Would an Online Newspaper Be a Good Thing Here?

I've been kicking this idea around for awhile now...I am interested in the "news" of Nevada County, and I don't feel any one source provides it completely. I am thinking of an online news and entertainment product. My question is, are people wanting to read that?

I would envision covering the 3 government meetings, but writing the stories in a more breezy, and maybe slightly opinionated way. Not looong stories, either, but the meat of what is going on in Nevada County. I would write quirky "over the back fence" stuff, too and people could submit stories as well.

I'm thinking the entertainment news could be grouped by venue...maybe a week out with an "upcoming" list if you want to look ahead.

Please give me some feedback on this idea. Since you are reading this blog online, would you be interesting in reading some news as well?

Please comment your thoughts, suggestions, ideas, etc. Thanks! And f you think it's a stupid idea, tell me that, too. This would be a free product.

Comments

[dixie Redfearn]

Chip and Giovanni,
Chip -- thanks for the feedback -- I'm already on Twitter as dixiefix.
Giovanni -- I'm up for having the weather on my site but don't know how to do it (Luddire) Can u help me?

[chip]

Soon Grass Valley and Nevada City Council meetings and Nevada County Board of Supervisor meetings will be offered online via streaming-video and archived for video-on-demand. Many people will not want to spend the time watching and would prefer a synopsis. But the availability will ferret out the discrepancy between what really happened and what is reported.

I think Russ hit on the most important point: reporting on "Why" the event, resolutions, law, controversy, etc. is important. It's also the most difficult and potentially biased. Personally, I think the difficult road ahead in public media is distinguishing between opinions, biased reporting, reliable information, analysis, and subtle manipulation because online social networking can inflate and archive any of those aspects as fact.

You may want to not only pay attention to mobile devices but also consider the current "bling" like Twitter. On twitter you can now track stories posted in real time from KNCO, and some sections in TheOnion..., as well as weather updates from Giovanni.

If you want an outreach to those younger, of course, consider Myspace and Facebook...

[Giovanni Paredes]

Dixie,

I would be very interested offer my local view on our local weather on this online news source! This is an awesome idea. I'm already publishing a daily blog and weekly podcast and I just started a live video show on Sunday's called "Weather Rap"

This is the very beginning of the new media age.. It's ours to take and make it our own :)

Ciao!
Giovanni

[Douglas Keachie]

There's a full discussion board set up at:

www.SierraDebates.com

You are welcome to join an suggest topic headings, and add comments to the topics already suggested.

[Anna Haynes]

A note to Pam Gorman - do you have an RSS feed (or blog, which autogenerates one) listing the animals? If so, let me know what it is and I'll add it to Nevada County Voices.

[Anna Haynes]

Dixie, we already have a place - it's Nevada County Voices - http://ncvoices.us - and both your feeds - the one from your blog, and from KNCO - are there.

It just needs more publicity - which means people like you, who already know about it, need to be talking about it and linking to it.

Could you please link to it? or if there's a reason you don't find it satisfactory, let me know - it's been around since summer 2007, and could use some publicity.

[dixie Redfearn]

Russ and Ben.Hpw would I set that up? Is it hard? I don't have a smart phone so I'm clueless in that area...

[Russ]

Dixie,

Some more thoughts on a web newspaper. Consider this:

"Mobile devices are becoming the virtual newspaper.
According to a report released Monday by market researcher comScore, the number of U.S. residents using mobile devices to access news and information more than doubled to 63.2 million in January over the previous year." See the C/Net Wireless page.

Right now we do not have a local news source that targets mobile device users. Try logging on to The Union with a PDA or smartphone, it is a god offal mess. If you start a local web news outlet, make sure it is mobile friendly.

Russ

[Ben Barretta]

Great Idea! I agree with Russ that opinion and analysis would be refreshing and of interest. I place for bloggers to write and receive feedback would be good as long as kept civil. You could not do it all alone so you could let others talk across the back fence, too.

[Russ Steele]

Dixie,

Interesting idea. However, the Pew Research found that many people would not be concerned if their local newspaper went away. Details: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1147/newspapers-struggle-public-not-concerned

Now for my comments. People are tired of reading the news they already know. They want news that is important to them, and how it connects to their lives. That is why your Dixi Fix column works, it connects to people.

The thing missing from the news is why? We get the where and how, but the why is missing. I remember when we lived in Maine at Loring AFB in the 60s. We had two TV channels one American and one from Canada. The US Station would tell us President Kennedy said to day, quoting him. The Canada station would say President Kennedy said today, and they would quote the President just like the US station. But, then they would follow up with why what President Kennedy said was important to the citizens of Canada. What the consequences were of the US position. We never got that kind of analysis from the US station, and chose to listen to the Canada TV station more that the US station. We were given the WHY this news item was important.

Now if you go to the Chamber, Councils and Board meetings and just tell use what was said, with out adding why what was said is important, what the long term consequences might be, you will only be giving us the news we can get anywhere. The real news is the significants of what was said, not just what was said. Are up for that kind of analysis?

You might want consider asking some of the local blogger for some news analysis.

Russ

[Mona Matthias]

What a great idea! Go for it, Dixie! Especially the entertainment news!!!

[Pamela Gorman]

And Yes, a great idea, of course we can help by letting people know about the homeless animals in Nevada County. Pets of the week..along w/ a homeless animal rescue success story that happen in Nevada County.
Again great idea !! Just a heads up, when doing a paper it really should be non-opinionated with the facts..but it should be your style of course Dixie, which is a good one..

[Don Pelton]

This is a terrific idea. I've given this some thought too, and it seems to me that the advantage of an online-only publication is that you have flexibility about the "production schedule." On the other hand, I'm guessing that it is more likely to develop a loyal following if it changes daily. I suppose it depends on what your definition of "news" is!

Of course, my fantasy newspaper includes, in its mission statement, the famous William Carlos Williams line:

"It is difficult to get the news from poems, yet men die miserably every day for lack of what is found there."

[dixie Redfearn]

Thanks Norma!

[Norma Brink]

I will add my 10 cents here. I would be interested in local news etc you mentioned . As we travel a great deal and have a home in the area I like to log in to find out what is going on so we dont feel like such complete strangers when we return. Keep up the good work.