That said, I have a few suggestions.

Because of my journalistic background, I found some of the basic journalism modules to be a little elementary. It’s great to return to the basics. Don’t get me wrong: I don’t think I’m above that in any way. And I understand that you have to account for a diverse amount of experience and background. But I think you could do more in the modules on journalism. The assignments, in particular, could be more rigorous. More than just writing and reporting a simple story, you could require an enterprising assignment that extends beyond that one week. You could ask for folks to develop a multimedia complement, too, or some non-writing component as part of that. Reporting just the five Ws is a start, but we should be looking at the modern reporting process, which is decidedly less traditional.

Again, I know this course isn’t about code or producing multimedia, but I think you could do more there. WordPress is a simple platform that enables some of these tools easily. We studied so many great concepts related to online presentation and producing more than just a simple story: You could require students actually to do more of what they’re learning. I think you could do that without overextending them. For instance, the blogging assignment is great, but you should ask folks to shoot video, audio, to produce parts of a Web site. (You could create an open site for the class, which they would edit and design.) We studied all these things, and most folks could handle it with help.

Again, these are just suggestions. I enjoyed each of the assignments, but I felt that we could have done more in some of those modules. I know you want to start at the most basic unit with each of these topic areas, but maybe you could integrate more assignments (like the original reporting piece) that extend beyond each week. That’s why I enjoyed that assignment so much: It allowed us to combine all the things we were learning and work on something over time. When I look at some of the other individual assignments, I see opportunities to go beyond JUST writing a story, blog post or press release. The requirement should be to integrate these concepts we’re learning. Many of my classmates did this, I know, and you encouraged it. But I think you should require it. Every one of those assignments should require folks to think about non-linearity, presentation clarity, hyperlinking and transparency to the extent possible.
We learn so many great things in this class. Let’s put them to use.

You

All that said, you were a great source of encouragement. I thought your interactions on the boards were light-hearted but informative. I looked forward to your posts. You were a pleasure to have as a teacher. You led us through the readings without being condescending, and you did consider our diverse backgrounds and perspectives. You were fair.

My one observation: I wanted to know more about what you thought, about what you like to read and, perhaps, about your experience. I know it’s tough as a teacher because you want US to think critically about these issues. You don’t want to just tell us the answers, and in many cases there aren’t easy answers. You were great about playing the devil’s advocate and in raising diverse perspectives, but there were times when I thought you could have been more forceful. Tell us what you think. We want to know. We trust your perspective and want to hear your thoughts. I know you did share your opinion in many cases but there were times when I wish you had stepped in more, as the person with the most experience.

I already expressed in the boards that I don’t think that you should become “grandpa journalism” and spin yarns all over the board. You w ere great at letting the conversation stay organic and student-led. But I thought you could have been more forceful with some of our open questions, even if it’s to say: I don’t know.

Reading

As for the readings, I enjoyed MOST of them. Many people have criticized the Aarseth reading, and I was one of them. It was dense and it didn’t say anything. I thought our studies of theory were incredibly helpful, but Aarseth’s piece wasn’t theory – it was drivel. Similarly, the Pavlik convergence reading was a bit dense. So many of these issues are complex, but those two readings, in particular, ignored our most important lesson in this class: Keep it simple. (They ignored another: Don’t write pretentiously.) Theory is one thing, but theory should make me think. It shouldn’t make me more confused.

But most of the other readings were easy and informative. I particularly liked how you mixed blog entries, journal articles and news pieces. This mix is important. If anything, I’d suggest you use more blogs and blog entries, such as from Poynter’s E-Media, cyberjournalist, Steve Outing, Jeff Jarvis or other experts. We mentioned a lot of these sites – my del.icio.us is full of all those great links from the study book – but I’d like to see stuff from these guys more than those dense Aarseth-type pieces. I also appreciated the inclusion of tip sheets, studies and presentations, especially on the design module and in studying online readership habits.

Even the module on writing for the Intranet, by far the least practical for me, included interesting material.

If I had to choose, I’d say the Long Tail readings as well as the blog and hyperlocal readings were my favorites. I’d list the Vonnegut and Stephens writings right behind them.

Overall, the reading selections were diverse and mostly helpful. I appreciate the difficulty you must have in choosing what to include, since there is SO much content available and since practices and theories are constantly changing. You do a great job, and this study book truly is something I’ll keep for some time.

I hope you understand how much I enjoyed the class. I just have these few suggestions, which I know you invited. Overall, this was one of my most rewarding academic semesters.

And I thank you for that. I hope we stay in touch, as, frankly, I’d like to become a professor. If you have advice for me, I’d sure appreciate it. You certainly were a role model for that potential path.

“Why should you examine your writing style with the idea of improving it? Do so as a mark of respect for your readers, whatever you’re writing. If you scribble your thoughts any which way, your readers will surely feel that you care nothing about them. They will mark you down as an egomaniac or a chowderhead–or worse, they will stop reading you.”

I’ve learned so much during our semester together, improving as a writer, editor, producer and reader. I have a better perspective on new media, different writing styles, interaction, questions of audience and theories of communication. But more than anything else, I’ll remember our lessons about writing, about a commitment to self-improvement.

