Comments on: The important lessons of Backfence’s closing http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/ Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:13:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: KoopTech » Medien » Hyperlocal http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-165033 Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:41:32 +0000 http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-165033 [...] “Hyperlocal” ist neuerdings der Kampfbegriff der Lokalzeitungen. Letzlich zeichnet sich ein Dienst durch Hyperlocality aus, wenn er seinen Leser oder Nutzer an seinem Ort mit seinen Bedürfnissen erreicht. Das klappt nur dann, wenn man weiß, was der Nutzer braucht. Daher auch der (nicht zuletzt vom Scheitern des angeblich so hyperlokalen Bürgerjournalismus-Portals Backfence geprägte) Gedanke, dass eigentlich derzeit nur Google wirklich hyperlocal ist, weil Google über die Suchanfragen weiß, was ein Nutzer sucht. Dabei sollte es doch auch die Lokalzeitung sein, die weiß, was ihre Leser interessiert. Wie wäre es jedoch mit der Lokalzeitung, die sich mit lokalen Diensten umgibt - dazu gehören natürlich Informationen über Events, Preisen, Angeboten, statistisch darstellbaren Ereignissen. Letzlich einfach Dienstleistungen, die die lokalen Bedürfnisse gut befriedigen: [...] […] “Hyperlocal” ist neuerdings der Kampfbegriff der Lokalzeitungen. Letzlich zeichnet sich ein Dienst durch Hyperlocality aus, wenn er seinen Leser oder Nutzer an seinem Ort mit seinen Bedürfnissen erreicht. Das klappt nur dann, wenn man weiß, was der Nutzer braucht. Daher auch der (nicht zuletzt vom Scheitern des angeblich so hyperlokalen Bürgerjournalismus-Portals Backfence geprägte) Gedanke, dass eigentlich derzeit nur Google wirklich hyperlocal ist, weil Google über die Suchanfragen weiß, was ein Nutzer sucht. Dabei sollte es doch auch die Lokalzeitung sein, die weiß, was ihre Leser interessiert. Wie wäre es jedoch mit der Lokalzeitung, die sich mit lokalen Diensten umgibt - dazu gehören natürlich Informationen über Events, Preisen, Angeboten, statistisch darstellbaren Ereignissen. Letzlich einfach Dienstleistungen, die die lokalen Bedürfnisse gut befriedigen: […]

]]> by: Gordon Joseloff http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-108987 Fri, 14 Dec 2007 23:25:21 +0000 http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-108987 WestportNow.com is now in its fifth year as Westport's 24/7 news and information source. We draw more Web visitors than any newspaper site in the area and frequently break stories and post pictures that are exclusive. Area newspapers and cable, radio and television outlets frequently cite us as a source or use us as a tip service.. In the last year, we had more than 50 citizens contribute news and photos. Last month, the Connecticut section of The New York Times ran a front-page profile of one of our regular photo contributors. Earlier this month, the billionaire founder of a Westport-based hedge fund posted a comment on a story about his charitable giving habits that itself made news, bringing widespread coverage by others. Hyperlocal news can be done successfully. It just takes commitment, dedication, and consistent reporting of news in a credible manner that cannot be found anywhere else. Gordon Joseloff Publisher WestportNow.com WestportNow.com is now in its fifth year as Westport’s 24/7 news and information source. We draw more Web visitors than any newspaper site in the area and frequently break stories and post pictures that are exclusive.

Area newspapers and cable, radio and television outlets frequently cite us as a source or use us as a tip service.. In the last year, we had more than 50 citizens contribute news and photos. Last month, the Connecticut section of The New York Times ran a front-page profile of one of our regular photo contributors.

Earlier this month, the billionaire founder of a Westport-based hedge fund posted a comment on a story about his charitable giving habits that itself made news, bringing widespread coverage by others.

Hyperlocal news can be done successfully. It just takes commitment, dedication, and consistent reporting of news in a credible manner that cannot be found anywhere else.

