Re: [JTM-Detroit] No Patch in Detroit?

[Anna Tarkov]

I doubt it has anything to do with people of color. More than likely,
it has to do with locating Patches first in areas where the median
income is high enough to be attractive to advertisers. I'm guessing
that's what's leaving Detroit out of the mix so far.

Best,
Anna Tarkov

On Wed, Sep 29, 2010 at 12:25 PM, Amber <charlene...@gmail.com> wrote:
> For starters, I see that AOL's new venture "Patch", has no presence in
> Detroit. Patch (www.patch.com) is a wonderful opportunity for
> journalists to be a part of the community in which they live. The
> sites serve as "hyper-local" websites for various communities. The
> problem -- and it's a big one -- with the Patch venture is that they
> seem to be omitting scores of journalists of color in this process. A
> photograph of each local editor appears at the top of the page of each
> Patch site. The majority of the people they have been hiring to fill
> the "local editor" positions have been young and white. Why is that?
> Can they not find anywhere in this country, more that a hand full of
> journalists of color to fill these roles? Last I heard, Patch was
> hiring over 500 local editors. These local editors are full-time (plus
> more) employees of AOL and hire freelance/contributors to serve as
> writers, reporters, photographers for local stories.It is a wonderful
> opportunity for young (another problem with the Patch model is they
> engage in ageism as well) journalists to engage in legitimate news
> reporting. So far the model appears to be working but the number of
> journalists of color who have been able to benefit from this
> opportunity appears to be quite small. Racism and ageism. This is
> still a problem. I thought AOL was supposed to be cutting edge. They
> were right in there at the beginning of the internet explosion. What
> the heck are they doing now? I've asked but have received no reply. No
> suprise.
>
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Anna Tarkov
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[Ruth Seymour]

I don't think this response thread attached to the FWD I just sent you...

[Melissa Scott]

Here's a piece about an editor's life in the "Patch" lane: http://www.dankennedy.net/2010/08/05/hard-times-working-the-patch/ This may a corporate enterprise that franchises local communities from afar, that overworks freelancers and competes with the journalists who are developing hyper locals in their own communities.  This could be likened to what happened to cable. Profit is good, but going after profit by targeting affluents is no different that the consistent majority white entertainment programming, news operations and online ventures that exclude people of color.  It's typical and inexcusable. Melissa --- On Wed, 9/29/10, Anna Tarkov <too...@gmail.com> wrote:

> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to JTM-detroit+unsub...@googlegroups.com.

> For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/JTM-detroit?hl=en. > > -- ____________________________________ Anna Tarkov Mobile: 773-844-6302 Journalist - Blogger - Raconteur http://www.annatarkov.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/annatarkov http://twitter.com/annatarkov -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Journalism That Matters-Detroit" group. To post to this group, send email to JTM-d...@googlegroups.com.

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[Annie Shreffler]

I'm in Boston and yes, Patch has landed. Overnight it became the place that was hiring and one local meetup for journalists was swarmed when the Patch recruiter was scheduled to attend. I think we have 13 or 15 sites now.

When I lived in the Bronx in 2008, I thought Patch would be a great partnership for my community paper, which has reported on a handful of voting districts the Bronx for almost 30 years, employs a couple of full time reporters and photographer and has the contacts already in place. They wanted to get with the times and establish a presence online, so Patch sounded like a perfect solution. When I heard the Patch Editor in Chief Brian Farnham speak, I talked to him about my neighborhood news, but he didn't show much interest, other than to give me his card. Now I realize the Patch model doesn't work as a partnership. Its model is to pay one editor to do the work my community newspaper is already doing, and for much less. When asked during that talk (attended by many out-of-work, mid-career journos) what Patch paid, the answer Farnham gave was "about what a new j-school graduate would receive." That got a few groans from the audience.

I heard a rep from Patch speak again this week at a Hacks & Hackers meeting hosted by the Boston Globe. She sat with panelists from the Wicked Local and Boston.com to talk about sustainability and what they're doing to pull away from the pack. I didn't really hear anything new. Each editor agreed that local sites are successful when the people they serve believe they have access and you have something useful to tell them. Nobody would talk about finances, so we'll just have to believe they're successful, for now, but really all three of those hyper-local models are propped up by established businesses.

My concern about Patch is that it will pull a Blockbuster move, providing the same service as a local business (I loved our neighborhood video store!) but underwriting it from the main HQ until the competition is destroyed. Patch can afford to look slick as long as there is an infusion of cash and an underpaid staff. I haven't heard yet that any of the older sites (established in upperclass 'hoods in NJ) have become self-reliant, and I doubt they are paying a news staff. I guess, like the editor who wrote to Dan, Patch's model will work for now because they are finding a lot of journalists who feel lucky to have a job.

I think it might be a blessing that Patch overlooks neighborhoods that are unlikely to attract big advertising dollars. Those of you working on your own sites shouldn't let up for a minute on establishing your own brand and presence in your community. Establish good partnerships now. Become a trusted source of information and hopefully you'll stand firm when Patch does arrive and start competing for those advertising dollars.

Annie

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[Anna Tarkov]

Annie, those are all great points. As for what Patch pays, I can tell you that in some cases they pay more than what cub reporters are used to getting which can be as low as 25-30k. I don't know if it's uniform across the board, but some people make 40k or more with Patch. They also provide benefits, though no paid time off I believe. For mid-career journalists, I can see how this would be a slap in the face. But it's great for those new to the field who are younger, have fewer financial responsibilities or, conversely, are married and have another income earner to pick up the slack. 

Also, we are in a different economy overall now. No one is owed a job and no one is owed a certain salary level, even if it's what they've been used to for 10 years. A lot of experienced people are taking huge hits and many new grads are starting at a lower earning level, but journalists are the ones who seem to complain the loudest.   

Honestly, my main concern with Patch (besides all the ones people have already talked about) is that they will not do investigative reporting much. School pageants, petting zoos and fashion shows at the mall are great and all, but are they also going to look into the school board's budget? The police department's contracts and pensions? The city council's deals with developers? Time will tell I guess.

-Anna

[jessica durkin]

Hi. I have been following Patch for a while as it pertains to community news start-ups. 

Here is a blog post I wrote months ago about their expansion plans. I mention how they could be like the Gannett's of yore -- only going in profitable markets. 

--Jessica Durkin

Here's the beginning of the blog, click the link below for the rest of it:

Local news color, flavor go a long way

By JESSICA DURKIN | Published: MARCH 23, 2010

AOL’s aggressive push into the hyperlocal news space with Patch.com is looking a lot like the traditional media chain newspapers in markets across the country. Whether this expansion will prove financially successful or popular remains to be seen, but AOL is up against a growing, independent body of community sites that offer a unique take on geographic areas that Patch may not be able to replicate.

While AOL is obsessed with scale, as seen in its commitment to spend $50 million in Patch this year, and its $10 million venture fund for start-ups, smaller outlets are building local relationships and unique site branding.

... (see more) http://newsredux.us/?p=23

Jessica Durkin
InOtherNews.us
Scranton, PA
(570) 348-9447

@jessdrkn
FB: jessica.durkin