Comments on: Why hyperlocal journalism is easier – and harder – in rural areas

By: Wyoming? Why not! « Samantha Abernethy

Wyoming? Why not! « Samantha Abernethy — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:51:32 +0000

[...] Why not! I stumbled upon this blog posting by a reporter in western Nebraska, “Why hyperlocal journalism is easier – and harder – in rural areas.” He made some great points, and as I started to craft a comment, I realized I had too much [...]

By: The Back Forty » Nebraska journalist says rural news outlets must boost Web presence for “hyperlocal” impact

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:06:09 +0000

[...] But hyperlocal journalism as it’s being defined today is missing in some rural newspapers due to their lack of Web presence. In communities within metro areas, the hyperlocal approach brings residents to the news organization’s Web site to discuss the news of the area; in rural communities these conversations are, for the most part, not taking place online, Coddington writes: “In most small towns, the conversation surrounding the news lives at the cafe, at high school basketball games, at the bank, at church. It’s critical that small-town news orgs capture that conversation online, where they can grow from and be informed by it.” (Read more) [...]

By: More on Hyperlocal Blogging & Your Geography : HyperlocalBlogger

More on Hyperlocal Blogging & Your Geography : HyperlocalBlogger — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:05:28 +0000

[...] just last week, Mark Coddington posted his thoughts on that same issue — is it easier to be a local blogger in a big, bustling metropolis or in a [...]

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:01:56 +0000

Yes! I have to try to keep my eyes from glazing over every time I read another breathless report on the newest journalism-related iPhone app, since I don’t think I know a single person in this state outside of Omaha who has an iPhone. (Not to say that there aren’t any — there’s just no reception for AT&T out here.) That’s why I like Dan Gillmor’s suggestion last week that the subsidy that the American government should provide for journalism is in bandwidth, not news production.

I would agree that small-town papers have more of a reason to ignore the web, but even if the audience isn’t demanding a website, that doesn’t necessarily mean one wouldn’t succeed. I think that even many people who live in less-wired parts of the (Western) world have a desire to talk about their local news online, even if they don’t know they have it.

By: Tweetlinks, 11-09-09 [A Blog Around The Clock] « Technology Blogs

Tweetlinks, 11-09-09 [A Blog Around The Clock] « Technology Blogs — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:12:35 +0000

[...] Why hyperlocal journalism is easier – and harder – in rural areas [...]

By: Mike Spear

Mike Spear — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:56:01 +0000

Good post and good points.
When I first started in journalism ( before the Internet ) I lived a quick walk from the radio and TV station where I worked. After producing a lot of shows and covering a lot of stories in a lot of places, I wanted out of the city and started an outward migration. However until I finally left the CBC a few years ago I had an oddly schizophrenic life producing stories and programs for the city that were of only marginal use to my neighbours.
As the Internet was gaining steam, everyone was on dial-up so rural and city folks were on an equal digital footing.
Not so anymore.
High speed is not likely to ever make it to my doorstep (satellite is decent but no substitute) and more and more digital tools assume high speed connections, newer computers, and probably a Best Buy store close by to get the gadgets.
There is so much more at work than a discussion about hyperlocal or the future of journalism can cover. It is a digital divide that is also about technology, lifestyle, and what matters most.
Small town papers aren’t really “ignoring” the web as much as they are responding to audience need and the rural audience feels isn’t banging on the digital door demanding a web site.
That too is good and bad. Good that they have lots of interests that aren’t digital and care about their neighbours, and bad that they are falling behind the technology curve.
Rural Nebraska or rural anywhere is a long way from people who write about the future of journalism, the future of social media, and sadly the future of many things.
Thanks for the post and keeping my neighbours in mind.

Mike

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:07:59 +0000

Good catch, Nathan. The short answer is this: Most rural towns are old. Like, really old. Several of the small rural towns I cover have a median age as many as 15 years older than the metro areas in Nebraska. So the status quo can only last as long as those people stay alive, since there are few young people staying/moving in to replace them.

If those small-town papers keep ignoring the web, they’ll be fine in the short term, but as soon as that older, non-internet-native population dies off (for lack of a more tactful term) they’ll be in the same situation the rest of newspapers are in, which is to say: big trouble.

By: Nathan Maton

Nathan Maton — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:49:15 +0000

Great piece, I thought you made one assumption that should have been explained… why local rural papers will die. You claim that hyperlocal in rural is harder online because people don’t look for news there. So why is the status quo not going to survive?

By: Interesting reading on Fort Hood coverage, mobile revenue, rural journalism, staff cuts « Pursuing the Complete Community Connection

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:09:25 +0000

[...] journalism. Mark Coddington of the Grand Island Independent wrote a thoughtful blog post on the challenge of hyperlocal [...]

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:18:18 +0000

Justin: Thanks for your comment. It’s awesome to hear that you take the connection between rural and urban hyperlocal journalism so closely to heart. I wish more would.

I actually think you’re right: Hyperlocal journalism is probably tougher in Seattle than in someplace like Central City. That “Why it’s easier” side — along with your points about info overload — outweighs the “Why it’s harder” side in my book. Just look at Howard and The Batavian — it seems as though he’s already overcome the primary rural-specific challenge to hyperlocal journalism. Believe me, I don’t envy you.

As for the conversation already started on Facebook, Steph and I (the first commenter, who’s my paper’s online editor) have been talking about how to integrate that. I actually don’t feel a particularly strong obligation to own the conversation around the news in places like Central City, because it’s not the town in which we publish, and there are about 75 other towns like it on my beat. But I think your point applies well to Grand Island — the town of about 45,000 in which we do publish — and I hope we can keep finding ways to strengthen our online connection to the community here. If we come up with some brilliant idea or learn from some miserable failure, we’ll be sure to let you know!