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Nov

7

For Wide Open 2.0

Filed Under Blogging, Media, Wide Open | 5 Comments

From the Online Journalism Review, “Buying in, not selling out”:

When you sell an ad on your website, you aren’t selling an advertiser favorable coverage or a selection of stories tailored to make them look better than they are. (Unless you’re a shill who’s into doing those things.) You’re simply selling the advertiser a designated number of pixels on your webpage, upon which they can post something that they want your readers to see.

You don’t need to promise an advertiser positive coverage to close a sale. But you do need to know your readership: your traffic, their demographics and their buying patterns, so those potential advertisers can see how exposure to your readers will help them make more sales. (If you’re not comfortable building your own reader surveys, using tools such as SurveyMonkey, try a ready-made survey from the Blog Reader Project.)

“Advertising does not necessarily change what you do,” said Xeni Jardin, BoingBoing.net contributor (and OJR editorial advisory board member) at the panel. “We have advertising from Sony Blu Ray and still have a robust discussion of DRM issues.”

Jardin makes a great point. Even if you feel too conflicted, personally, to write about advertisers, your internal conflict won’t keep your readers from writing about them. Your strong community leadership can help cultivate a forum where no one buys favor and everyone feels the opportunity to comment.

Strong community leadership. You mean, like…say…four independent bloggers who worked their asses off to debate and make something work so that they’d cultivated a forum where no one buys favor and everyone feels the opportunity to comment?

I must be living in Backwardsland, I guess.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:56 pm November 7th, 2007 in Blogging, Media, Wide Open | 5 Comments 

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Nov

7

And still more reviews of Plain Dealer’s handling of Wide Open

Filed Under Blogging, Media, Ohio, Politics, Wide Open | Comments Off

Cleveland Scene

Jeff Jarvis on Buzz Machine and what could have been (or at least, why what was didn’t have to be)

Cleveland Leader publishes Roldo’s thoughts

And from my email, with permission from a local reporter (with a print publication), edited to protect the innocent, also with permission:

We’ve been following the whole OpenOhio exchange here and reliving the pain of our own ethics policy, which was, as drafted by our board, needlessly draconian to the point of barring our participation in many facts [sic] of the community. We protested that as community journalists we HAVE to participate in the community to some extent to do our jobs, and we won some concessions. But we’re forbidden from making contribution to campaigns, parties or causes (including stuff like Greenpeace, Amnesty International), and we can’t sign petitions even if they’re just to put an issue on the ballot.

And people wonder why I’d want to be an independent blogger?

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 6:45 pm November 7th, 2007 in Blogging, Media, Ohio, Politics, Wide Open | Comments Off 

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Nov

7

Question for Mark Naymik

Filed Under Blogging, Media, Ohio, Politics, Wide Open | 11 Comments

Mark, you wrote for the Cleveland Free Times, which Anastasia Pantsios says has no restrictions on its reporters.

Now, you write for the Plain Dealer.

When you were at the Free Times, did it then, unlike now as Anastasia says, have the rules that Susan Goldberg has for the PD re: reporters can’t give contributions or at least can’t write about people or entities with which they have financial or emotional connections?

What can you tell us about how life as a journalist at the Free Times – with or without that rule or set of rules – compares with life at the PD under, possibly, a different set of rules? Do you think that the current Free Times folks aren’t real journalists if they don’t have that restriction about donations etc.?

For those who weren’t aware, Mark did investigative work for the Free Times (John Ettorre says Mark was a protege of Roldo) before joining the Plain Dealer.

And Anastasia wrote this about the current policy at the Free Times: “Free Times rules don’t prohibit it [donations to political campaigns] as they do at the Plain Dealer.”

Check out this “laurel” that the Columbia Journalism Review gave Mark in 1994 for his work at the Free Times:

* LAUREL to Free Times, an alternative weekly in Cleveland, and to Westword, an alternative weekly in Denver, for remembering what they are supposed to be an alternative to. In the September 14 edition, Free Times assistant editor Mark Naymik provided an unsettling look at how, with more than a little help from their friends in the news media, Cleveland’s business leaders rebuilt its image from national joke to the place to be. Tracing the flood of “slobber and gush” articles from the time that Tom Vail, then publisher of the Plain Dealer, began the New Cleveland Campaign, through the targeting of journalists in New York, Washington, and other media centers, and the encouragement of articles, opinion pieces, ads, and advertorials in outlets ranging from USA Today and Fortune to CBS This Morning and PrimeTime Live, Naymik concludes that “by counting news clips, new buildings, and tourists, Cleveland clearly emerges as a Comeback City. But by counting poverty rates, population, and job loss, and considering the state of city services, Cleveland is on a downward spiral. Just ask the city residents who live there.”