Gordon Joseloff
Publisher
WestportNow.com

]]> by: Panic {RE}_Programming » Blog Archive » Digging Deeper::Your Guide to Hyper-Local News http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-108755 Fri, 14 Dec 2007 07:51:53 +0000 http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-108755 [...] The important lessons of Backfence’s closing at Terry Heaton’s PoMo blog [...] […] The important lessons of Backfence’s closing at Terry Heaton’s PoMo blog […]

]]> by: On a des choses à se dire » Le Washington Post s’engage dans le journalisme hyperlocal http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-51765 Fri, 20 Jul 2007 23:23:44 +0000 http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-51765 [...] cette revue de presse en ligne; [...] […] cette revue de presse en ligne; […]

]]> by: ABC Digital Futures » Blog Archive » Hyperlocal success still elusive http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-48756 Thu, 12 Jul 2007 01:09:40 +0000 http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-48756 [...] Terry Heaton has aggregated the views of several commentators, including Jeff Jarvis and the good folks at TechCrunch, but Terry’s own view really nails it: I believe strongly that niches are where it’s at downstream and that the long tail is the economic model for tomorrow’s media, so I very much like the “idea” of hyperlocal. But really, folks, Google is the hyperlocal model and their global mission ought to be our local mission — to organize our community’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. [...] […] Terry Heaton has aggregated the views of several commentators, including Jeff Jarvis and the good folks at TechCrunch, but Terry’s own view really nails it: I believe strongly that niches are where it’s at downstream and that the long tail is the economic model for tomorrow’s media, so I very much like the “idea” of hyperlocal. But really, folks, Google is the hyperlocal model and their global mission ought to be our local mission — to organize our community’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. […]

]]> by: Chui's counterpoint http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-48373 Wed, 11 Jul 2007 00:51:50 +0000 http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-48373 <strong>On Hyperlocal News Sites</strong> Terry Heaton summarized why the Backfence experiment failed. Of note, is the distinction between hyperlocal versus hypertargetted. Increasingly, the physical world is so small that people who share common interests no longer live in the same town, or i... On Hyperlocal News Sites

Terry Heaton summarized why the Backfence experiment failed. Of note, is the distinction between hyperlocal versus hypertargetted. Increasingly, the physical world is so small that people who share common interests no longer live in the same town, or i…

]]> by: John C Abell http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-48290 Tue, 10 Jul 2007 17:45:32 +0000 http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-48290 I agree that Backfence had a tough row to hoe for a variety of reasons, but what about this factor: Reston is served remarkably well by three weekly newspapers. Not bad for a population somewhat north of 56k that isn’t even a town. Can the demise of Backfence also or actually be a case of an entrenched non-digital media slaying a newcomer? I agree that Backfence had a tough row to hoe for a variety of reasons, but what about this factor: Reston is served remarkably well by three weekly newspapers. Not bad for a population somewhat north of 56k that isn’t even a town. Can the demise of Backfence also or actually be a case of an entrenched non-digital media slaying a newcomer?

]]> by: Community Journalism inside out http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-48274 Tue, 10 Jul 2007 16:03:58 +0000 http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-48274 [...] There are many insightful posts examining the reasons for Backfence’s demise. But essentially  start-ups that fail all do so because they run  out of money before they learn the lessons that can put them on the path to profitability. [...] […] There are many insightful posts examining the reasons for Backfence’s demise. But essentially  start-ups that fail all do so because they run  out of money before they learn the lessons that can put them on the path to profitability. […]

]]> by: links for 2007-07-09 « David Black http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-48242 Tue, 10 Jul 2007 13:58:09 +0000 http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-48242 [...] The important lessons of Backfence’s closing - Terry Heaton “Backfence suffered from poor design, insufficient feet on the street, poor choices for locations… [there’s an opportunity in] organizing the local web and building databases of knowledge at the local level” (tags: internet participatory journalism hyperlocal citizenmedia backfence) [...] […] The important lessons of Backfence’s closing - Terry Heaton “Backfence suffered from poor design, insufficient feet on the street, poor choices for locations… [there’s an opportunity in] organizing the local web and building databases of knowledge at the local level” (tags: internet participatory journalism hyperlocal citizenmedia backfence) […]

]]> by: Ross Notes » “nobody has figured out yet how to make a successful, scalable business out of hyperlocal”, and bootstrapping the Mclean Blogosphere http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-48236 Tue, 10 Jul 2007 13:31:40 +0000 http://www.thepomoblog.com/archive/the-important-lessons-of-backfences-closing/#comment-48236 [...] Local (and, “hyperlocal”) company Backfence is shutting down it’s 13 community news sites in a few days. Check out the comprehensive write-up at Screenwerk, Terry Heaton has a great “lessons learned” post, and Scott Karp writes Wrong On Hyperlocal: Google And Web 1.0 Killed Backfence. [...] […] Local (and, “hyperlocal”) company Backfence is shutting down it’s 13 community news sites in a few days. Check out the comprehensive write-up at Screenwerk, Terry Heaton has a great “lessons learned” post, and Scott Karp writes Wrong On Hyperlocal: Google And Web 1.0 Killed Backfence. […]

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