Keep blog personal or business?

[MNgremlin]

The editor at my shop (~5,000 circ) is encouraging news and sports writers to keep a blog on the newspaper's website. Looking at the blogs already running on the news side, they are mostly just blogging about random thoughts and day-to-day occurrences. Personally, I think a lot of them were a waste of time, and it's obvious not much effort was put into them.

Part of me wants to run mine like an actual sports blog, writing about sports that may not get as much day-to-day coverage in the paper, or expanding on stories that did get published. However, I don't know if it would be worth my time. Are there benefits to running it like a legitimate sports blog, even though I'm at a smaller daily and might not get the page views?

 

[BDC99]

Absolutely. If people find out about it and realize they can read about kids that wouldn't normally make the print edition, it is certainly worth your time. No, don't waste time talking about the weather or PEDs in baseball. Just stick to what you know and use it to expand on things you don't have room for in the paper and to highlight sports that don't get as much coverage.

 

[sostartled]

Treat it as a local column, if you don't already have one.

 

[spikechiquet]

Local, local, local!

 

[forever_town]

If you're writing a BLOG!!! under the auspicies of your paper, treat it as an extension of the paper itself.

Don't make it your personal everyday stuff that has nothing to do with what you cover.

 

[SportVideosLTU]

Open concrete blog. For example sports blog about ice-hockey in Europe... or Soccer in New York... I am writing blog now, but about anything: sport, life, leisure..,
i think that writing develop your own skills, it is very good not for money... If you searching support write me, i searching partners around the world, who's wants
to share ideas and support one other!

 

[Ace]

If you're writing a BLOG!!! under the auspicies of your paper, treat it as an extension of the paper itself.

Don't make it your personal everyday stuff that has nothing to do with what you cover.

Agree. I think your instincts are correct.

I would use it to get more in depth or interesting nuggets/quotes/feedback on stories you've covered.

Add local news that may not make web/print otherwise. Or establish you as the expert on local wrestling, football stats, whatever.

Add your opinion on local stuff (pending boss approval).