You blog. We blog. Let’s do it together...for hundreds of thousands of readers in Boston.
Boston is a diverse city with a distinct personality. Even under all the winter scarves, hats, and coats, you can tell a local from a tourist a block away. We walk quickly, we like our coffee scalding, and we have no respect for sidewalks. If we drive, it's fast and with purpose, and we're not afraid to give a little Boston Bump to squeeze into that parking space on Newbury. We know what we think, and we aren’t afraid to say so. With conviction. And, apparently, we're terrified of Lite-Brites, but what can you do? We're taking the good with the bad, here.
Unfortunately, Boston’s traditional media rarely capture this uniqueness or the voices and personalities of the folks who make Boston so appealing (to us, anyway). But that’s no surprise, is it? Mainstream media just don’t get it. Never have, probably never will.
But this has to change. For media to have any relevance or resonance in our lives, we, the media, have to give you and people like you a voice and a platform for your voices.
With your help, BostonNOW will be the first newspaper to truly reflect its community in print and online, with you playing a prominent role.
BostonNOW is a new free daily newspaper launching this year that will incorporate both traditional and citizen journalism. Your ideas about the Boston community (news, politics, sports, the arts, etc.) will appear side-by-side with the words of BostonNOW staffers and wire service journalists. We will promote your work prominently both in the paper and on the website, not in a “local blogs” or “reader photos” ghetto.
Every day, BostonNOW will direct readers to the Web, where they will find real depth and discussion. BostonNOW will become the place to learn what folks around here really think about politics, entertainment, sports, and their fellow humans. This dialogue will create a newspaper of the people, by the people, for the people.
BostonNOW will truly be your newspaper.
This is your opportunity, as a local blogger, photographer, artist, or pundit, to get in on the ground floor and contribute. You will get to share your perspective on living, surviving, and thriving in this amazing city. Participation in the BostonNOW experience will give you massive exposure to a huge reading audience -- your words in a daily newspaper going to tens of thousands of commuters and residents; your words on a website generating thousands of page views; your words syndicated worldwide with a share of any profits going to you.
The best part? You're already doing it on your blogs and websites. We want to give you the opportunity to share your insight with the entire city.
If you are interested in learning more about BostonNOW and the opportunity, please join us for free food and soft drinks:
Boston is a diverse city with a distinct personality. Even under all the winter scarves, hats, and coats, you can tell a local from a tourist a block away. We walk quickly, we like our coffee scalding, and we have no respect for sidewalks. If we drive, it's fast and with purpose, and we're not afraid to give a little Boston Bump to squeeze into that parking space on Newbury. We know what we think, and we aren’t afraid to say so. With conviction. And, apparently, we're terrified of Lite-Brites, but what can you do? We're taking the good with the bad, here.
Unfortunately, Boston’s traditional media rarely capture this uniqueness or the voices and personalities of the folks who make Boston so appealing (to us, anyway). But that’s no surprise, is it? Mainstream media just don’t get it. Never have, probably never will.
But this has to change. For media to have any relevance or resonance in our lives, we, the media, have to give you and people like you a voice and a platform for your voices.
With your help, BostonNOW will be the first newspaper to truly reflect its community in print and online, with you playing a prominent role.
BostonNOW is a new free daily newspaper launching this year that will incorporate both traditional and citizen journalism. Your ideas about the Boston community (news, politics, sports, the arts, etc.) will appear side-by-side with the words of BostonNOW staffers and wire service journalists. We will promote your work prominently both in the paper and on the website, not in a “local blogs” or “reader photos” ghetto.
Every day, BostonNOW will direct readers to the Web, where they will find real depth and discussion. BostonNOW will become the place to learn what folks around here really think about politics, entertainment, sports, and their fellow humans. This dialogue will create a newspaper of the people, by the people, for the people.
BostonNOW will truly be your newspaper.
This is your opportunity, as a local blogger, photographer, artist, or pundit, to get in on the ground floor and contribute. You will get to share your perspective on living, surviving, and thriving in this amazing city. Participation in the BostonNOW experience will give you massive exposure to a huge reading audience -- your words in a daily newspaper going to tens of thousands of commuters and residents; your words on a website generating thousands of page views; your words syndicated worldwide with a share of any profits going to you.
The best part? You're already doing it on your blogs and websites. We want to give you the opportunity to share your insight with the entire city.
If you are interested in learning more about BostonNOW and the opportunity, please join us for free food and soft drinks:
Saturday, March 10, 2007
11am to 2pm
All Asia Café
334 Mass. Ave.
Central Square
Cambridge, Mass.
11am to 2pm
All Asia Café
334 Mass. Ave.
Central Square
Cambridge, Mass.
Free appetizers and soda will be available, and tunes will be spun by a DJ. If you have any friends or compatriots you think would be interested in this opportunity, please feel free to forward this invitation and bring them along.
Please RSVP at Upcoming.org.
We want to create a newspaper that truly reflects our community, where real people get a chance to publish what matters to them.
Revolutionary, we know.
Be a part of it.
Your city will thank you for it.
Sincerely,
Regina O’Brien
Content Manager
John Wilpers
Editor-in-Chief
Please RSVP at Upcoming.org.
We want to create a newspaper that truly reflects our community, where real people get a chance to publish what matters to them.