As writing has always come natural to me, I’m used to writing quickly. It’s one of the reasons I got into online journalism: I can crank out copy. I’m speed- and efficiency-oriented, so my first words usually are my last words. I tend to skip the re-write process. Write, spell check, publish. And the result is OK. It’s passable, for sure. But I can now see that I was acting like a chowderhead. I wasn’t thinking about the words I was using. I was just writing them.

More, I wasn’t thinking about structure. Another of my most important takeaways from this course is about the passive voice, about dashes and sentence clarity. Writing clearly is about more than the words you choose. It’s about how you arrange everything (a concept that extends well beyond writing in an online world). I have a better understanding for that now. In fact, the most obvious improvement in my writing has been using less dashes. As you put it in one of our first modules, I was excessive in using the dash. It interrupts the flow of the sentence. It ignores the reader experience by placing increased burdens on them.

I know that now.

Be deliberate and keep it simple. Make it brief. I understood these concepts as they related to online journalism and the inverted pyramid, but I now understand their importance in all communications. This course taught me that through the myriad writing forms, mediums and theories we studied. Whether it’s an e-mail, a press release, Web site section, breaking news piece or magazine essay, you have to be clear in your message. You have to respect the reader by making the effort to present your ideas in the most straightforward way possible.

If you expect them to read you, make it easy. There’s too much competition for their time, so you have to distinguish yourself by keeping it simple. This course slammed that idea into my head, for which I’ll always be grateful.

And to me, that will be the most useful concept moving forward. We studied so much in this course that was important, including the technological barriers to readability and the importance of site planning and usability. But the importance of pleasing your audience is the most important takeaway for me. The module on different reader interest levels was particularly noteworthy for me. I learned that we can’t cater to everyone, and this is so important in looking to write clearly and simply. Even the clearest presentation won’t net us every eyeball, and that’s OK. What IS important is doing right by the readers we do have, their varying interest levels and the medium in which we’re publishing. That’s when we get into non-linearity online versus more depth in print. That gets back to our study of the various blog types, as well as the different ways we can communicate with and serve readers through message boards, e-mails and press releases.

No matter what we studied, it all came back to audience. Who’s reading us? How are they consuming? What do they want? That’s our guiding force. And since our audience is so diverse, and there’s so much competition, that brings us full circle to those principles of message clarity. Our writing, our presentation, our brand – it all has to be consistent and clear. We have to deliver to our reader’s expectations.

If we neglect our reader, pumping out Web sites with poor navigation and without soliciting feedback and writing inaccessibly, they will stop reading, just like Vonnegut promises. And we can’t afford to lose readers.

That’s the message I intend to deliver to our writers and editors here, as well as anyone with whom I discuss writing and journalism. Can we afford to hemorrhage readers because we’re not careful? because we don’t take a second to think about what we’re writing? because we’re too egotistical to critique our own work?

In addition, our analysis of headline writing, online site planning, navigation, eyetracking and outreach are important in moving forward. They all tie into this concept of satisfying this modern reader, an evolving, increasingly savvy consumer.

Before this course, I did act like one of those chowderheads. I didn’t solicit feedback on my own content. I thought my first draft was good enough. Like so many producers, I created content or sites and then left them, moving to the next project.

I know better now.

Unanswered questions

We studied so many issues and concepts in this course without easy answers. When it comes to new media and these emerging platforms, very little is black and white. There is a lot of gray matter, so I have many unanswered questions looking back on the semester.

Perhaps the biggest, which I discussed on the message boards, is the idea of transparency. How much is too much?

Our industry is struggling right now. We’re losing readers. quick. Should we admit that? Are we supposed to be honest about that? And how honest should we be? If we discuss our falling revenues, will we lose advertisers and consumer confidence? On the flip side, are we dishonest if we deny the facts?

More on the editorial side: When we make a mistake, how do we handle that in an online world, in which information can spread so quickly, so fast?

The issues of openness are crucial for the media industry in this new market, because we haven’t typically operated in a very accessible way. In fact, the accusations that we exist in an “ivory tower” are pretty apt. We need to change that, because we’re facing more competition than ever before. Now, anyone with a computer is a competitor if they have the drive. We don’t have more access rights than the average citizen. To continue to operate as the information leader, we have to reinvent ourselves. We have to respect our reader. This gets back to the concepts of clarity, too.

If we don’t show respect to our readers, they’ll go elsewhere. They have that option. One way we can demonstrate respect is by being open. Still, there are a lot of unanswered questions since this is new territory. How much can we open ourselves and our process without damaging our reputation or revealing too much? Do people really want to know everything? Or, do they depend on us to process all that information and present the final product? Surely, the answer is somewhere in the middle, but these are open questions. As Jeff Jarvis says, “We are witnessing the growth of a culture of transparency.”

Related to the questions of openness and mission, and another open question for me, is the idea of postmodernism, which we studied with the great Stephens reading. Sure, the market today is indicating that they want more personality when it comes to what they read. Blogs are growing in popularity because they are frank and personal. But should news media follow suit? Should our blogs give reporters the ability to break down their traditionally objective personas? Should we abandon the more traditional inverted pyramid style and get more personal with our writing?

Or do we damage our own mission if we lose this objectivity? this separation between writer and reader?

If we go to a postmodern model, as Stephens suggests, will we lose the brand we’ve established for centuries?

