Comments on: Why people use blogs http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2006/why-people-use-blogs/ Notes from the classroom and observations about today's practice of journalism online Sat, 06 Sep 2008 04:38:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Murley http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2006/why-people-use-blogs/#comment-198 Murley Tue, 01 Aug 2006 18:53:45 +0000 http://www.mindymcadams.com/tojou/2006/why-people-use-blogs/#comment-198 I think motivation is key here. People can sense if you are doing something just to move product, or if you really care about the community. Lex Alexander and the folks at the Greensboro News & Record have been doing this for a long time, and they are just now starting to pay some people with real money. But the key is that they have been serious about engaging their readers. I think motivation is key here. People can sense if you are doing something just to move product, or if you really care about the community. Lex Alexander and the folks at the Greensboro News & Record have been doing this for a long time, and they are just now starting to pay some people with real money. But the key is that they have been serious about engaging their readers.

]]> By: Mindy McAdams http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2006/why-people-use-blogs/#comment-197 Mindy McAdams Mon, 31 Jul 2006 15:07:59 +0000 http://www.mindymcadams.com/tojou/2006/why-people-use-blogs/#comment-197 Good question, David. I'm saying that for a hyperlocal news/community site to succeed, it must attract the right people. Depending on the savvy (or lack thereof) of the people setting up the site, the right people will be attracted -- or repelled. Or may never even know the site exists.<br/><br/>This idea of rewards is important. If you want a local person to act like an editor, and go out and drum up support in his or her community, then maybe you do need to pay that person with real money. But in many cases, people will put in a lot of time and effort (look at Wikipedia) just because they care.<br/><br/>If you treat them with disdain -- as so many newspapers treat their subscribers and readers -- those people won't do squat for you. Good question, David. I’m saying that for a hyperlocal news/community site to succeed, it must attract the right people. Depending on the savvy (or lack thereof) of the people setting up the site, the right people will be attracted — or repelled. Or may never even know the site exists.

This idea of rewards is important. If you want a local person to act like an editor, and go out and drum up support in his or her community, then maybe you do need to pay that person with real money. But in many cases, people will put in a lot of time and effort (look at Wikipedia) just because they care.

If you treat them with disdain — as so many newspapers treat their subscribers and readers — those people won’t do squat for you.

]]> By: David Newberger http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2006/why-people-use-blogs/#comment-196 David Newberger Mon, 31 Jul 2006 13:49:37 +0000 http://www.mindymcadams.com/tojou/2006/why-people-use-blogs/#comment-196 So are you saying that hyper local or citizen journalism will not work? Or are you saying that the current media establishment will fail because they don't get it yet? So are you saying that hyper local or citizen journalism will not work? Or are you saying that the current media establishment will fail because they don’t get it yet?

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