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August 18, 2009 at 10:14 pm #591960
beachdrivegirlParticipanthttp://westseattle.komonews.com/- seems odd to me? what are others thoughts….
August 18, 2009 at 10:18 pm #675033
flowerpetalMemberYour link didn’t work
August 18, 2009 at 10:20 pm #675034
LindseyParticipantMy thoughts… I’m guessing I know where they get 95% of their news tips.
Just delete the dash in the link and it will work fine.
August 18, 2009 at 10:32 pm #675035
sam-cParticipantwhat was weirder is what was highlighted in the twitter feed box on that site (on the left hand side with a little blue bird):
The X Gym: Welcoming a new West Seattle Blog sponsor http://bit.ly/20CMF
43 min ago
August 18, 2009 at 10:34 pm #675036
beachdrivegirlParticipantFirst let me apologize for the heading typo. Thats what happens when I type fast trying to hide from my boss. :)
Sam-C that is weirder. I had not seen that.
also, I found it odd b/c I foudn the site just by clicking on a local West Seattle story on the home page…The gorilla pic is defin. from this site. Doesnt quite seem right to me.
August 18, 2009 at 10:43 pm #675037
inactiveMemberLOL – KOMO! Shame on you.
Until recently, Rose Egge wrote for Brand X, WSB’s local online copycat.I think they burned her out giving her assingments TRYING to keep pace with TR.
So she shows up on another templated “neighborhood” news site, which is simply a poor attempt to reiterate the model TR and Team have created for the world.
We’ve got the original and the best neighborhood news site in the world. KOMO, as many others are doing, are doing nothing groundbreaking there. WSB is the only Emmy award winning journalist owned news site in Seattle which can truly claim innovation.
Correct me if I’m wrong, please.
August 18, 2009 at 11:17 pm #675038
WSBKeymasterOur compatriots in the neighborhood-news business have noted that suspected image-lifting, and if we suspect it happening with our site, you can bet we will deal with it. BUT – I do want to say that regarding the gorilla, after they saw the story on our site BEFORE their sites launched, they contacted the victim and I believe secured permission to use the imagery. So I do NOT want to leave them falsely accused there.
That said, since you guys have brought this up:
As I’ve said to a couple people who have e-mailed us about this. We and our compatriots in the INDEPENDENT, LOCALLY BASED neighborhood-news business around Seattle have known about this for several weeks.
Here’s why it’s happening:
Right now, big media is having trouble and their latest consultant-driven flavor of the month is to “go hyperlocal.” KOMO has launched 43 subsites, nominally “about” 43 neighborhoods, in cookie-cutter templates, with additional staff help from a couple people spread across those sites basically recycling calendar entries, and you can decide for yourself, comparing our content to theirs, whether you find value in it.
Their corporate muckymuck discussed quite openly in a Puget Sound Business Journal exactly what their motivation is – something like ingraining KOMO into the fiber of a community, and building relationships with local businesses. In other words, it ain’t about you, it’s about the money.
Yes, there’s money involved with WSB. We sell ads, for which we charge stupid-cheap prices that have stayed the same since we started selling ads two years ago. We are thrilled that WSB is supported by enough local businesses and organizations for us to make a living AND more importantly, as the revenue continues to grow, to continue to pay talented LOCAL journalists, photographers and technical workers – to gather and produce LOCAL news. (Note the huge volume of pre-election stories from veteran local journalists Kathy Mulady – former Seattle P-I – and Jack Mayne – former West Seattle Herald/Ballard News-Tribune editor, among many other newspapers in his long career. Both West Seattle residents.)
This has been tried in other areas of the country – big media trying to pretend to do “neighborhood” sites – and has failed to gain traction. HOWEVER – as I told those who have e-mailed us – we know that what matters most to you is that you are getting what you need. So:
If you see something at the KOMO “West Seattle” site, or anywhere else for that matter, that you would like to see at WSB, let us know. This site and its content has continued to evolve based on feedback, requests, usage and participation.
And THAT last word is where we are SO thrilled to have your support. 23,000+ homes/businesses reading every week – many of whom have participated actively in creating WSB “content” with phone calls, e-mails, photos, story tips, questions, Crime Watch reports, lost dogs/cats, you name it.
There is also much that goes on behind the scenes which you never see. Multiple times a day, we get e-mail asking about rumors, or other questions, that don’t translate into stories, but people think we can help, and we do our best to.
In addition, as do many LOCAL, WEST SEATTLE-BASED businesses (have I mentioned that enough yet?), we sponsor local events. So far this year: West Seattle Summer Fest, WestSide Baby Stuff the Bus, West Seattle Junction Car Show, Winter Movies on the Wall, Summer Movies on the Wall, Admiral Neighborhood’s Summer Concerts at Hiawatha, Sustainable West Seattle Festival. As is the case for ANY business/organization that sponsors the many awesome events around West Seattle each year, that is an donation of money and sometimes other materials (like ad space).
By the way, I worked for KOMO for eight years. I helped launch their serious Web efforts in the mid-’90s and was their first-ever “Executive Producer of New Media” when I left in 1999 to go to work for Walt Disney Internet Group. There are many good people still there and I wish them no ill will. But it is unfortunate that their corporate leaders have chosen to focus resources on this rather than on other ways they could be better serving the public.
Look for some big news out of us soon. We’re not going anywhere, and we SO appreciate your support. Please also continue to tell WSB sponsors that you appreciate them supporting LOCAL, independent neighborhood news/information/discussion that is created in and by West Seattle – with the money going right back into the community, paying local residents (us and our freelancers), supporting local events (as mentioned above), etc.
Our friends at Central District News, by the way, put it much better than we have:
http://centraldistrictnews.com/2009/08/17/corporate-media-arrives-in-the-cd
Thanks again for making West Seattle a great place, and for being part of WSB.
August 18, 2009 at 11:27 pm #675039
WSBKeymasterBy the way, if you have friends and relatives in other Seattle neighborhoods, here are the independent, neighborhood-based sites to support:
http://centraldistrictnews.com
I know I’m missing a few. Will add when I remember who I forgot.
August 19, 2009 at 12:56 am #675040
JayDeeParticipantHopefully the two ingredients WSB offers trump the “astroturf” approach of KOMO’s: passion and hard work. You and your family’s passion makes it easier to work the hours you all do, and the hard work pays off in the quality of the website. Both McDonalds and Zippys sell burgers, but the products are not comparable.
August 19, 2009 at 1:02 am #675041
WSBKeymasterJayDee, brilliant line there. Thank you. (And now in fact I’m off to put together a story that wouldn’t be possible without photo/info that JayDee sent!)
August 19, 2009 at 2:04 am #675042
IrukandjiParticipantWSB, you’ve GOT to move up that Tip Jar of yours. I almost got carpal tunnel scrolling down for it!
August 19, 2009 at 4:10 am #675043
sam-cParticipantA while back, I remember seeing some ‘ad’ thing on the seattlep-i website “do you want to blog about your neighborhood?’. i remember thinking why? there are already neighborhood blogs, neighborhood news sites.
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