NY Times Launches Maplewood - South Orange - Millburn Site archived

I like The Dispatch. Nice to have things all in one place. Thanks!

Nice one D&J!

Smooth....

Posted By: daveIf anyone feels swamped by all the headlines, please consult the "Dispatch" link in the navigation on this page. We hope this new service saves you time from spending your day visiting the plethora of other sites to see if there are "must reads."

What a great idea!

Would you consider doing an email subscriber list too for The Dispatch? A lot of industries do this, compile news from all sorts of sources and email the compilation out, either with their own editorial or just a little synopses. (And then you could sell advertising for within the email.)

Aint competition great!

Fishy,

You can subscribe by clicking the RSS feed link at the top and adding it to your favorite RSS reader (Firefox and Safari have them built in). Might add e-mail subscription at some point. If ad support is ever offered, a condition would be that sponsors are already an MOL sponsor.

Me likey.

Did "The Dispatch" button move today or am I on drugs?

Yikes! The world as I knew it (for about an hour) has changed again!

I LOVE The Dispatch. Very cool guys!

Posted By: wedjetDid "The Dispatch" button move today or am I on drugs?

Yes.











The button moved, I mean ...

Thanks nohero. I also like "The Dispatch".

My RSS reader is a web site: http://reader.google.com. It travels with me on any computer I walk up to. I like it pretty well. I've been subscribing to a lot of the local blogs recently, including the sites mentioned in this thread.

Article on The Local which confirms what I thought about the business model:

“If every single person who lives in Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Maplewood, Millburn, and South Orange came to these sites every day and made one impression, that would be about 120,000 impressions a day,” Schachter said in a phone interview. “It is barely enough to create a ripple in a pond and not enough to be profitable.

So the business model somehow relates not to ad revenue, but to selling a hyperlocal blogging platform? I'm even more mystified than I was before.

I wish them luck, I'm just confused.

I think NYT is on the record that this is an experiment and they are still crunching potential numbers.

True, 120,000 across four zip codes isn't necessarily a profitable audience size for ad revenues, but if they figure out a decent model here and in Fort NYC (that is, show they are engaging readers) and expand to other markets, then a total audience cluster of something like 400,000, a million, two million whatever could be profitable if costs are managed. It's less likely NYT would follow MOL's model (seek advertisers who are locally based), but rather try to sell inventory to national advertisers seeking niche audiences who are very engaged with the medium (that is, the users keep coming back to it). You could make a case to, say, the tri-regional dealers of an auto brand .... Comcast, Verizon ... many possibilities. And perhaps a few locally based bizs like real estate. The idea has legs, it's all about execution and building and maintaining an attractive audience.

dave, I think your resentment and fear are most unbecoming. I don't think Patch threatens MOL. I take your points about how it's funded obscenely and may not prove to be useful, but the latter point trumps everything, doesn't it? And even if it becomes a useful site, it probably won't cut into your market. As I said, I think it has more potential to help MOL than to hurt it.

Don't be thrown by Dave's attitude. It's only an elaborate cover for his real plan: to sell MOL to Microsoft and retire in style, next door to the Oracle in Boca.

-s.

BTW, Just So You Know, here's Proof Positive that MOL is in play: Local media baron Sbenois has already dumped all his MOL stock, after unsuccessfully trying to negotiate a friendly takeover, which Jamie spoiled by insisting that the new management keep Spell-Check (Sbenois simply loves reciting amusing typos out loud to his staff of lackies, flunkies, cronies, weenies, and ex-Bushies... seems he just can't get enough of 'em...) then suddenly throwing himself on the floor and threatening to hold his breath till he turned blue. Just sayin...

Posted By: sodaDon't be thrown by Dave's attitude. It's only an elaborate cover for his real plan: to sell MOL to Microsoft and retire in style, next door to the Oracle in Boca.

I can't wait for Dave to cash in.

Years ago, when I accompanied Dave to his first Bruce Springsteen concert, he was so overcome with emotion that he granted me an MOL stock option, which he scrawled on the bottom of a cup which had contained overpriced watery beer.

Of course, he swore that was the only option he's ever granted. I've never been sure of that ...

Re "The local" - Just noticed the "See.click.fix" section on the home page, which I think is neat. I guess it's a place to lodge local complaints about intersections, road conditions, etc. Although this isn't funny - this item kind of made me chuckle.

Posted By: Tom Reingolddave, I think your resentment and fear are most unbecoming. I don't think Patch threatens MOL. I take your points about how it's funded obscenely and may not prove to be useful, but the latter point trumps everything, doesn't it? And even if it becomes a useful site, it probably won't cut into your market. As I said, I think it has more potential to help MOL than to hurt it.

I agree. I'm writing Google a check today because of your post.

Resistance is futile

Nothing is futile. Ask this guy.

the ads are far from the worst they can do, I think the worst is when they bring out their google groups into a whole 'nuther forum, trying to drive MOL and other boards across the nation out of business.