Dan Blank: Publishing, Innovation & the Web

Hyper-local content seems to be all the rage now-a-days, with reports from all over the web:

• Search Engine Watch reports on Yahoo’s focus on local, which includes the addition of “social” functionality to its web untilities:
  “The data supports the idea that local is going to become a very active space. People are eager and willing to rate and review businesses, and they’re fairly even-handed about it…”

• The New York Times on community websites made up entirely of user-generated content:
  “In addition to listing information about lost pets, users post scheduled meetings of religious and community organizations, suggestions for family activities and links to news from local papers, among other things. Community organizations can also create their own Web pages on the site for free.”

• Danny Sanchez reflects on the Times’ piece, wondering whether these sites need to turn a profit, if they are managed by passionate individuals, and serving the good of the community.
• Don Dodge and Greg Linden proclaim that newspapers should own local content.
• Trish Grier takes a sober look at what is behind many of these sites, commenting on one in particular:
  “AT.com looks like is what could be considered “citizen shovelware”–the basic message being “we want to be your town square! come shovel your content into our site and let us make some money off of ads!”