Editor: I have recently become aware that the huge, faceless corporate monolith known as AOL has embarked on a national 500 city rollout of “hyper-local” news/blog websites. Sonoma’s newspapers, like many other North Bay cities and towns, find themselves under attack from this effort. AOL’s “Patch” seeks to compete for local ad dollars, take the cash away and give it to their shareholders. No shock, right?
Make no mistake, this is a naked attempt to wrest away our hard earned money circulating right here in town from advertising fees that should stay local and place it in the coffers of a voracious and uncaring corporation’s shareholders. Can one or two attractive persons who are the local face of such an enterprise really replace our knowledge, history, ethics and most of all keep that money local? Obviously not.
Nationwide, our local newspapers are in big trouble. Are we going to stand by and let them die? Let us reject these entities that swarm in like a plague of locusts. In fact, the way they are populating our local cities is reminiscent of the sci-fi thriller “The Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” There are pods everywhere. They just want the money.
If you think, “well, all is fair in love and war” I can tell you I trust our local papers, warts and all, over…AOL!!! They may not like our position at times but they print it. Don’t count on that from AOL. Just google these robots and see what I mean. They go to these towns hire one or two folks who need a job and wait for the shift in advertising revenue. And wait they can. They bought the technology for $7 million last year and recently invested another $50 million.
How can Sonoma be a “slow town” and stand for this nonsense? I have been critical of our local papers at times but at least I know who they are and where the money goes. IT STAYS IN SONOMA!
Please reject these monsters. Do not go there or post there as they make money with every click and eyeball.
Happy New Year.
Dennis Hipps
Sonoma
Be First to Comment