Comments on: BackFence CEO Resigns Amidst Downsizing

By: » Hyperlocal content: Local news or community gossip? | Digital Markets | ZDNet.com

Tue, 22 May 2007 22:33:55 +0000

[...] How “meaningful and empowering to the participants” is Backfence’s hyperlocal fare, however. In reporting a headcount retrenchment and strategic realignment at Backfence, Peter Krasilvosky cites low traction within the “communities.” [...]

By: Coom

Coom — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 15:36:19 +0000

Backfence. And the Backfence managers and employees that I’m leading are really pumped about our plans

By: Citizen Media Watch » Trouble at Backfence?

Citizen Media Watch » Trouble at Backfence? — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 13:37:40 +0000

[...] I’m not one for spreading rumour and hypotheses bordering on guesses, but there’sthere has been little else to turn to when it comes to the development at Backfence, the local citizen media site for a number of smaller cities in the States. Two of the founders have now left the project, and according to Peter Krasilovsky at the Local Onliner two thirds of the staff of 18 are being let go. Mark Potts, who was first to leave the company, has now returned to run it, after Susan DeFife, the second of the founders quit. Potts says the numbers and the layoff ratio I cited from the Local Onliner are incorrect, but doesn’t supply more detail. Susan DeFife is quoted stating this reason for leaving the company: “Ultimately, we did not share the same strategic vision for the company as the Board of Directors”. This seems to translate to the site not making enough money. But in an email, Mark Potts gives me a different picture. Backfence is still operational; our sites are up and running and serving their communities and advertisers. We’re still very excited about the opportunities for ad-supported hyperlocal citizens’ media sites, and we’ve got some great success stories in both content and advertising to point to at Backfence. And the Backfence managers and employees that I’m leading are really pumped about our plans to expand the company more broadly and to add many exciting new features. [...]

By: Alicia C

Alicia C — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 03:05:12 +0000

Backfence news may not appear to be the most interesting nor the most relevant unless you actually live in one of the towns it serves. As a resident of one of their communities it was a good place to get all the local information, find out who had eaten in a restuarant down the street and what my local politicos are saying… and yes they were all active on the site. Sure its not Hollywood simply a small Northern VA town and yes I do care about the dog park and the school playing fields.As for advertising well at least I can findmy local stores there not the big flashy big box retailers. I hope it survives all the speculation and continues to serve my communityregardless of its internal upheavals.

By: Bode Media Inc. News

Bode Media Inc. News — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 19:41:53 +0000

Backfence and Local Communities Online

Everyone involved with any aspect of local blogging has spent much of the last week talking about BackFence, since the chaos going on behind close doors over there seems to have spilled out into the street. Quick background – The company was founded i…

By: Greg Cohn’s Weblog : »

Greg Cohn’s Weblog : » — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 21:31:43 +0000

[...] Quite a few folks around the blogosphere are pointing to the troubles of Backfence.com as a nasty bellwether for local community journalism. I’ve left my response on PaidContent, but here’s the text of it: As someone who has studied this space closely (I was the lead business and product person during the first year of New West and currently lead “long tail” publisher strategy for Yahoo! Publisher Network), I would like to point out that “local news, community and citizen journalism ventures as a business” are alive and well. [...]

By: Gordon Joseloff

Gordon Joseloff — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 23:05:10 +0000

When there is credible, often exclusive content on a local news Web site, it will attract an audience. WestportNow.com, the 24/7 news and information source for Westport, Conn., has been at it for almost four years.

We get thousands of visitors a day who know they’ll often find content here they will see nowhere else (of if they do, its second-hand info days or weeks later).

Our stories and pictures are often cited and reprinted by others, ranging from the local cable news operation to The New York Times. Our package of 2006 Year in Pictures included 360 photos from more than 50 photographers.

When the content is good, credible, and presented in an attractive, professional manner, local Web news operations can succeed.

Gordon Joseloff
Publisher
WestportNow

By: Paul Sullivan

Paul Sullivan — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 23:33:44 +0000

I, for one, loved the name Backfence, even if I wasn’t really interested in the content. It may have been another story if there were a Backfence/North Vancouver, but I’m not sure. If the communities served by Backfence are anything like mine, they are served by three local community newspapers that are delivered free to the door. They all make money in a “community” of about 150,000. They also all have unremarkable online presences that could benefit from citizen reporting. A blend of local professional journalism and citizen journalism may be a more likely model. As someone who sees a lot of citizen reporting on http://www.orato.com, I agree with the comment that citizen journalism needs to be backstopped by professional editors who are respectful. You also need to have at least a few stories that are simply great fun to read.

By: Jeff Tadie

Jeff Tadie — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 02:54:11 +0000

I’ve seen millions, and in some cases tens of millions, pumped into cityguide sites. AOL Digital City almost got it right…but overextended the cost side by deploying discrete market-based and self-contained teams…very few centralized efficiencies. However, Digital City did have deep rich local flavor and passion in its core 10-12 markets…in fact, “chunky and sticky” was the mantra for all the content staff. There was real opinion and editorial. Ad packages were ROI-based…with decent renewal rates. Sounds like Backfence was missing most of the passion, depth and thus, value…I hope they can survive and revamp…perhaps go narrow and deep in limited markets.

By: Liz

Liz — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 21:45:22 +0000

So, who’s surprised?

Not me…

http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/weblogs/pressthink/2005/11/30/lz_bcfc.html