Do people really want reporters to be personal, to know more about them and what they believe?

Like our questions about transparency, do people really want all that information? Or is it T.M.I.?

I loved, in particular, our study of the media groups that have detailed reporter profiles, the news groups that allow reporters to share their opinions and mix it up with readers on the blogs and message boards. I tend to agree with these practices, but I understand arguments against them.

Like so many things in this class, we studied a lot of nuances when it comes to these issues. That’s important because there are no easy answers. Hyperlinking, catering to different reader-interest levels and how to use citizen journalism – these are other issues without easy answers. And all these issues are important to our future.

So while I have unanswered questions related to many of the things we studied, I think it’s important to keep an open mind about them. If we’re going to compete in today’s market, which is complex and ever-evolving, we have to keep our heads on a swivel. That’s why this class was so valuable to me: We studied complex issues by considering diverse perspectives and practices. The exposure to all these ideas and concepts will be invaluable to me in the future. And no matter what I do, more than anything else, I’ll remember to keep it simple. I’ll remember to honor my audience, which is why I’ll wrap up.

Thanks for the ride. It’s been a blast.

I’ve edited the about us section of the site to have much more, especially related to site expectation and about me, as well as the relevant sections of the frequently asked questions. I plan to play with the CSS a bit more hopefully to improve internal site navigation, as you suggest. The site is definitely FULL, as you recognize, but making it more navigable will be key. There are tons of links, and the categories work, but we could do more to improve the reading process. (I separated the how-tos “>how-to categories for the various functions on the site to make that even more obvious.)

All the content in the world doesn’t matter if folks can’t get to it, as you well know.

I also edited the image, based on your good suggestion. I think it’s better now. (I’ve also edited the photos to include credits. They were supposed to be there, but they were not displaying for fault in my coding.)

Overall, I am pleased with the site content, and think some tweaks to navigation will get it close to where it could launch. That is next …

Wilmington Star-News press alert

Community Interaction Division

1003 S. 17th Street

Wilmington, NC 28402

Contact: Ryan C. Tuck, community interaction manager, 910.398.5757, ryan.tuck@starnewsonline.com

Joel Axon, Online director, 910.343.2323, joel.axon@starnewsonline.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Star-News launches new prep sports Web site

Prep sports fans can find message boards, photo galleries, player profiles

WILMINGTON, N.C. – The Star-News has launched a new prep sports Web site, http://starnewsvarsity.com, filled with up-to-the-minute news, player profiles, message boards and more from the world of high school sports.

This is the first prep sports-focused Web site in the Cape Fear region, a site with the latest information on the 27 high schools in the Cape Fear region augmented with multimedia, such as player videos, audio slideshows and photo galleries.

“We saw a gaping need in the market for this type of Web site,” said executive editor Tim Griggs. “For people who love high school sports, this site is for you.”

The site also features message boards, quizzes and other interactive opportunities. It is an attempt to provide visitors with a portal to and for high school sports information.

“People don’t want to just read about sports. They want to talk about it,” Online Director Joel Axon said. “They can do that on our site.”

Sports Editor Neil Amato said starnewsvarsity.com is the product of years of planning, and that the planning won’t stop. To keep site content fresh, editors will publish contests and special promotions, such as athlete spotlights and team profiles.

Lead prep sports writer Rachel George says the sports staff is just beginning to tap the prep sports market.

“If we don’t have it on starnewsvarsity.com now, we’ll get it on there,” says George, who maintains the “Varsity Now” blog, which is linked from the site.

The StarNewsOnline.com is the core Web site of the Wilmington-based Star-News, averaging 140,000 page views daily. In addition to starnewsvarsity.com, the media group recently launched coastalcarolinaescape.com, a tourism-centered Web site. StarNewsOnline directors also recently partnered with Monster to improve their jobs Web site and launched an open-input community Web site in Brunswick County, called BrunswickVoice.com.

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Check it out here.

Thanks!

Though there is much to do on the site, I would want to do a lot more before I pushed such a site live. Namely, I still need to add widgets for facebook and MySpace (which would take much further exploration) as well as more sophisticated RSS functions, not to mention digg/reddit/StumbleUpon capabilities. All of these improvements would require upgrades to the wordpress platform and more coding, but I could do them with some more time and investment.

As is, I have a lot of my major content there. I’ve set up the blog so I can network with ANY wordpress blogger. As I make very clear on the site, ANY alumnus with a wordpress account can link to Tar Nation and contribute. This will be key in making such a site viable, as it allows anyone to become a contributor. I’ve also created flickr, del.icio.us and YouTube accounts for the Web site and linked to them, deepening the engagement opportunities on the site. I’ve tried to make the process as clear as possible with these interactive options, though I could do more. (Note: The hot posts and must clicks options in the rail DO work. They would begin appearing as intended when people start using the site.)

As far as content, I’ve started what would be the regular features of this site: daily digests of noteworthy headlines (UNC related and not), sports roundups and weekly alumni features.

As this is a partnership between diverse entities, tied by a UNC connection, the content on the site would be a mixed bag. That’s what I tried to indicate with my first 15 posts. All content would be UNC-focused and targeted at younger alumni, but it should address myriad interest areas and backgrounds. Some things, like sports, I hope would touch readers of all different ilks.

