Karl has asked for comments on the city blogosphere so here are my two cents. Some of these are in response to rzklkng's posting on the subject and are intended as criticism to expand the conversation. What I think would really increase our effectiveness as a city-wide or regional web are more of the small niche blogs.
We need more people to focus on their own particular areas instead of everyone working to be Alist or national. We have enough people talking about Cindy Sheehan and Karl Rove. We need more people talking about Ardmore and Delaware County and Germantown and Chester, and discussing what is going on there. Not what bars they go to but what people are talking about and local politics. We don’t have anyone looking closely at the area business community or pulling relevant pieces from Philadelphia Business. We don’t have anyone watching the libraries or the charitable institutions. Most of what we do is comment and critique the MSM which doesn’t bring anything really new to the equation. I check America’s Hometown almost everyday. It will never be Alist or a national blog but the writer finds nuggets of information that the rest of us don’t have access to or miss. We would be poorer without it.
To do this kind of writing people often need anonymity. We need people who work in government and business and other institutions to tell us what they see happening in broad terms (say an industry as opposed to a company) and they won’t do that if people know who they are. I could cover the broad occupational area I work in but to be really effective I would have to do so under an assumed name. We also need to talk freely about our own lives. I noted on one blog a woman said she had had an abortion. In the comments of a posting on a missing person someone discussed their experience of being taken briefly as a child. Under their own names people may not be comfortable discussing these topics but it is important to put flesh on the bones of these issues and not make them into something that happens to someone else or somewhere else but experiences people we know, even if only in a digital sense, have had. There will be deliberate misinformation in this setting but slowly we will be able to note consistency and make judgments and hopefully people can provide some verification on what they write.
We do need to know each other well enough to form a sense of community but, honestly, I’m less interested in everyone’s reaction to the front page of the paper or the evening news than in what they know that I don’t.
anonymous blogs
On the topic of being an "A-list" anonymous blog, Eschaton was an A-List blog before Atrios reveiled himself to be Duncan Black. Anonymity shouldn't be an issue as to whether or not a blog should be considered credible.
And it takes a lot of devotion and understanding to do the things that Jeff is doing at America's Home Town, he's a part of the team here at PF. I'd rather see a handful of blogs like his with such a good understanding and nose for these kinds of stories than a mess of them stabbing blindly at issues/stories they don't understand.
What bars people to go is a niche that should be fulfilled as well, right next to local politcal blogs. I'm not saying I'd read them as much as I do the 20 or so Philly area poli-blogs I read daily, but they have a place as well is what I'm trying to say.
The non-political blog posts...
By saying "bar-posts" I don't mean a blog passed on drinking establishments, but blogs that are "real". You're more likely to see a referrer in you stats for "Springfield Bar Live Music" then "Delaware County State Senators". Having a diversity of content, or blogging about what your in to, only broadens your audience. Local politics will bring them in too, but so much of the appeal of blogging is the voyeuristic (and exhibitionistic) aspect of it. I blog about cool links, cars, tech, politics, whatever. If you exclusively blog about politics, you just made the pie a fixed size. If you broaden your subjects, you make the pie bigger. Not everybody is interested in searching out information to be a PCpundit, but looking for "things to do" or "live music in Delco" exposes them to your site and whatever other issues your talking about.
As far as Atrios, I like him, but he is definitely the exception and not the rule. Forget about traffic, we've already established the barriers to the A-List - we are talking about legitimacy. That's not to say you lack legitimacy by being anonymous, but you certainly have more credibility when you are a real person.
Oh yeah...
Two more ideas...
Karl&Co...can you make RSS feeds for "The News YOU Write" and "Stories from our regional web - Philly blog headlines"?
Second, I have a Podcast idea for the Drinking Liberally nights. Get a moderator, someone fair and balanced who's a conversation starter and focuser, a "known" local blogger (A-Z List), and 3 unknown local bloggers. Throw in "guests", like candidates, current politicians, civic leaders, business people, musicians, etc. Solicit questions the week before to talk about. One guy with a laptop and mikes can record a couple of hours and put it up. Just a thought...
While Anonymity shouldn't be an issue
With far too many - it is. And there is no avoiding that. No - I'm not saying that's an issue with me personally - I read Atrios long before he went public with his identity - but it's important to face up that human nature doesn't change - we are more likely to trust what we know.
