Monday, December 20, 2004
Hot Debate
There is a lively debate going on in threads at Greensboro Is Talking and Ed Cone's Word Up. Divergent views about the future of Triad blogging, potential revenue streams for bloggers, and interaction of bloggers and traditional print media are expressed there. My general take is this:
Most bloggers want an outlet for expression and opinion, and many enjoy the debates that blogs can help initiate. Some just want to see their names and words on a web site. Very few blogs (mine included) have the ability to generate revenue on their own.
TheShu and Ross Myers have made their case for protecting the interests of local bloggers by banding together. If I understand them correctly, they believe that bloggers should be prepared to negotiate with traditional media, so that their collective blog content and ability to drive ad traffic to those media are compensated, even if that is just a small amount. Both TheShu and Ross are smart guys and passionate about this subject, so I take their views seriously. I also recognize that the N&R is a for-profit business.
But I have not detected anything about the News & Record that makes me believe that they want to take advantage of local bloggers. My sense is that they have embraced blogging as an additional reporting outlet and a chance to connect with their community in a new way, and I enjoy all of their sanctioned blogs and the personal blogs by their employees.
Perhaps my skepticism that the N & R has onerous motives is a reflection of how lightly I regard my own writing, or maybe it is just naivete. In either case, I plan to take Ed's advice and blog today for the same reason I blogged yesterday. And if any revenue comes as a result, that will be icing on the cake.
Most bloggers want an outlet for expression and opinion, and many enjoy the debates that blogs can help initiate. Some just want to see their names and words on a web site. Very few blogs (mine included) have the ability to generate revenue on their own.
TheShu and Ross Myers have made their case for protecting the interests of local bloggers by banding together. If I understand them correctly, they believe that bloggers should be prepared to negotiate with traditional media, so that their collective blog content and ability to drive ad traffic to those media are compensated, even if that is just a small amount. Both TheShu and Ross are smart guys and passionate about this subject, so I take their views seriously. I also recognize that the N&R is a for-profit business.
But I have not detected anything about the News & Record that makes me believe that they want to take advantage of local bloggers. My sense is that they have embraced blogging as an additional reporting outlet and a chance to connect with their community in a new way, and I enjoy all of their sanctioned blogs and the personal blogs by their employees.
Perhaps my skepticism that the N & R has onerous motives is a reflection of how lightly I regard my own writing, or maybe it is just naivete. In either case, I plan to take Ed's advice and blog today for the same reason I blogged yesterday. And if any revenue comes as a result, that will be icing on the cake.
