As a matter of fact, one writer (whom I assume is no longer there) continuously ran one-sided fluff pieces. Not much has changed.
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