May 12th, 2008 04:48pm
Anna Voelker
Who knew pictures of Jenna Bush’s wedding would drive traffic? This morning, we posted 11 photos of the prez’s daughter and so far the gallery has generated nearly 6,000 page views. It’s been hit and miss with “celebrity-type” galleries in the past. Some galleries of red-carpet events like the Oscars didn’t garner many page views. I figure most people come to us for local-local news, stuff that other Web sites don’t have. And our priority is to publish those types of photo galleries first. Last month, we posted more than 70 local news photo galleries, for example.
May 12th, 2008 10:26am
Anna Voelker
The Rock River Valley used to be called the “Screw Capital.” Manufacturing used to make up more than a quarter of our local economy. Then we started losing those jobs.
When I was a reporter on the business desk, I wrote about CLARCOR moving its headquarters from Rockford to Nashville. I interviewed laid-off factory worker Doug Edwards, who lived near CLARCOR. He said, “We went from being the `Screw Capital of the World’ to the ‘Now We’re Getting Screwed Capital of the World,’” said Edwards, referring to Rockford’s former renown as a leading maker of fasteners. “Once the corporate headquarters moves, then the rest of the jobs will move. This town is dying.”
That was 2004. Today, local manufacturers are encouraged about their future. We’re talking less about lost jobs and more about diversifying the business. We asked several of them to blog for us. Manufacturing 2.0 focuses on global manufacturing and other local trend — and the continued importance of this industry on our community. None of them would say this town is dying. And a few of them didn’t want this blog to have any reference to the “Screw Capital” or the “Rust Belt” in its name. So, instead, we picked a name that looks at the future.
Bob Trojan, president of Rockford Linear Actuation, writes in his latest post: “So my message is … get into the export game, either directly or sell to customers who export and keep on making productivity improvements. It’s a good formula for keeping our local manufacturing economy growing.”
May 9th, 2008 01:00am
Jennie Pollock
i remember hearing that quote from “the daily show” … from none other than jon stewart.
people often say that more young people get their news from “the daily show” than actual news outlets. this study shows that its viewers actually come to the show pretty informed.
other findings?
– the show focuses on politics about as often as cable news shows.
– it skewers republicans more often than democrats.
– and it covers the media twice as much.
May 8th, 2008 03:09pm
Anna Voelker
I love that our reporters are trying new things. When I went to college, there was no such thing as a multimedia journalist bachelor’s degree. Most of the folks in our newsroom have had to learn new stuff. Much of it by trial and error. Take a look at Jeff Kolkey’s package on Page Park School that published today on rrstar.com. Jeff wrote the story, and shot and edited the video. It’s worth your time.
May 8th, 2008 06:46am
Jennie Pollock
ever since we posted photos of old gas station prices and asked readers for their memories of how much gas cost per gallon when they got their drivers licenses, we’ve gotten responses from across the country.
back as far as the late 1980s, when i got my license, gas was under a buck: i remember 88 cents for unleaded at the mobil station near the hardee’s where i worked.
i love discovering your stories. especially because you’ve been telling us what cars you drove, too.
keep ‘em coming.
May 6th, 2008 07:08am
Jennie Pollock
as the editor of rockford woman, when i speak to women’s groups, i often address the issue of work-life balance and what i do to achieve it. (my joke is that i save some time by not washing my hair sometimes: but it’s true…)
so in the last 24 hours, i noticed a happy coincidence: on monday morning i was talking to a business associate about how stories about women are much more likely to define them as mothers/grandmothers and mention their work-life balance than stories about men. and this morning, i read reed schreck’s story about icehogs coach mike haviland (above), who flies to see his family in new jersey and uses a video cam to keep in touch. i was glad to see that. the challenge for him and his wife makes my life look easy.
not only did we portray the coach’s challenge, we also showed what his assistant coach does by renting a home here with his wife and three children.
and speaking of coincidences: businessrockford.com’s magazine addressed this whole work-life balance issue, too.
May 5th, 2008 03:33pm
Lil Swanson
We started talking in depth this morning about the next piece of the project, a look at crime and how we got to where we are over the last three decades.
Judy Emerson has been digging into the topic for a couple of months, and we’ve outlined the main stories she’ll write. We want the online experience to be all that and a whole lot more, so tomorrow we will be plotting that strategy.
Already, we have one video in hand, with Police Chief Chet Epperson, and we will be producing many more.
What would you most like to know about crime in Rockford?
May 5th, 2008 11:30am
Anna Voelker
Our word specialist, Bary Wood, started blogging today. Check out Wood on Words, where you now have an excuse to catch up on your jargon, gibberish, slang and gobbledygook.
Barry WoodÂ
May 5th, 2008 08:19am
Anna Voelker
We’ve already gotten some response from readers who want to help turn Rockford around. Do you want to help? Find out how here.
We also asked you for your hopes and dreams for Rockford. Here’s what Terry Carl of Loves Park had to say.
May 2nd, 2008 01:52pm
Anna Voelker
You’ll hear a lot about our 180 Degrees project over the next year. And I want to invite you to join the campaign. It’s formal title is 180 Degrees: Solutions to a Better Rockford. We’re looking at how Rockford has changed over the last three decades in five areas that are essential to this community’s way of life: Crime, education, local economy, government and culture/our sense of place.
Our staffers produced several videos, photo galleries and stories that look at how we got here, assess strategies that have been tried to solve problems, and identify positive ways to move the community forward. (Find all of this by clicking on the link above.) I am proud of what my colleagues have done so far.
Stay in touch with what we learn and how the community is getting involved on our campaign blog, 180 Degrees. Be a part of the movement.
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