Comments on: WaPo Closing Hyperlocal Site LoudounExtra http://paidcontent.org/2009/08/18/419-wapo-closing-hyperlocal-site-loudounextra/ The economics of digital content Wed, 19 Jun 2013 02:09:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: A Guess http://paidcontent.org/2009/08/18/419-wapo-closing-hyperlocal-site-loudounextra/#comment-73257 Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:50:55 +0000 http://paidcontent.wp.gostage.it/2009/08/18/419-wapo-closing-hyperlocal-site-loudounextra/#comment-73257 As someone who understands a little about community journalism, let me take a guess: Most of the "hyperlocal" information they expected unpaid citizen correspondents turned out to be spotty in arrival, or didn't arrive at all, and much of it required at least a fair amount of editing to render it grammatically correct and cogent. The few regular contributors were happy to offer their thoughts or pass along unsubstantiated reports, but didn't have the time, expertise or interest in nailing much that would qualify as a read-worthy news story. Submitted photos tended to be the group "yearbook" style, grip-and-grins and pets.
It's one thing to say you're going to run school lunch menus and Little League scores (or whatever); another entirely to actually round this stuff up and put it in the system.
There's a reason it's called "work."

It's one thing to say

]]> By: anonymous http://paidcontent.org/2009/08/18/419-wapo-closing-hyperlocal-site-loudounextra/#comment-73256 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:33:57 +0000 http://paidcontent.wp.gostage.it/2009/08/18/419-wapo-closing-hyperlocal-site-loudounextra/#comment-73256 As a DC native who understands the metro area, it's hard for me to understand calling a site with a focus as broad as an entire county "hyperlocal". WaPo (or someone) needs to break those sites down by zip code or individual neighborhood…thoughts anyone?

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