Archive for March, 2008
March 31st, 2008
it only makes sense that san antonio’s newspaper web site created a blog for its bloggers.
the blogger-powered blog offers basic tips like how to edit your work or insert code, but it also shares ways to become more engaging, to write better headlines, to attribute source material, to understand terms of use and to see whether your blog is on-topic.
helpful, i’m sure, to the bloggers and the newspaper, since the site has dozens of bloggers.
i might even keep checking it now and then…
March 28th, 2008
wired magazine tells you this new movement of “freeconomics” all goes back to mr. gillette.
it’s a long article, but here is the message in a nutshell:
It’s now clear that practically everything Web technology touches starts down the path to gratis, at least as far as we consumers are concerned. Storage now joins bandwidth (YouTube: free) and processing power (Google: free) in the race to the bottom. Basic economics tells us that in a competitive market, price falls to the marginal cost. There’s never been a more competitive market than the Internet, and every day the marginal cost of digital information comes closer to nothing.
yes, this is why your dvd player costs $29 instead of $290. and why media companies don’t charge for some of their publications.
March 27th, 2008
You may have noticed that each morning on rrstar.com we’ve posted updates on road work happening that day in the Rock River Valley. Included is an interactive map that shows the status of the work.
We tell you about pothole repairs, construction plans, road closures and so on.
We’ve put all that together on one page for you so you can easily keep up “Road Watch” items. Stay in the know so you can avoid road crews. And check out the map. It’s pretty cool.
March 26th, 2008
here’s some light fare for spring break week:
the rockford register star gives out monthly awards to recognize employees. the names and descriptions (below) come from the jim collins book “good to great.”
Brutal Facts - Awarded to person that looked at a system or procedure, faced the brutal fact that it was holding back the department, and suggested changes that are implemented.
Hedgehog – Awarded to an individual that best keeps to our hedgehog concept.
Flywheel – Awarded to an individual that shows improvement over the longest time.
for february, the newsroom won the award for its coverage of the niu campus shootings. this is the first time an award has gone to an entire department. assistant metro editor bob schaper is pictured above with the oversized hedgehog that sits in the newsroom. he’s always wanted the little hedgehogs that come with the usual award.
of course, we don’t cover news for the awards. but we’ll take ‘em when we get ‘em.
March 25th, 2008
We introduced a new community blog this weekend on rrstar.com. Viewpoints Board is written by members of the community who agreed to advise the Register Star on the Editorial Agenda and on topics of the day. (We also have our Editorial Board’s blog, A Seat at the Table.)
The group has conservatives, liberals and independents. Some are retired. Others are doctors, teachers, pastors, social workers and marketing specialists.
Several of them agreed to blog on rrstar.com. They’ll share their views here on local issues.
Their thoughts – as well as the opinions of other board members – also will appear with other opinion content online and in the newspaper in the Opinions section.
Take the opportunity to read what people just like you are saying about the Rock River Valley. To join in the conversation, click on the link to the right of the “comment bubble.”
March 24th, 2008
The Register Star won GateHouse’s Newspaper of the Year award this morning. Judges recognized our work across all platforms — the newspaper, the Web and specialty products. (Judy Emerson won an award earlier.)
The judges said: “This was an outstanding entry on many levels. The newsroom committed to Web-first. New strategic products were introduced. Lots of staff members were learning and doing new things. And, the big flood came and the newsroom responded to the challenge of keeping the community informed.”
Read more on the GateHouse Newsroom Web site.
March 24th, 2008
in the last few years, a number of newspapers have launched web sites for moms, because they have a strong desire to connect with others like them and find out what they can do for and with their families. cincymoms.com. indymoms.com. just-fill-in-the-blank-moms.com … we hope to do the same thing for rockford.
one newspaper realized, “hey, dads are parents, too!” rochester, n.y., created rocmen.com, a place not only for photo galleries but also features on video gaming, outdoors activities and businessmen. plus, there are youtube picks with a poll that has a picture of poo. that’s so male of them.
March 21st, 2008
this morning, we have a couple of cool maps that help tell the stories visually.
with the announcement of rockford airport service to detroit and denver, we show you where you can go from RFD. plus you can check out the destination’s parking, flight delays and directions.
and with our story about match day, you can see where students from the university of illinois college of medicine at rockford are going for their residencies, complete with photos.
how do we do this? just by using a google account to customize what we need. we also do things as simple as providing a map when there is an accident, fire or closed road.
March 20th, 2008
We have a treat for all you history buffs. New to rrstar.com: historic photo galleries. We’ll publish two of these a month, for now. In the spirit of Election 2008, we’ll start with photos of U.S. presidents who have visited the Rock River Valley. First up is John F. Kennedy’s campaign stops here in 1959 and 1960. We also included front pages of the Rockford Register-Republic.
So far, the gallery has generated more than 3,700 page views.
Enjoy.
March 20th, 2008
with all of the attention in the newspaper industry on the web and niche products, you’d think that there’s no value given to the actual newspaper.
not true. we still spend a hefty amount of resources there, we still reach tens of thousands of readers, and as this media strategist’s blog post points out, print has advantages over online. for one, it’s linear. for the not-so-tech-savvy-, it’s also portable.
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