I’m pretty pleased with the site as is. I think there’s a lot of potential here. Frankly, I might be interested in exploring such an initiative (once this program is over and I pursue another independent Web site). I know some folks, from the GAA and other alumni, who think it could catch hold. The idea came from an actual conversation I had with The Daily Tar Heel. I think this site could find an audience, especially if we were able to market it as I suggested in my proposal. Starting would be easy: I’ve found some 20,000 Linked In users who attended Carolina in the last decade. There are thousands of wordpress blogs that mention UNC. And that’s not even to mention all those facebook and myspace users. And THAT is not even mentioning the “old fashioned” marketing muscle we’d apply through the various sites and print channels.

I look forward to hearing what you think. I know this is probably a little different than others’ proposals, but I wanted to stretch beyond just simple writing and encompass all the things we’ve discussed this semester. You’ll see that the site is quite integrated and has lots of non-linear reading opportunities. I really pushed the WordPress platform in many ways to make this site as open as possible. The ability for others to interact easily would be key to this site’s success.

Thanks,

Community Interaction Division

1003 S. 17th Street

Wilmington, NC 28402

Contact: Ryan C. Tuck, community interaction manager

910.398.5757

ryan.tuck@starnewsonline.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Star-News launches new prep sports Web site

Prep sports fans can find message boards, photo galleries, player profiles

WILMINGTON, N.C. — The Star-News has launched a new prep sports Web site, http://starnewsvarsity.com, filled with up-to-the-minute news, player profiles, message boards and more from the world of high school sports.

This is the first prep sports-focused Web site in the Cape Fear region.

“We saw a gaping need in the market for this type of Web site,” said executive editor Tim Griggs. “For people who love high school sports, this site is for you.”

In addition to all the latest information on the 27 high schools in the Cape Fear region, starnewsvarsity.com is a “multimedia experience,” Griggs said.

“There are photos, audio, video, quizzes,” he said. “You name it, we have it.”

Griggs said the site is a true portal for high school sports information.

“If there is something we don’t have there, let us know,” he said, “and we’ll add it.”

Online Director Joel Axon said this commitment to reader satisfaction is evident in the message boards and other interactive opportunities on starnewsvarsity.com.

“People don’t want to just read about sports. They want to talk about it,” Axon said. “They can do that on our site.”

Lead prep sports writer Rachel George admits that ncpreps.com, a state-run high school sports Web site, has similar capabilities to starnewsvarsity.com.

“But our site is all about the Wilmington area,” she said. “Nowhere else will you see such dedication to prep sports in this region.”

George maintains a prep sports-centered blog, “Varsity Now,” which is linked from the site.

Sports Editor Neil Amato said that starnewsvarsity.com is the product of years of planning.

“We asked people what they wanted to see from our prep sports coverage,” he said. “Starnewsvarsity.com is what we were able to put together.”

Griggs said that initial reader response has been very positive.

“From what we’ve heard, people want even more,” he said.

To keep site content fresh, editors will publish contests and special promotions, such as athlete spotlights and team profiles.

Amato said that the first contest will pit readers against Star-News editors in making weekly game picks.

The next new feature will feature an athlete describing his or her love for their chosen sport.

Griggs said a reader suggested this feature, called “Why we play.”

“This site is for prep sports fans,” Griggs said. “We want Cape Fear sports fans to find everything they need on starnewsvarsity.com.”

The StarNewsOnline.com is the core Web site of the Wilmington-based Star-News, averaging 140,000 page views daily. In addition to starnewsvarsity.com, the media group recently launched coastalcarolinaescape.com, a tourism-centered Web site. StarNewsOnline directors also recently partnered with Monster to improve their jobs Web site and launched an open-input community Web site in Brunswick County, called BrunswickVoice.com.

“The future is online,” Griggs said. “We’re just trying to keep up.”

Axon, who just started in July as online director, said that starnewsvarsity.com is just the start of things to come.

“When we see a need in the market, we’re going to lead the charge,” he said. “People want to find the information they need online. We need to be there for them.”

For more information about starnewsvarsity.com, or any of the Star-News Web sites, please e-mail Joel Axon at joel.axon@starnewsonline.com or call 910.343.2023.

To request more information, or to be added to the StarNewsOnline distribution list, contact community interaction manager Ryan C. Tuck at ryan.tuck@starnewsonline.com or by calling 910.398.5757.

-30-

For starters, what’s the audience? Is it folks who aren’t watching the game, or those who want more context later? That has a lot to do with how you approach things: Should you dedicate a lot of space to play-by-play or just focus on observations and otherwise? These fundamental questions about audience are at the heart of a controversy over live blogging, which reached its peak during last summer’s NCAA baseball tournament: Do live blogs compromise exclusive broadcast rights?

I’ve done some live blogging of sports events before (two years ago when the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup), and my absolute role model in this practice is ESPN Sports Guy Bill Simmons.

There is no consensus about the formatting of live blogs in terms of chronology: Should it be reverse chronological, like inverted pyramid, with the most recent items up top? I think so, even though some of the references and jokes get a bit messed up as they build on content mentioned earlier. Also, with sports posts, you have building action under one header that then leads into the header above it. It can get confusing, which is why I try to keep the sections as brief as possible. All these things considered, I still think that reverse chronological is the right way to go because it prevents people from having to scroll all the way to the bottom to read anything or to wonder if something has been updated. When you include your posted times and keep it short, I think that’s the easiest format to read.