Similarly, while the planned new Denver International Airport sent most of the local media straight up to Cloud Nine, Westword has, month after month and year after year, kept its feet on the ground, reporting on the studies that correctly predicted the problems, prodding the major papers to face the facts, scolding this anchor and that for lending their images to DIA brochures and their voices to the DIA people-mover. “If [the media] had done their jobs,” ran one column by the relentless Patricia Calhoun, “someone might have figured out a little sooner that problems of disastrous proportions plagued the new airport.”

Mark. Seriously. You’ve been in a lot of different environments for reporting. Anastasia says the Free Times doesn’t have the same rules as the PD on this issue.

What were those rules when you were there? What do you think? You are in a unique position to help us understand.

Thanks.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:47 pm November 7th, 2007 in Blogging, Media, Ohio, Politics, Wide Open | 11 Comments 

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Nov

7

WKYC’s Eric Mansfield helps debate journalists & paying for access

Filed Under Blogging, Media, Ohio, Politics, Wide Open | Comments Off

Eric wrote a great post here about this topic and someone has already left a comment that further explores this issue (not my comment).

Here’s the comment I left:

I think the key thing coming out of all this is that the rule the PD is trying to portray as so ironclad that it even has to apply to independently contracted bloggers who are contracted to BE political is that the rule is not so ironclad and NEEDS examination.

And THAT’S how it should have come to us from Susan Goldberg – not in the form of an ultimatum, but rather in the form of – we’ve got something really knew and weird and difficult to solve here – what should we do?

That’s what Jean would have done if given the chance. Something went awry in the process of figuring it all out.

That Wide Open was a casualty is a bummer, but the conversations that are coming out of it, as an experiment, are fantastic.

Thanks for writing about it and personalizing it – I’ve gotten many emails from “real” journalists who’ve told me similar stories about the angst at papers around this “ironclad” rule.

Sorry – do not mean to making fun of it – just with they’d called a spade a spade and said, this is a tough one – what do you think?

But that wasn’t how it came down. :(

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:03 am November 7th, 2007 in Blogging, Media, Ohio, Politics, Wide Open | Comments Off 

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Nov

7

[updated] Ohio election results: What they mean

Filed Under Politics | 2 Comments

No doubt there will be more opining. I’m probably not going to be around to highlight it all, but here are a couple of posts for starters. If I can get to more as they come in, I will (quick NB: I don’t like the triumphant tone – too full of hubris for me, and given how much some folks think I preen, well – just imagine what my threshold must be):

From the Left:

We Win Ohio. We Win Canton. GOP Dead.

Bob Bennett Would Never Lie To Ohio

Clark Street Blog on Cincinnati (from the left, yes? Correct me if I’m wrong)

Akron from Psychobilly Dem

Pho predicting implications yesterday – can’t wait to see what he writes today!

Pho phrom today

Lisa Renee on Glass City Jungle

From the Right:

State of the Union: here and here (which is the Ohio GOP head, Bob Bennett’s statement)

You Decide:

Bill Sloat on The Daily Bellwether

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:58 am November 7th, 2007 in Politics | 2 Comments 

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Nov

7

[updated] Congrats to Paul Lambert in Hilliard!

Filed Under Campaigning, Elections, Ohio | Comments Off

Whoops – Paul was being the gentleman we’d expect – he was congratulating everyone else and didn’t think that some of us outsiders (ok, just me probably) might not get that he didn’t win.

I’m sorry, Paul – but I’m still wishing that you’ll write all about it.

Here’s the original post:

Way to go, Paul – please write more and tell us all about it. Paul and I absolutely do not agree on everything, at all, but he is smart, caring and thorough. As I’ve had to say, in defense of how I assess candidates before, those are very important qualities to me. If a person lacks those things, no matter their affiliations, they’re starting at a huge disadvantage.

