Ruth Holladay's blog says Gannett is dismantling Indy.com. The former INTake paper and website will get its web content from national restaurant and calendar provider Metromix. Because no one knows Indianapolis better than a web company in Chicago.
http://www.metromix.com/pick_your_city
Pick your city? Pick your city?!
This has been Gannett's approach for the past several years. The bean counters and MBAs are deciding that what's best is to get rid of everything that makes the Star the Indianapolis Star, and get local content from national providers, people who know nothing about our corner of the world.
"Trust Gannett: if there is a formula for ruining newspapers and careers, they have it mastered," Holladay said in her blog.
I've got an idea. I'll pick my newspaper. It's online. I'll pick my local events calendar. It's Nuvo. I'll pick my local commentary. They're bloggers -- Holladay, Jennifer Wagner, and Abdul Hakim-Shabazz. What I won't pick is the print version of the Indianapolis Star. Why waste my time and money looking for local information and commentary, when there are plenty of people who are willing to give me exactly what I need? People who understand Naptown, where the good restaurants are, what the political issues are, and what's going on this weekend.
Pick my city, indeed.
Meanwhile, Indy.com won't completely die. It will linger on a a social networking site.
"How dated and quaint," said Holladay.
That's true. The last thing we need is another social net---HEY!
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http://www.metromix.com/pick_your_city
Pick your city? Pick your city?!
This has been Gannett's approach for the past several years. The bean counters and MBAs are deciding that what's best is to get rid of everything that makes the Star the Indianapolis Star, and get local content from national providers, people who know nothing about our corner of the world.
"Trust Gannett: if there is a formula for ruining newspapers and careers, they have it mastered," Holladay said in her blog.
I've got an idea. I'll pick my newspaper. It's online. I'll pick my local events calendar. It's Nuvo. I'll pick my local commentary. They're bloggers -- Holladay, Jennifer Wagner, and Abdul Hakim-Shabazz. What I won't pick is the print version of the Indianapolis Star. Why waste my time and money looking for local information and commentary, when there are plenty of people who are willing to give me exactly what I need? People who understand Naptown, where the good restaurants are, what the political issues are, and what's going on this weekend.
Pick my city, indeed.
Meanwhile, Indy.com won't completely die. It will linger on a a social networking site.
"How dated and quaint," said Holladay.
That's true. The last thing we need is another social net---HEY!
---
Like this column? Leave a comment, Digg it, or Stumble it.