More news is good news. And that is what we have for you now, through a new feature on CharlotteObserver.com.
It’s called the Charlotte News Alliance (CNA). This is a network of 16 local websites, and growing, that have partnered with The Charlotte Observer to offer you the region’s most comprehensive look at local news.
You can find summaries and links to the best of these stories in the lower half of the home page on CharlotteObserver.com. A number of these stories will also appear on the printed pages of the Observer. In turn, some Observer stories will appear on the partner sites.
Some CNA sites are operated by journalists, some by civic-minded citizens. But all are opening doors to a tier of news coverage that is uniquely “hyper-local.”
By that, we mean news that can be as local as your own neighborhood or your own particular topic of interest.
For example, BallantyneScoop.com is a hyper-local site based in south Charlotte’s Ballantyne community, while QcityMetro.com is a news and information site focused on African-American life across Charlotte.
Through this alliance, we believe we are building on the strengths of all of the partners. How?
CharlotteObserver.com is the most visited local news site in both Carolinas, attracting 2.4 million viewers a month from around the world. But our region is vast and still growing, making it very challenging to deliver everyone the most intensely local news possible.
This, however, is the primary mission of hyper-local sites. They can deliver readers a more narrowly targeted area or topic. Their challenge often is building enough audience to generate revenue needed to operate their sites. Their affiliation with CharlotteObserver.com adds to that audience.
Working together makes us all stronger. It also provides you richer choices of content in one convenient place.
We began assembling this alliance more than a year ago, initially as the Charlotte News Network . Our preliminary work was aided by a grant from J-Lab: The Institute of Interactive Journalism at American University in Washington, D.C.
Among our partners are several startups, including HoodieCharlotte.com, which covers uptown Charlotte and four surrounding neighborhoods. We also have the websites of established media, including La Noticia and Mi Gente, both Spanish-language newspapers.
If you know of a local website that would be a good fit for this alliance, email a link and description to the Observer’s innovations editor, Jen Rothacker. You can see examples from all the partners, as well as other details, at the Charlotte News Alliance page.
Reach Rick Thames at rthames@charlotteobserver.com, twitter.com/rthames and www.facebook.com/rthames.obs. Phone: 704-358-5001.
The Charlotte News Alliance
Ballantyne Scoop: Community website based in Ballantyne.
Carolina Public Press:
The Catawba River District: News about nature, learning, recreation and community development along the Catawba River.
Charlotte Viewpoint: A web-based magazine of essays, reviews, fiction, poetry, photography and video produced by citizens.
CLT Blog: A community website with users submitting Charlotte news, video, photos, links and blogs.
The Gatton Report: Investigative reports from the Mooresville/South Iredell area.
Hoodie Charlotte: Covers five center city neighborhoods – Dilworth, Myers Park, Plaza Midwood, Elizabeth and Center City – with news, features and photos.
The Johnsonian: Winthrop University’s student newspaper.
La Noticia: Website for the city’s largest Latino newspaper.
Mi Gente: Online report from this weekly Latino newspaper.
Monroe Scoop: Community website based in Monroe and Union County.
Niner Online: UNC Charlotte’s student newspaper.
Qcitymetro: News, commentary and events about Charlotte’s African-American community.
Tega Cay Talk: News, events, people, places, and “The Good Life,” in and around Tega Cay.
Villa Heights: Community website serving Villa Heights and surrounding neighborhoods.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Alliance to bring you more local news
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11 comments:
Cabarrus county is not included?
Shocking that a conservative site like www.meckdeck.com aren't asked to join yet the CO is glad to have La Noticia be a part of their network.
Even more ironic that meckdeck.com often scoops important news items DAYS before the CO even reports on them.
Every week that passes are more indication that the CO is continuing to decline without any idea on how to change its course
Ya'll have been doing this for quite a while already it seems.
The Observer..notoriously last to the dance. Welcome to yesterday's big idea.
Hyperlinks to CNA partner sites would have been nice. Way to embrace the Internets
Part of the point of today's blog is to invite other local news sites to be part of the alliance. If you rely on a local news site in Cabarrus County, or anywhere in the region for that matter, please do tell them about it, as well as telling us. Good point on hyperlinks from this blog. We'll add that. In the meantime, you can find all the links on our CNA page, accessed through CharlotteObserver.com's home page. Thanks.
What about adding QNotes?
I need to remind some of you that we have a policy against comments with lewd, obscene or racist references, as well as attacks on others. That includes partially spelled expletives. No problem with you offering your point of view. Criticism of the Observer also welcomed. But keep it clean and civil. Thanks.
Criticism of the Observer also welcomed.
So where is my comment Rick?
Of course you don't allow criticism of the Observer, we all know it.
Well, then let's add:
MeckDeck.com
cedarposts.blogspot.com
http://fwix.com/charlotte/share/13d6ee5165/charlotte_-_mecklenburg_crime_stoppers_program
ALL the above seem to be able to get more accurate news sooner then CO and they actually post and report FACTS....yep, I said it!
So true 8:59pm! The three websites you mentioned are ones that I ROUTINELY go to before I read the CO on-line. It's laughable how much more news reporting goes on in those three blogs than all of the CO combined!
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