My issue with anonymity is how it doesn't exist anymore. Whether thru the DMCA or thru the Patriot Act - you don't have it - even when you think you do. Anonymity from spouces - yes you probably have that - but from corporations of government - probably not.
You need to use the measures mentioned in this EFF doc at minimum. And even this is not enough.
I want to concentrate on this though Julie because I really agree:We need more people to focus on their own particular areas instead of everyone working to be Alist or national. We have enough people talking about Cindy Sheehan and Karl Rove. We need more people talking about Ardmore and Delaware County and Germantown and Chester, and discussing what is going on there. Not what bars they go to but what people are talking about and local politics. We don’t have anyone looking closely at the area business community or pulling relevant pieces from Philadelphia Business. We don’t have anyone watching the libraries or the charitable institutions. Most of what we do is comment and critique the MSM which doesn’t bring anything really new to the equation. I check America’s Hometown almost everyday. It will never be Alist or a national blog but the writer finds nuggets of information that the rest of us don’t have access to or miss. We would be poorer without it
There are those seeking attention simply for fame and fortune - there are those who just want to express themselves and see this as art - and there are those that want to make a difference. Just as off the web. And it makes the world go around. I wouldn't want it any other way :)
Blogging about local civic matters can mean few hits. It's hard. You can't satisfy everyone - there is no way you can blog about everything you feel you need to - there is just no time - and if you focus locally - someone may end up knocking on your door pissed (back to your anonymity point!). The stakes - while narrower - are raised for yourself.
I am looking for exactly the same thing you are looking for - it's why this site exists in the first place. We need to let our community know its available - and educate them on how they can particpate here and elsewhere - sites like PoliticsPhilly, Young Philly Politics and (well its not online yet) Young Conservaties of PA (ok... I may or may not be happy with that one :) - but if it expands conversation istead of rancor - I will become a fan).
And if these site don't satisfy - start your own. Who is the expert at finding the best restraunt on your block? Some blog who is trying to make a profit - or YOU? My guess is the latter - and the more we share - the more we tighten the bonds of community.
Because Philly rocks - even with cynics who wash their hands of responsibility because they feel overwhelmed - even with those whose priority is about sucking the life blood from it while returning nothing back.
So help us here. Share about local music. Local sports. Local events. Share about politics. About activism. About the block party you and the folks are having.
Share and connect.
RSS feed and podcast
Here's the feed - I need to add it to our RSS page: http://www.phillyfuture.org/blog/feed
The podcast idea is terrific. On other days we can highlight a local band on others a place to go.
Our team has been bouncing this idea around and if you can help - it would be awesome.
anonymity
Karl,
I understand your remarks on anonymity and how little of it we really have, probably far more than you can imagine. However, in large part, an opaque veil will provide all that anyone would need in this setting, provided they aren't overly provocative in any way. Your average beginner wouldn't be able to learn all the anonymizer tricks that EFF suggests, but a blogger or typepad account with no personal info attached, a additional email account for comments, and away you go. The determined can always find a way to track you down, regardless of how careful you are, but general reporting, unless it gets really dicey, won't attract that kind of attention.
The blog I mentioned, America's Hometown, doesn't have any real identifiable personal info on it. Those willing to take about 30 seconds can figure out who writes it, but many of those looking won't bother. Nor do many of us care as long as the info is valid, and there seems to be general agreement that it is.
Insisting on names attached to a blog will discourage those with "hostages to fortune," (anyone economically dependent on you, aged parents, children, spouses at home or starting up businesses or in law school, etc.), anyone who might plan to run for higher office at some point in the future, and those with snarky coworkers.
If you lived in a small suburb and had your name on your blog would you write a bad review about a restaurant in your area if the owner's wife were likely to be your kid's teacher the next year? Or if the chef were your spouse's brother-in-law? A little personal space can go a long way.
Nor does having a name attached guarantee quality.
One practical suggestion. I wonder if it would be possible to have brief descriptions of the blogs on the PhillyFuture blog list. Not on the main page but perhaps on a separate one. Something like the blogrings do. I haven't personally visited all the blogs on the list because there are so many, but a sentence or two on each would be a big help in deciding what ones to choose.
As a last comment, I have to apologize for not proofreading my initial note as well as I should have. I meant to write that I intended it NOT as criticism of the earlier post but as a means to expand the conversation. It was late. I'm sorry.
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