As far as tone, I take a page from Simmons’ book, among others. I think live blogs should be light as well as informative. The writer should be able to draw upon a large knowledge base, making references and observations of interest to the subject matter. I tried to do that throughout my post, including player and game context, as well as pop culture references related to commercials, announcers and other news. I think this style makes live blogs readable. People don’t want a straight rundown of the plays. In addition, many sports editors have largely abandoned the play-by-play article in favor of columns for this very reason. People want to hear from someone personally, someone with a perspective on the game. I tried to do that. And my links reflect that.

I linked profiles anytime I mentioned a player, coach or commentator in case the audience was unfamiliar with them. I also included videos to many of the pop culture references I made, as well as the commercials I mentioned. Really, I linked about every person or place I mentioned, to make the reading process as dynamic as possible.

Looking back, I was reasonably happy with how everything turned out. I tried to keep the post as short as possible without forsaking necessary description about the game and environment that made it interesting in the first place. I tried to balance quotes from other folks, game information, as well as my own musings that were intended to add interest. I discussed my link and formatting style, which on the whole I thought were effective. I could have embedded video stills, instead of links, or more photos of players to break up the text, which might have improved the formatting. But on the whole, I was happy with it came out.

Anyway, on to mine …

New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts: Super Bowl 41.5

This week nine game was a battle of the unbeatens, the first time two undefeated teams have met this late in the season. It’s the game everyone was looking forward to since the schedules were announced and since Peyton Manning and the Colts finally broke through in the AFC Championship game last year and went on to win the Super Bowl. It’s the game every sports broadcaster, writer and enthusiast has been discussing all week. To take in the experience, I headed to the Buffalo Wild Wings in Wilmington to see how the Wilmington crowds reacted to the year’s most hyped game, what many are calling Super Bowl 41 and a half. (Check out video of the game.

7:30

Thanks for tuning in, folks. I think they hype was well-deserved. This has been THE rivalry in football for the past five years and this was the latest classic game to add fuel to the fire. The Colts had it, but they gave it up late. I think they’ll get another shot some time in late January. Until then, the experts will continue to debate and the new, most pressing question will be: Can the Patriots go undefeated? They’ll be good for at least another week, as they head into a bye.

7:27

Wrapping up here, as most fans have signed their bills and headed for the doors.

Donovan and co. are understandably excited. In fact, they’re still in their seats, having ordered a fresh round. Talk continues about the possibility of an undefeated season.

“Oh yeah,” says Keith Taylor, 34, an ex-football player himself. “They don’t have to play the Colts again.”

I’m sure the experts will have fun with this one.

Meanwhile, it’s a bitter loss for the Colts fans. Hower refuses to comment, while Miller searches for optimism.

“There’s always the playoffs,” she says hopefully.

7:22

Belichick and his scowl meet Dungy and his smile in a quick meeting. Manning and Tom Brady share a quick greeting, too. There is no love lost here.

7:20

Some fans ask for their checks. The buzz is at its lowest in hours.

7:18

The Patriots likely only need one first down to ice the game. First down carry nets three yards. Time out.

Hower is not feeling that confident.

“A miracle,” he mumbles to himself. “We need a miracle.”

Second down carry nets one. Time out.

Third and five – and the game – upcoming.

Will it be a throw to try and win the game? …

I’m guessing throw …

It is. And that’s pretty much it, folks. Manning knows it. He sits disgusted on the sidelines, mimicking the stance of most Colts fans here.

7:16

Hower and Siegel sit in disbelief. On the other side, Miller’s mouth is similarly wide open.

7:14

Wayne hauls in a perfect 24-yard pass out near midfield and careens out of bounds.

An Addai run on first down goes nowhere. Tick, tick, tick, tick.

A second down pass to Bryan Fletcher is incomplete, as Rodney Harrison applies pressure.

HUGE third down upcoming …

Ball is out! Colvin recovers the strip. Not looking good for the Colts … who still only have two time outs.

7:12

It goes through Moorehead‘s hands on first down. Indy only has two healthy receivers for what would be the game-winning drive. New England calls time out. Both teams have two remaining.

7:11

The excitement is palpable here. Many are standing up, as Rushing brings it out to the 24. Nantz reminds us that the Colts went 89 yards in January for the go-ahead score. This time, it’s only 76.

7:09

Thank goodness CBS is not using commercials. I think they know they would be mauled. Manning dries off his head, readying for the kickoff.

7:05

The fans are finally united here: Everyone is praying, it seems.

Completion to Moss for a few on first down.

Tick, tick, tick, tick. This is soooo like January it’s eerie.

Manning looks on as Brady and Donte Stallworth hook up for 33! The Pats are in prime position with a first town at the 13. Manning can only watch, which we see him doing.

Touchdown Patriots! It’s 23-20. The dome falls silent, as do the Colts fans here. Wow, this is some game.

Peyton Manning will get the ball with three minutes left, down by four.

7:04

A holding penalty stalls the drive a bit, but Addai picks up a good completion to the 34.

Tick, tick, tick, tick. The clock dips under five minutes. Big third down coming up.

