Is the Des Moines Register Serious About Blogging?

The Blue Plate Special recently presented The Best Blogging Newspapers in the U.S. The opening question to the study is, "Who seems to really know what they're doing...?"

A chart of the newspapers included in the study shows the subjects each paper is blogging about.

The Top Six Newspapers (listing of their blogs):

1. Houston Chronicle (Transparency, nightlife, college sports, Enron, business, local entertainment/arts, computer Q&A, life of a Katrina refugee, life in Katy, TX, sports, pop culture, health & medicine, science,various)
2. Washington Post (Achenblog, White House News, editorial, politics, local events, fashion, Iraq, computer security, nightlife, various)
3. USA Today (Latest news, hotels, airlines, sports, entertainment (tv, film), entertainment (music), technology (innovations, gadgets), technology (science), weather)
4. St. Petersburg Times (Video game reviews, technology, Olympics, Tampa arts and entertainment, pop music, TV, Society (around town), media, politics, sports, food, health, college)
5. Atlanta Journal Constitution (Politics, opinion, education, dating, neighborhood watch, sports, entertainment, music)
6. San Antonio Express-News (Sports, TV, court, geeks, Mommy blog, weather, Iraq, politics, etc)

Here's how my local paper blogs:

• The Des Moines Register (Big Four Basketball, Cyclone Football, Kyle Munson (columnist), Hawkeye Football, Iowa Stars Hockey, Today's Headlines, Turin Olympics Blog, Opinions and Ideas Blog, Reality TV Blog)

When will the Register start talking (blogging) about more serious issues than sports and entertainment? Suggestions: Business, Technology, Iowa Metro, even their custom publications (IowaParent, 50Plus, SmartTalk, etc.) should each have a blog.

If there is such an outcry to keep people - especially young people - in Iowa, shouldn't the newspaper be a representation of a voice in the city?

The Register has an opportunity to have ongoing relationships conversations with their readers, voices across Iowa, and business leaders about serious subjects. Will they? Only if it's important to them.

At least Brad Robertson at Chew Shop speaks up by saying Everyone Who Can Write Should Have a Blog. I agree.  And every columnist at the Register should be blogging.

Technorati Tags: Des Moines Register, Iowa, Newspaper Blogs

Comments

[Michael Wagner]

Way to "tell it like it is"! Is this a letter to the editor of the DM Register to compliment this posting?

Who's the prophet now?

Keep at it!

[Gary Goldhammer]

Mike, just found your blog and glad I did! Great stuff. My own "local" paper, the LA Times, has experimented with social media but does not have any real blogging strategy to speak of. I hope more papers follow the examples set by the Houston Chronicle and the Washington Post -- newspapers must if they hope to stay relevant.

Again, glad I found you -- you're in the ol' newsreader now :-)

[Mike Sansone]

Mike - Thanks for lighting a flame under me.

Gary - Thanks for stopping by and for the kind words. More than that, I found a new blog to add to my feed reader - yours! Good stuff.

[Wifurfsor]

Inizia postcard love cards to love postcards electronic translations for precious ! hour obtains - natale. and the new likeable messages hearts arguments 900 free of charge find personalize electronic postcards ? I want makes you to see that it makes you postcards friendship last two Good months : http://regalo-natale.cartoline-natale-it.com/ - regalo natale. You can use them for the Auguries of Good NATO them and in occasion of the festivit
a' christmas sending them for mail to relatives and friends, far but also near . Segui the little and easiest instructions of the Tutor you will be able to send en
dured the auguries of good year with images and designs good New Year's Day augurs them ?