Blogging: The New News

We've heard it for years. "We're not connecting with our readers!" "They're not reading us!" "They're only interested in the comics and the baseball standings!"

At my old jobs, the editors and reporters tried everything. Focus groups were formed. Town-hall meetings were set up. But all that did was just confirm our suspicions. "There's nothing in there for me"... "Why did you reduce the comics section?"

The only thing that showed any signs of success was this: Getting readers involved themselves.

For years, the only outlet the reader had was the "Letters to the Editor" section, if they were lucky enough to get something in there. If they were even luckier, they could get a whole opinion piece published.

But it was never enough. Readers wanted to read about themselves, and about others they knew. They wanted the "local voices" who could say the stuff about the community that they couldn't say elsewhere.

Now Patch is taking that step. Today, we're adding a section called "Local Voices," and we're looking for writers. Yeah, they call them bloggers. But we want writers, talkers, opinion-makers and anybody else who's got something to share.

We're looking for people who can say something nice about the Little League, and even highlight some accomplishments. We're looking for people who may have something to say about how their local, state and federal government is run.

If you got a recipe, we're looking for that, too. Everybody likes to eat.

Getting involved is easy. Just sign up with Patch.com and ask a local editor to have you identified as a "blogger."

In just five months, we've established a strong foothold in many of our Jersey Shore communities, each covered by the following Patches: Barnegat, Point Pleasant, Lacey, Brick, Toms River, Howell, Berkeley Township, Long Branch, Wall, Manasquan and Belmar and Manchester.

Now we want to do more. Hopefully, you won't have to ask "what's in it for me?" anymore. Because you will be in there.

Tom Davis

Jersey Shore editor for Patch.com