The Big Lead gets Buzzed -- now updated

Re: The Big Lead gets Buzzed

Can I put the video of it on my blog?

 

Re: The Big Lead gets Buzzed

for the love of god please send me a copy ...

 

Re: The Big Lead gets Buzzed

I currently blog for a publication that's under the main daily, which caters to readers in my demo (25-40). When I started blogging two years ago, I looked at several blogs on the publication's website to see how it's done. Frankly, I didn't like how they were written (disjointed, makes no sense), and the content was pretty lame and wasteful ("I went to the bar, didn't see any hot guys. I don't understand?"). I like writing about issues in my town and about the local sports scene and looking at different angles of an issue.

I made two important rules for myself going into it: I'm not a journo, and, for heaven's sake, write with common sense so that people can understand what the hell you are talking about. I'll be honest when I say this: I enjoy blogging about interesting topics that relates to everyone (politics, sports, local musings, etc.), but it's disheartening to see that no one gives a shit about what I have to say. That's the reality of the blog world that many have to understand if they are going to dive into this.

I recently had a writer's block and I asked our editor for some ideas to snap out of it. I love the guy a lot, but I have no interest to talk about what bar I went to last night, which bar has the hottest girls, what places to get drunk at, and who is sporting a tramp stamp. It's redundant.

I agree with Piotr: if you enjoy writing, go ahead and blog. But keep in mind that it's hard as hell to attract an audience to what you write. Some will blog to get some issues off of their chest, some will convey their conspiracy theories, a few will talk about their personal lives, and there will a handful that will blog about something that will attract a sizable audience. It's takes some luck and plenty of patience.

 

Re: The Big Lead gets Buzzed

well said. eloquent.

you know it's good when it crystalizes a thought that's been in your head.

 

Re: The Big Lead gets Buzzed

I'm glad that Buzz woke up and realize what he actually said.
There are some phenomenal online journals out there, and the best way for newspapers/magazines/websites to get past the whole stigma of blogs is to not call them freaking blogs.

Whatever Posnanski does, it's sure as shit not the same as what Deadspin does. Both have their purpose, but don't call them the same damn thing.
That's like calling a porn magazine and Esquire the same thing just because their magazines. Both have their purpose, but they aren't the same thing.

 

Re: The Big Lead gets Buzzed

I ain't Joe Po, but I'd like to hear what you have to say on this.

 

Re: The Big Lead gets Buzzed

How 'bout a little taste for the rest of us?

The point of Posnaski's Heinz-would-be-blogging line, if I may speak for him, was not that Heinz would just love writing fuck on the Internet and posting pictures of Santonio Holmes' junk. It's that a would-be Heinz today doesn't have the print outlets available during his time. Especially for long-form writing. Maybe he would end up in a web zine. Who knows? Point being, the career and writing opportunities are overwhelming online. A would-be Heinz might have already been dropped by layoffs at his newspaper, or never hired in the first place.

 

Re: The Big Lead gets Buzzed

More newspaper management brilliance. They "make" people blog, not because it is a sure-fire way to pull out of the revenue/circulation death spiral but because they are throwing everything INCLUDING the kitchen sink at the market now and praying, and because they have a powerless workforce that can be told to do more (work) for less (money).

Never mind that it flies directly in the face of what they employ those folks to do in the first place: Report and strive for objectivity and fairness.

"Keep opinion out of your copy."
"Wait, no, be edgy and shoot from the hip."
"Be fair and accurate."
"Have a take, no matter what."
"No anonymity and two independent sources."
"Aw, just go with it -- people are talking about that rumor."

It's like Faye Dunaway in Chinatown ("My sister. My daughter. My sister."). Makes you want to slap somebody.

 

Re: The Big Lead gets Buzzed

Joe, give it up.
It's Chinatown.

 

Re: The Big Lead gets Buzzed

I, for one, enjoy Joe Williams always sunny take on the newspaper business.

And BLOGS!!!

 

Re: The Big Lead gets Buzzed

It's Alma now. Keep up.

 

Re: The Big Lead gets Buzzed

The Big Lead has scored a number of high-profile interviews during the years. And FanHouse's Michael David Smith also got a chance to talk to Buzz.

I am in concert with those who wish that Buzz had stuck to his guns. Because he displayed the same head-in-the-sand sentiment that seems to be racing through the industry.