False start on the offense – now, Dungy looks like he’s the one who needs a hug.

Roosevelt Colvin smacks Manning, forcing a fumble! But the Colts recover. The crowd here is in a bonafide fervor.

Welker returns it to midfield, setting up Brady and co. with four minutes left.

Remember, “The Amazing Race” is tonight!!!

7:00

Looks like the Colts will try to grind things out a bit, rushing with Addai.

Nevermind: Manning to Wayne for the first down. I think the Patriots were thinking the same thing I was.

Tick, tick, tick, tick. Everyone here is on the edge of their seats. This is what they call “crunch time.” Even my heart is pounding – this is exciting stuff.

6:57

A beautiful catch by Wes Welker cuts the lead to 20-17 with eight minutes left to play. Elmore’s table goes crazy.

6:54

An incomplete pass to Moss and a completion to Wes Welker sets up third and goal at the three. Marlin Jackson is shaken up (man, this Colts team is banged up. Just think if they didn’t have all these injuries …). Time out, Indianapolis.

6:51

Sanders tries to walk off the injury as a pass interference call goes against Moss. The dome erupts! Belichick looks like he needs a hug.

6:49

A 55-yard strike to Randy Moss! First and goal at the four. (And Jim Nantz was just saying that teams were only 3 of 11 with three picks when attempting passes of more than 20 yards against the Colts. Jinx.)

Very bad news for Colts fans if safety and run-stopper Bob Sanders is injured. He was still on the ground going into the commercial. Siegel hides his head in his hat. Rose Felton, who just arrived at the bar, watches intensely.

“Why do they take timeouts when this stuff happens?” she wonders aloud.

6:46

Peyton Manning is second to Vince Young for rushing touchdowns in the last two years. There’s an incredible and useful factoid, Jim Nantz. Patriots get the ball when we’re back from break – and another “Beowulf” preview. Really? Does anyone want to see this epic piece of literature turned into a cartoon with Angelina Jolie? Really?

6:44

Peyton Manning dives into the end zone behind center Jeff Saturday! 20-10. Dungy shows little emotion. Belichick and Brady show plenty, as does Donovan and company. Miller, meanwhile, is slapping everyone high-five – hey, even me!

6:41

Third down and four, Manning gives to Addai who plows down the six. The Colts nation is aaaaallllllll smiles right now.

6:35

Gary Brackett picks off Brady! What a play! Hower and Siegel are high-fiving, while a dour-looking Belichick looks on from the big screen. A personal foul penalty adds to his frustration, I’m sure.

First down on a Dallas Clark catch, his biggest of the game, exclaims Nantz.

6:30

A 35-yard Wes Welker punt return and a run takes us to the end of the third quarter. Hey, did you know “The Amazing Race” premieres tonight? You should check it out.

6:26

Gonzalez is out, though no one has told us why. The Colts injury woes continue. And Reggie Wayne drops a bomb from Manning on third down. Punter Hunter Smith will get his second action of the day.

6:26

I’m watching the NFL on CBS. Are you?

Indianapolis is known as “nap town,” but Jim Nantz informs us that no one is napping today. Thanks, Jim.

6:22

The Colts and Bob Sanders tackle Maroney in the backfield on a third and one. Let’s see if Belichick, a renowned daredevil on fourth down, gets cheeky.

Nope. Stephen Gostkowski “bangs through” (thanks, Jim Nantz) a field goal to make it 13-10 with two minutes to play in the third quarter.

6:20

Big hits montage. My favorite.

Brady scampers for a first down and a penalty against the Colts (only their second of the game) takes the Patriots into field goal range and a first down. Another Moss catch for a first down. As Manning looks on, the Patriots are down near the 20.

6:18

The Patriots are out near midfield after an acrobatic Randy Moss catch and Kevin Faulk rushing first down. Jim Nantz translator: The Patriots are good. Phil Simms translator: Yeah.

Talk about convergence – “CSI” and “Without a Trace” apparently will blend into one show Thursday. Weird.

6:15

Vote for the Pro Bowl, America!

6:09

We’re watching the NFL on CBS …

Allison Miller, 27, of Leland, shrieks with joy as the Colts come back onto the field, with Addai picking up another first down. He’s absolutely creamed by Tedy Bruschi on the next two plays. Miller doesn’t look as happy now …

But Donovan sure does, high-fiving his buddies and screaming for a stop on third and 20.

He gets it. Colts have to punt, the first time today. They swallow Wes Welker, plus a personal foul penalty, and the Pats are pinned deep in their own territory. Arbitrary shots of Belichick have climbed up over 20 (I’m just counting him now, since Dungy isn’t even close). The disciplinarian can’t be happy that his team has more than 120 yards of penalty yardage today. It’s only 30 yards away from a record!

6:04

Talk about momentum: This Colts defense has it. Another sack on Brady! It’s third and forever from the 42.

An incomplete pass – Brady REALLY wants pass interference but doesn’t get it – and Manning, who they show looking relieved on the sideline, and the Colts are saved for now.

6:02

The NFL doesn’t want you to broadcast any of their content. (The NCAA tried to say this very live blogging practice did that earlier this year at a baseball game.)

