Bloggers Get To Go Bananas

It looks like print media is still alive and well with new creative ideas of their own. One publication is going from web to print using bloggers as their journalists.

The Printed Blog which is founded and funded by former business productivity software entrepreneur, Joshua Karp, is launching a twice daily free newspaper in cities across the U.S. using localized blog posts. "Why hasn't anyone tried to take the best content and bring it offline?" said Karp who thinks that print media is far from dying. "For people around the world, who need to and want to consume information, whether it be in developing countries or emerging countries, newsprint is still going to be a main mechanism for information for years to come," he said. The first issue is expected to launch on January 27. It will be handed out at Lincoln Park and Wicker Park in Chicago as well as one location in San Francisco. A New York edition is expected to follow shortly. The Printed Blog currently has a staff of nine people, mostly being unpaid interns. The hope is to attract local advertisers who can spend much less to reach out to their targeted audience. Ads are relatively inexpensive in comparison (only $15-$25). The paper has lined up a number of Chicago based businesses for it's debut and plans to also feature classified ads. While the cost of printing alone may seem a high risk venture, not to mention two issues daily, Karp says he does not expect to spend more than 15 thousand dollars on the entire production and distribution of the first paper. The printing is done on commercial printers located near each distribution point. Each 11x17 inch paper will be three pages, six sides in full living color! The ultimate goal is to automate the production process as far as aggregating the stories into separate editions, with readers being able to vote on which blogs will appear in the next issue. They have been reaching out in preparation for launch on various social networks including Twitterand Flickr and will incorporate them into the feedback and voting process. Karp says that although the overall response has been favorable, some bloggers have denied the paper the right to publish their posts. Karp finds this puzzling as he doesn't understand why a blogger or photographer wouldn't embrace more exposure, especially in the format of a luxurious print full color page. It's like a TV model for news. "We're not necessarily looking for the people who have a readership, we're looking for compelling content in a variety of areas," said Karp. " The person who's an industry expert, the person who worked for a campaign and is blogging about it, the person who has some insight into our financial system, the person who has been a principal at a high school and has something to say about education." Karp is optimistic that The Printed Blog will be a great success. He recognizes that it's just an experiment for now, but with low production costs it isn't too risky. With traditional media struggling to survive, Karp thinks that any experimentation with new business models is better than doing nothing at all. We still have a large segment of readers who rather have a paper tucked under their arm than a laptop computer. Many people write letters to newspapers hoping they will be published in the editorial section. People like to share their ideas and experiences. This will be a new venue. From the net back to the pages of print.