Good luck, though, Paul – you know how tough it’s going to be.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:54 am November 7th, 2007 in Campaigning, Elections, Ohio | Comments Off 

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Nov

7

John Ratzenberger brings Cheer and trade talk to Columbus 11/8, special blogger info

Filed Under Announcements, Blogging, Economy, Government, Ohio, Politics | 3 Comments

I’ve received numerous pleas to post this information (which has been fine, honest) and I apologize for not getting it up earlier, but it’s been a little nutty around here over the last couple of weeks.

Luckily, Lisa Renee of Glass City Jungle and Ohio Valley Politics have posted about it already. You can also go here to read more about the event but the vitals are:

A national Town Hall meeting, hosted by John Ratzenberger, will be held in Columbus, OH at 6:30 pm on Thursday, Nov. 8, at The Columbus Athenaeum, 32 N. Fourth Street. Ohio bloggers are invited to attend and cover the event. A brief summary:

1. The Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), a national, non-partisan organization based in Washington, DC, is sponsoring the event.

2. The meeting will be hosted by TV’s John Ratzenberger (‘Cheers,’ The Travel Channel’s ‘Made in America’).

3. The event will focus on Ohio’s continuing loss of manufacturing jobs. Voters will be encouraged to ask candidates blunt questions about what they’ll do to help save U.S. manufacturing.

4. Attendance is free, and is open to the general public. Bloggers are encouraged to RSVP in order to reserve media seating and prime Internet access. (Doors at 6 pm, event starts at 6:30).

5. Post-show interviews with John Ratzenberger must be arranged via RSVP before the event.

To RSVP, or if you have any questions, please contact Steven Capozzola at: scapozzola@aamfg.org or 202-393-3430

Now – if bloggers disclose that they’ve…well, I don’t know what exactly, since the event is free, will they be considered to be performing an act of journalism whilst liveblogging the event, or otherwise reporting afterwards?

I’m told that there will be free parking and a complimentary buffet dinner beforehand, and that the start time for all that is actually 5pm so you may indeed want to email Steve to firm up that info.

Unfortunately, I will be on a propeller plane tomorrow trying to get to a bar mitzvah in Alabama (yes, they have Jews there!). But I understand some of my favorite bloggers will be there and I’m very sorry to miss it. Have a great time.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:50 am November 7th, 2007 in Announcements, Blogging, Economy, Government, Ohio, Politics | 3 Comments 

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Nov

7

Ohio SOS Brunner, County BOE head Platten on WCPN today

Filed Under Announcements, Elections, Ohio, Politics | 1 Comment

Go here for the livestream, 9-10am, here for the download later:

Ohio Votes 2007
Aired Wednesday, November 07, 2007
When the polls close, the counting begins. In Cuyahoga County, that has marked the beginning of some difficulties in recent memory. On our program, we’ll chat with the Secretary of State about how democracy in action is working this election cycle. We’ll also speak with a panel of journalist to look at your local races and talk about how you voted, why you voted that way, and what it means for our community.

Guests: Jennifer Brunner, Secretary of State, The State of Ohio
Jane Platten, Director, Cuyahoga County Board of Elections
Tasha Flournoy, ideastream
Kymberli Hagelberg, ideastream
Stephanie Warsmith, Akron Beacon Journal 

Thanks to Dan Moulthrop and Paul Cox for planning this show and getting SOS Brunner to make the time this morning.

Oh – did I mention that I threw a horrifically awful house party for Jennifer Brunner in the summer of 2006?  Disclosure and all.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:20 am November 7th, 2007 in Announcements, Elections, Ohio, Politics | 1 Comment 

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Nov

7

Ohio Election Results (updated)

Filed Under Elections, Ohio, Politics | Comments Off

Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, all races

Ohio Daily Blog – outstanding statewide and key race coverage.

Sun News on local NEO races

Glass City Jungle for Toledo/NW Ohio

The Wom Blog on Lorain

Statewide results from Ohio News Now and news article

Blue Bexley for local

Eric Mansfield for Stark/Summit/Canton

Summit County from Ben Keeler of Keeler Political Report

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 8:52 am November 7th, 2007 in Elections, Ohio, Politics | Comments Off 

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