Manning is picked! This could change the ol’ momentum …

5:58

Addai had 176 yards in the first half. Incredible. The much-touted Patriots passing game only had 49. The Patriots start with consecutive runs that don’t do much.

Incomplete pass. Three and out. The dome and these Colts fans here are going nuts!

Brady looks a little upset on the sideline. Second scuffle of the game (I would have expected this number to be higher).

5:53

Dan Marino and the gang in the CBS studio are ready for the second half. So is everyone here at BW3s.

Donovan and Hower are both sticking to their teams.

Donovan says he’s not worried.

“We’ll come back,” he says. “We’re too good.”

Side note: It is possible to eat relatively healthy at BW3s. They have salads apparently (I’m training for an Ironman triathlon so I’m not on my usual chicken wings and pizza diet). The salads aren’t bad either.

On to the second half!

5:40

Even Belichick and Brady won’t try something with 10 seconds before half. It’s 13-7 Colts.

I’m going to eat at halftime. I’m running on empty. Consider this football’s version of “Coffee Talk.” Talk amongst yourselves, please. Back after half. Hopefully, the second one is just as good.

5:37

Gonzalez is back, and the Colts have a first down. Maybe they’ll try something here before half.

Oh my goodness! Joseph Addai takes a short screen 70 yards for the touchdown! This place is going nuts (at least the Colts fans). So playing it safe can pay off, huh? What a run! It’s 13-6 Colts at half, pending a kickoff and a few Brady kneel-downs. Wow. The dome is back to full volume.

5:35

Looks like the Colts will just run out the clock. Gonzalez has been taken to the locker room, meaning that the Colts are down to two receivers.

5:30

Best penalty name in football: leg whip. It’s on the Patriots. This stalls the drive a bit: 2nd and 24 on the 38.

Pats call time out. Brady and Belichick reunite on the sideline.

I LOVE these Coors Lights commercials splicing archived press conference footage and those goofy guys. They make me laugh EVERY time.

Brady is intercepted on the one yard line! And he was one pass attempt away from his career record for consecutive throws without a pick. All together now: Awww…..

5:26

The Patriots are content with second and nine at the 17 to take it to the two-minute warning. Manning stretches his groin. And he’s back – this time on a Master Card commercial! I’m 23, so Peyton says I still have a chance to have good abs. Awesome.

5:23

“Darling, you’re typing a lot,” muses the woman next to me at the bar. She seemed interested in my explanation of a live blog …

Brady to Moss for a first down. Maroney down to the 30. The Patriots keep on marching.

5:19

The Pats start their drive with Maroney on consecutive carries for a first down. (Indianapolis is leading time of possession by five minutes, though they are trailing on the scoreboard.)

Wes Welker’s first catch takes them across midfield. “He’s wonderful,” gushes Phil Simms.

Randy Moss drops a ball thrown to him. Haven’t seen that too much this season.

5:17

Did you know these two teams played in last year’s AFC championship game? And the Colts won? Thanks, Jim Nantz.

Why do networks cut to commercial after every kick off and special teams play? It takes like five seconds for the offense and defense to take the field.

Oh, ohhhh, Honda, Papa John’s, Spiderman 3, Best Buy and Bristot-Myers Squibb and David Letterman is why.

5:16

I went and visited with the rowdy Patriots, a group of engineers from Progress Energy who live in the area. Dan Elmore, 42, of Wilmington, is the spokesman. (They ask me if I’m the guy typing at the bar.) He says they’re big Patriots fans. He’s from Boston. I think of asking about the good guys versus bad guys story line but the number of empty glasses on the table makes me think otherwise.

5:12

OK, a replay on that last interference call gets more reaction from the Pats crowd. It was a bit questionable …

Third down upcoming. (Brady is warming up. The opposing QBs do that, you know, then the other guy is on the field. I never knew that before today’s camera work.)

Dallas Clark gets his first catch, but it goes nowhere. Vinatieri comes on again. He makes it 7-6.

Shots of a forlorn Marvin Harrison (who they could use in this game, Nantz explains) and Brady take us to the commercial.

5:10

I love the way Manning moves his feet before a throw. He’d be a good dancer, I bet …

Third down conversion. The Patriots are paying a lot of attention to Peyton’s tight end, and favorite target, Dallas Clark. He’s done nothing so far.

Another big pass call. Another big pass interference call. This time, down to the six yard line. (These two interference calls have resulted in 77 yards. Belichick and the Patriots fans in the bar cry conspiracy.

5:07

This Colts drive isn’t starting as well as their last two. The Patriots touchdown sucked the momentum out of this place a bit. An Addai first down reception gets them going again. They’re up to the 42 before a first-down run goes nowhere.

5:03

Jim Nantz rough translation: Randy Moss and Tom Brady are good.

Here comes Peyton. Nantz translator: He’s good, too.

Oh, our first Peyton Manning commercial of the game! Let’s keep a counter on that, too. By the way, the coaches are KILLING the QBs in random camera time. Maybe that should be the debate: Who’s better Belichick or Manning? …

5:02

Is anyone else tired of these “Fred Claus” previews. I love Vince Vaughn, which is why I know I’ve heard about 10 of the lines he utters in these previews in other movies. And that’s just the previews. Plus, didn’t we see something like this in “Elf” a few years ago?

