Comments on: Newsroom culture, beyond dysfunctional? http://minimediaguy.org/2008/03/27/newsroom-culture-is-way-beyond-dysfunctional/ studying the media ecosystem Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:47:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: John Cass http://minimediaguy.org/2008/03/27/newsroom-culture-is-way-beyond-dysfunctional/#comment-75698 John Cass Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:02:07 +0000 http://minimediaguy.org/2008/03/27/newsroom-culture-is-way-beyond-dysfunctional/#comment-75698 Huffington post, autoblog, adrants, these are all examples of blogs that sell advertising based on their blogging content. Autoblog is part of a larger blogging empire. I don't know the size of the professional blogging community, but it does appear to be quite large in 2008. Maybe not thousands of sites, but probably hundreds. You might have a point about quality. Maybe it is more about the depth of connection within a particular niche community. If bloggers are better connected than journalists this gives them an advantage in drawing in readers, and other bloggers who will reference their work. I don't disagree with Rafat Ali about digital media's importance, I just suggest that the company that published on the web on a topic and also engages their community will do better than the company that publishes digitally but does not engage. Huffington post, autoblog, adrants, these are all examples of blogs that sell advertising based on their blogging content. Autoblog is part of a larger blogging empire. I don’t know the size of the professional blogging community, but it does appear to be quite large in 2008. Maybe not thousands of sites, but probably hundreds.

You might have a point about quality. Maybe it is more about the depth of connection within a particular niche community. If bloggers are better connected than journalists this gives them an advantage in drawing in readers, and other bloggers who will reference their work.

I don’t disagree with Rafat Ali about digital media’s importance, I just suggest that the company that published on the web on a topic and also engages their community will do better than the company that publishes digitally but does not engage.

]]> By: tom abate http://minimediaguy.org/2008/03/27/newsroom-culture-is-way-beyond-dysfunctional/#comment-75275 tom abate Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:46:50 +0000 http://minimediaguy.org/2008/03/27/newsroom-culture-is-way-beyond-dysfunctional/#comment-75275 John nice to hear from you and I hope to see you at the SNCR fest (where I expect to be a day tripper). To your point first off I think there are maybe dozens out of millions of bloggers making a go of it on their own. If you know differently, please share. To the issue of quality I find that an elusive concept but targetability and precision are terms that sort of add up to quality in my mind. If you have a niche and stay focused on it (and the niche is renumerative -- social causes are screwed) you can do well. The case in point is Rafat Ali who started Paid Content after getting laid off in the dot.com bust. He recently announced a plan to scale his operation. He wrote today: "we’re trying to keep our heads down and will keep building. It goes back to the original vision I defined in 2004, when the blog I started in 2002 turned into a professional company: 'Our belief is that in the near future, all media will be digital media, and we are helping define sustainable business models and innovation within this sector.' http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-the-next-phase-of-our-company-scaling-from-the-inside-out/ John nice to hear from you and I hope to see you at the SNCR fest (where I expect to be a day tripper).

To your point first off I think there are maybe dozens out of millions of bloggers making a go of it on their own. If you know differently, please share.

To the issue of quality I find that an elusive concept but targetability and precision are terms that sort of add up to quality in my mind. If you have a niche and stay focused on it (and the niche is renumerative — social causes are screwed) you can do well.

The case in point is Rafat Ali who started Paid Content after getting laid off in the dot.com bust. He recently announced a plan to scale his operation. He wrote today: “we’re trying to keep our heads down and will keep building. It goes back to the original vision I defined in 2004, when the blog I started in 2002 turned into a professional company: ‘Our belief is that in the near future, all media will be digital media, and we are helping define sustainable business models and innovation within this sector.’

http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-the-next-phase-of-our-company-scaling-from-the-inside-out/

]]> By: John Cass http://minimediaguy.org/2008/03/27/newsroom-culture-is-way-beyond-dysfunctional/#comment-75256 John Cass Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:18:26 +0000 http://minimediaguy.org/2008/03/27/newsroom-culture-is-way-beyond-dysfunctional/#comment-75256 Perhaps it is just no longer a matter of making good content, maybe you have to write well, but you also have to write for the web. Think about search engines, and also write in a way that really connects with the community of voices that are out there. Tom, lots of new media sources have popped up in recent years, and appear to be making money. I am thinking of the professional bloggers that sell advertising on their blogs. Why are they doing well? What is different about them compared to the traditional publications that are on the web? What are your thoughts? I was wondering if it might be that bloggers are better at spreading their content around the web, but because they demonstrate that their blog is willing to discuss and debate, those people who want to discuss are attracted to their sites. So maybe it is not just the quality of the content, but the quality of the discussion? Perhaps it is just no longer a matter of making good content, maybe you have to write well, but you also have to write for the web. Think about search engines, and also write in a way that really connects with the community of voices that are out there.

Tom, lots of new media sources have popped up in recent years, and appear to be making money. I am thinking of the professional bloggers that sell advertising on their blogs. Why are they doing well? What is different about them compared to the traditional publications that are on the web?

What are your thoughts?

I was wondering if it might be that bloggers are better at spreading their content around the web, but because they demonstrate that their blog is willing to discuss and debate, those people who want to discuss are attracted to their sites.

So maybe it is not just the quality of the content, but the quality of the discussion?

]]>