Count me along those bloggers who need a 36-hour-day to fit all the blogging they want to do into a schedule that has to include work, sleep, food and at least some social interaction with friends and family. I had two days off in a row for the first time in a long time, and it was the busiest two days ever.
You think I wrote a lot of posts during the past few days? I have five other posts that I didn’t have time to do, and
Believe me, if I could figure out how to swing it financially, I’d blog full time. Actually, I’d do the citizen journalism thing full time. GateHouse Media continues to provide evidence that they fully intend for the quality and amount of journalism their newspapers to decline. And, I’m convinced this is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to fill the void. The public is hungry for coverage that goes beyond the superficial pap they are being given by their daily newspapers.
Consider the fact that during the last several weeks that I have turned up the notch a bit in the amount of original reporting, the number of visitors has shot up from an average of just less than 800 to more than 1,000. That’s a 25 percent increase.
That’s a long way away from the huge numbers I would need to generate the ed revenue I’d need to make a go of it. The only people who seem to be able to blog full time are those creepy freaks who blog about celebrity underwear incidents.
I’ll let you know if the numbers continue to grow.
Bloggers won’t replace the need for full-time reporters. But I think that there might be a place in the market for full-time, Web-based independent journalists to provide an alternative to the mainstream media. There used to be such a thing as alternative newspapers, but they’ve become big business now.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
The only advantage bloggers have is that they are poor and no one is going to sue them. it’s easy to get a scoop when there’s no worry as to what is going to happen.
“Scoops” like property assessments going up, campaign disclosure information that was posted days ago, the museum still waiting for New Markets Tax Credits…. Yeah, it’s a good thing they spent several days double-checking their stories on those highly controversial items before publishing anything about them.
Then go work for them. Seems you are the expert
To be honest, I understand the need for blogging, and I think its a great freedom, However, I could never justify donating all of this energy and research and not get paid for it. You could say, you get paid by giving back…but thats not true. Think about it. You stress about what news scoop is going to come your way, when you post it, what you post, and your not necessarily making any changes to the issues at hand, Of course, unless..you count educating the masses, orr pressing the authority to do whats right for the little guys. But, still…All of this work for, “journalsim sake,” feh. It sure sounds like alot of work/time/effort, and for what? a little respect? Please enlighten me.
And don’t tell me the ads pay-those little ads are comparitive to recycling cans.
I can’t speak for others, but I think Billy does a great service for the community and those who read his blog. I can’t count on two hands how many times he has scooped people on stories or asked the questions that some people won’t ask. One of the reasons he can do that is because he knows he won’t get fired for asking the wrong question.
People do things all the time for no other reason than it is the right thing to do or because they have a passion to do it. No one questions their commitment, and Billy’s is no different.
It seems pretty ironic to question the need to blog or the blogging movement by posting IN A BLOG doesn’t it Gaffer and SMART PERSON? (not to mention the ego it takes to come up with that nickname) If you were right and blogging is irrelevant and a worthless use of one’s time why are you here reading the posts and making asinine comments?
That post came off a little violent, not how I intended it. I apologize, I only meant to point out the irony in making those complaints/observations about blogging on a blog. Sorry Smart Person.
DH and I used to share the paper every morning and comment together on all the prior days events. Now I just sort of peruse it for a minute or 2 before I realize that all the headlines I read on the blogs a day or two before. dh is flabbergasted how I already know the news of the day before I even read the papers! And Billy, you have been a true inspiration to me! Your creative wit and original material is what gave me the incentive to go out and try it myself. Although it is just a hobby for me I really appreciate how you have extended help and support to all of us novice bloggers out here who are trying to make a positive difference in the lives of the average Peorian. I have found you to be an honest and genuinely nice person who gives a lot of his own personal time to try to improve the social and economic climate of our community. Thank you for all you do!
First, thanks to everyone for their kind comments. They are appreciated.
A.S.P. — How do you explain the value of doing what you love to do? I was getting paid as a reporter for close to 20 years before I experienced true Freedom of the Press as the owner of my own virtual printing press.
As to revenue, sometimes I make enough to cover the cost of gas. During my unfortunate period of unemployment, it helped me make the rent. Now, I’d say that I earn in one month the equivalent of one weekly paycheck at minumym wage. It’s not enoug to make a living, but it’s nothing to sneeze at either, considering my day job isn’t putting as fortune in my pocket, either.
I’m not really sure about the actual NEED for blogging, but I absolutely enjoy reading other opinions about everything… and I really enjoy the bickering back and forth. It’s sort of like being married… but being able to turn off the spouse and walk away when you’re sick of doing it, and not getting in trouble for doing so.
That’s a good thing.
I post here merely to point out the silliness of it. Bill likes to take credit for things when he is right and never admits his errors unless called upon them. He has no risk and can pick and chose what he wants. Yet he says, not in so many words, that he’s better than the PJS. Come on.
11B, you are a former grunt. You buy this?
“Bill likes to take credit for things when he is right and never admits his errors unless called upon them”
wouldn’t that describe about 95% of the population?.
G.G.: Alright, alright. I confess. I never admit my mistakes until after I am made aware of them.
Not forner, current.
I’ve been one of you biggest critics, Bill and I really like what you’ve been doing recently. Original reporting is how blogs are going to revolutionize media…..not opinions based on rumors. Good job…and keep it up..make the media in this town sweat a little bit.
[...] Elaine Hopkins of Peoria Story (who STILL doesn’t allow commenting on her site) noted my recent expression of frustration: Duh — blogging can be [...]