Entries Tagged 'Resources' ↓

I’ve ranted a couple of times already about how journopreneurs need to make smart, inexpensive choices – especially about technology.

Over at the GrowthSpur blog, my colleague Dave Chase offers his thoughts (also live at OJR) about picking a good online content management system.

Dave speaks from vast experience. He was on the launch team of Microsoft’s fabled Sidewalk project (it caused several of my old bosses at Tribune to birth kittens, and ultimately forced good innovation out of self-defense). More important, he’s a local-site operator himself, at Sun Valley Online.

It’s worth a read.

It happened again: I heard a tale of a laid-off journalist who spotted an unmet need – a community that was no longer being covered the way it should be. So she decided to launch a neighborhood blog. Terrific!

Then came the thud: She’s already hired someone to take care of all the technology and design. For only $5,000. And she’s thinking like a businessperson – she bargained him down to that.

I joked about this a little the other day. But, really, it’s not funny.

Journopreneurs have a tough enough time doing all the things they need to do to launch a site, and figure out how to make a living at it. I want to scream when I see people so intimidated by Technology (cue dread-inspiring music) that they blow cash they could use on freelancers, marketing and another month’s mortgage payment.

I don’t blame the design and tech shops – they have a tough life, too. But if you want to be a hyperlocal or niche-site operator, learn the about technology. You don’t have to write code (God knows I don’t) – but you at least need to understand enough to know you don’t spend $5,000 on something you could easily do for $500.

I offer some-more practical advice – not just more harrumphing – over on the GrowthSpur blog. (Fair warning: There’s a pitch in there for GrowthSpur’s partnership services.)

I started reading a new blog today – one launched by a handful of writers to continue the work they were doing at a now-defunct trade magazine.

I commend them. They’re gamely carrying on in the face of the implosion of their publication, and they’re doing it without getting paid.

But I’m not linking to them here because I don’t want to embarrass them. The new site is, well, a bit of a mess.  has issues. Continue reading →