Revolutionary, we know.
Be a part of it.
Your city will thank you for it.
Sincerely,
Regina O’Brien
Content Manager
John Wilpers
Editor-in-Chief
19 comments:
March 11 is a Sunday.
Just sayin'.
The day has been corrected -- it is on Saturday, March 10th. Thanks for commenting!
As a member of the Boston Blogs Network and an advisor and contributor to Universal Hub, I'll be interested to see how we all can work together to increase the visibility of alternate news and information that is written and edited by the people who read it.
The project sounds great, and is really welcome. Best o' luck!
Wow...giving you the rights to reprint my content for free. What a deal! Maybe you can sell me a bridge too.
Hi, John, Congratulations on the new pub. Russel was my boss many moons ago at The Tab. I ran into him a couple in a restaurant in Newton a little while back and heard about his new adventures in the newspaper world. Sounds like fun!
Anonymous said...
Wow...giving you the rights to reprint my content for free. What a deal! Maybe you can sell me a bridge too.
March 1, 2007 12:54 PM
Hi, Anonymous:
Thank you for giving us your feedback rather than just writing us off and not telling us why.
Your concerns are valid, and I’m sure other bloggers share those concerns.
Let us reassure you that BostonNOW will not be assuming rights to your personal content — you will retain those rights as a writer, photographer, or otherwise creative-minded individual.
BostonNOW is simply offering bloggers like yourself something you don’t have today: two mass media outlets (a 135,000+ daily circulation newspaper and its website) for the widespread distribution and promotion of your thoughts.
No other newspaper does that. We will.
We are also offering you the opportunity to communicate with a much larger community than most bloggers enjoy today. And, we are offering you a cost-free means of syndicating your work on a world-wide content site seen by thousands of publications on many continents.
In short, we’re offering massive exposure in exchange for letting us publish and promote your content. I’d say that’s a pretty good bargain, especially as you might make money in the process.
Thanks again for your response. I hope we can work together.
John Wilpers
Editor, BostonNOW
Regina O’Brien
Web Content Master, BostonNOW
Is there a way we can give permission for content use if we are unable to attend the summit?
Rhea said...
Hi, John, Congratulations on the new pub. Russel was my boss many moons ago at The Tab. I ran into him a couple in a restaurant in Newton a little while back and heard about his new adventures in the newspaper world. Sounds like fun!
March 1, 2007 1:20 PM
Hi, Rhea:
I'll pass along your comments to Russel. It IS going to be lots of fun, especially showing MSM that bloggers and citizen-journalists have a prominent role to play in the newspaper of the future. Be sure to RSVP for the Summit at Upcoming.org.
See you on the 10th!
John Wilpers
Editor, BostonNOW
Auntie Scotch said...
Is there a way we can give permission for content use if we are unable to attend the summit?
March 1, 2007 4:15 PM
Auntie Scotch,
Thanks for commenting!
We are planning on doing a follow-up session later in March for those who couldn't attend the first session, and to continue the discussion with participants. All of the information we share at the summit will also be posted at this blog. So, watch this space for more information.
Again, thanks for your interest in the project!
Regina & John
P.S. - We checked out your blog, as well, and thought it was great. Peanut butter can be very tempting! (Sidebar: Regina enjoys smushing chocolate chips into a spoonful of creamy peanut butter when appropriate.)
I'm not an actual Bostonian - but you guys DO hang around on Cape Cod a lot! Does your purview stop at the city's edge?
Like Auntie Scotch I also won't be able to attend but the concept does sound interesting. Will be keeping my eyes open for the next meeting/get together.
(Weekends are tough due to travel etc..)
I'm interested. Can I direct my share of proceeds to my hospital?
Peter Porcupine said...
I'm not an actual Bostonian - but you guys DO hang around on Cape Cod a lot! Does your purview stop at the city's edge?
March 1, 2007 10:19 PM
Peter,
Our purview does not stop at the city's edge, but we would ask that bloggers stick to items of interest to folks in the greater Boston area. That could include events and issues on the Cape, like beach pollution/erosion, the wind farm, the rotary, etc.
So, please, feel welcome. We look forward to hearing from you.
Regina & John
Lewis said...
Like Auntie Scotch I also won't be able to attend but the concept does sound interesting. Will be keeping my eyes open for the next meeting/get together.
(Weekends are tough due to travel etc..)
March 2, 2007 8:55 AM
Lewis,
We look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming meetings! The next opportunity will probably be toward the end of March on a weeknight, so hopefully that will work for your traveling schedule.
Stay tuned to this blog for more information, and thank you for your interest!
John & Regina
I was serious...
Can the payments go to a nonprofit?
Paul,
John Wilpers and Russel Pergament say hello -- they remember you from the Tab days when you were running the MWRA. Small world!
We are more than happy to allow you to take any compensation that would result from your involvement with BostonNOW and direct that to a non-profit entity, specifically your hospital.
Hope to see you at the Summit on Saturday, and thanks for your comments and interest!
Cheers,
Regina
I would need the extra cash since I work at BIDMC and they only allow for a 3% raise across the board no matter how above and beyond you go.
Thanks, Regina. I do have some ideas on the compensation issue but cannot attend on March 10.
Also, would love to reconnect with John/Russel if they'd like to give a call.
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