Update: Other hyperlocal-related posts here. I killed my Washington Post subscription several years ago, one of millions of Americans to give up on printed newspapers. My Reason #1 was the trash factor. But many readers have other, less friendly explanations. More than a few trust the press about as much as they do HMOs, banks […]
Read MoreTBD D.C.-area news site not a steady riser in early Alexa stats. But let’s wait for the full story
I’ve been rooting for TBD, the D.C.-area hyperlocal news site that some journalists regard as a savvy canary in the coal mine. Will frequent updates and a link-heavy neighborhood–by-neighborhood approach, tied in with local bloggers, be the future of metropolitan news? I really hope this experiment works, just as I wish success to other hyperlocals […]
Read MoreMedia pieties debunked: Even NYT and WaPo pick up SOME rumors—and I’m glad they do
Here’s a question that the debut of TBD.com, the new hyperlocal site written up in Howard Kurtz’s media column today, makes all the more timely. Just when should a reputable Web site—or maybe even a paper newspaper—publish rumors? TBD’s people have expressed a strong interest in guiding readers to the truth; and the operation is […]
Read MoreCrisp, lively Web pages from promising new TBD hyperlocal site—but D.C.-oriented lead story is a BIG yawner here in Alexandria, VA
Crisp, lively Web pages are greeting visitors to the new TBD hyperlocal site owned by Allbritton Communications. Here in Alexandria, VA, I hate the D.C.-centric lead story, but I’ll get to that in a moment—and remember, TBD has just fired up. In the wake of the launch today, I’m more upbeat than ever about this […]
Read MoreTBD.com hyperlocal site in D.C. area is live—and my detailed analysis is on the way
The TBD.com hyperlocal site for the Washington area went live this morning, and I’ll be updating some analysis I was about to publish here. Stay tuned for the analysis in the next hour or two. Update: Here it is. Some live chat at TBD.com is scheduled to help introduce the community to the site. It’’ll […]
Read MoreTBD’s hyperlocal judo is smart and ethical: How should rivals at the Washington Post and elsewhere respond to all the linking ahead?
In judo, you can use a big guy’s weight against him, and the same applies in business, especially the news kind. Reading the Washington Post story on the TBD local news startup—which will compete against the Post, AOL’s Patch local network and the Washington Examiner—I couldn’t help but think “judo.” This morning TBD is reaping […]
Read MoreSmile! You’re on TBD TV—at least if you’re an affiliated blogger with Skype and the news gods beckon
A little birdie with tiny rabbit ears growing out of its head—an older cousin of the Twitter mascot—tells me that the new TBD blog network is encouraging members to get Skype video going. Then the bloggers can appear on TBD cable TV, not just online, at the request of the news gods. No, the Skype […]
Read MoreHow Washington Post and New York Times could outgun hyperlocal sites like TBD and Baristanet
In 2004 Baristanet—the lively hyperlocal network that helped inspire similar operations in several states—started writing up picnics, schools and other neighborly news in Essex County, NJ. Some five years later, The New York Times set up shop with blogs for Maplewood, Millburn and South Orange, all in the same county. Last month one of the […]
Read MoreComing: How the Washington Post and New York Times could cope with TBD and other hyperlocal networks
Update, July 19: This should probably be online by 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight tonight. Lots to say! – D.R. Hey, did you think I’d stop at How TBD could use hyperlocal journalism to kick the Washington Post’s butt? The strategy ideas for the Post will appear here over the weekend or on Monday. The same […]
Read MoreHow TBD Web news startup in the D.C. area will work with affiliate bloggers
How will TBD.com, the Web news startup in the D.C. area, work with the more than 90 independent bloggers in its network? The TBD blog has some details, although I don’t notice any huge surprises, just good common sense in the post by Community Engagement Director Steve Buttry. For example: “We will provide headlines and […]
Read MoreGeorgetown Dish joins TBD blog network: Deju vu angles—in Washington Post’s backyard
Newest member of the TBD blog network in the Washington area is is none other than the Georgetown Dish. It’s the same hyperlocal site I’ve been mentioning for some months now because of the fame of the neighborhood and the lively writing—and, yes, a founder named Beth Solomon. Georgetown is home to ex-Washington Post editor […]
Read MoreHyperlocal journalism and TBD: More coming on what makes a great ‘hyper’ site
Nope, TBD and affiliate bloggers, I’m not done yet. I have a few other ideas to try out this week—based on the failures and successes of hyperlocal media outside the D.C. region. Why is a local blog network thriving, while the New York Times’ network couldn’t score big in the same geographical area? And in […]
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