5:00

The Colts are getting great – there’s Belichick again – pressure on Brady. They actually run it! Third and goal from the three coming up.

Fun fact on this year’s Patriots team: Neither of their primary running backs have scored a touchdown. Maybe it’s because they’re always throwing to that guy, Randy Moss, who just grabbed his 12th touchdown of the year. In week nine.

7-3 Patriots. Peyton looks lonely … but he’s tied the camera time 3-3.

4:58

First down Patriots at the four. (Apparently, it’s loud in here: Brady has been running to the sidelines to get the play calls.)

Is anyone surprised that the Patriots would line up in shotgun on first and goal from the four? No one else …

4:57

I love these montages they return from commercials with. I wonder if these kids ever realize that they were on TV, like, if years later, their parents who them the tape. “You were on TV during the Peyton Manning-Tom Brady battle, son!”

Peyton’s back on screen – oh, there’s Belichick again. And again. Man, the camera guys love him. Guess they have a mutual affection for camera work …

Brady is hit as he tries to throw from the 18 on first down. A draw run on second down takes them down to the 10.

Big third down here …

4:56

Betty says that there are about 50 kegs in the back of all different types. Budweiser (offer still stands) leads the way with some 20 in the back. A rowdy Patriots table looks like it might take down one on its own. Maybe I’ll go talk to them …

4:52

The Pats keep it on the ground since the Colts are all but inviting it with their formation. Another Bill Belichick shot. He looks happy …

They’re down to the 20. A big third and 1 will start the second quarter, and … Peyton gets onto the board in the opposng QB camera time race. He is shown by himself on the bench. He looks like he’s debating the tenets of “I, Ching.” Up 3-0, Peyton trails Brady 3-1 in camera time.

There’s always next quarter …

4:51

Here comes Mr. Brady. The second drive starts with a run about this much-maligned Colts rushing defense. They stop that Maroney run quickly. Apparently, they’re playing six defensive backs to help with the pass and only two linebackers.

Didn’t work on that play – completion to Moss takes them into Colts territory.

Big hole for Maroney and they’re down near the 35. The clock ticks under a minute. Lots of yelling here in BW3s. There are two screens not showing this game, though I don’t see any Browns fans …

4:50

I’m watching the NFL on CBS. Who knew?

4:43

Big pass interference call takes the drive to the nine yard line.

Debuting the Bill Belichick/Tony Dungy camera time counter: Belichick will account for most of this number, but it’s up to nine with five minutes left in the first quarter.

The drive sputters at the goal line and Gonzalez drops one on third and goal. Vinatieri connects on this field goal. 3-0.

My waitress, Betty, is going to ask about my keg question. Update into commercial break: Brady is leading the count of camera time on the opponent’s drive. The former Mr. Bridget Moynihan got two looks during the latest drive.

That drive also featured our first scuffle of the game. We’ll keep a running counter on that. Maybe Budweiser or somebody wants to sponsor these counters. Comment in if you’re interested, guys. I have plenty more where those came from …

4:42

The drive starts with a HUGE run by Joseph Addai of 21 yards.

Again, it’s Addai. Nantz says he has a “wiggle and a hip-hop move.” This guy calls the Master’s, can you tell?

4:41

Manning takes over about his 10. Commentators already speculate that Manning looks better thus far. Let the debate continue! Here in BW3s, most fans are on the edge of their seat. During the commercials, you hear remnants of this Manning-Brady debate. I wonder how many kegs they have in storage …

4:36

The Pats take over and Brady is sacked on the first play. Two small passes later and they are punting it back to Mr. Manning and company. This is the first time all year the Pats have not scored on their opening drive. The dome is rocking.

4:25

A steady dose of running back Joseph Addai leads the Colts down the field, before a false start by left tackle replacement Charlie Johnson sets the drive back. Adam Vinatieri comes on for a 50-yard field goal attempt, which he misses (his first ever miss in the RCA Dome).

Since the debate over who’s better between Brady and Manning has been raging more so than the hype for this game, I’ll be keeping a running tally of Brady spottings during Manning drives and vice versa. (First drive: A surprisingly slim one spotting of Mr. Brady during Peyton’s time on the field.)

4:22

The Pats kick to Colts returner T.J. Rushing (insert joke here). He doesn’t do much. But Peyton completes to Gonzalez (who replaces Marvin Harrison) on the first play of the game. Good start.

4:20

Here comes the kick. Some last-minute stats from Simms-Nantz:

-Peyton Manning has won 12 straight at home

-He’s going for his 100th regular season win today

-The Patriots are good. And people don’t like them.

4:15

As if you doubted that CBS would switch to the game on time. Here we go. BW3s is roaring.

“Let’s go Patriots!!” yells Jeff Reilly, 43, of Carolina Beach, who is wearing a Patriots hooded sweatshirt, popularized by Coach Bill Belichick.

Amy Holden, 38, of Wilmington, takes issue with that, yelling “Go Colts!” back in his direction.

Phil Simms and Jim Nantz have the call. Simms says both teams are special and deserve the build-up for this game, which he says is the most hype he’s seen for any regular season game. Let’s see if the action lives up to it all.

4:10

Dick Enberg, calming fans, saying the game will start soon. And he’s the master of hype: “The game … uhh … folks have … uhh … been waiting on for a couple of weeks.”

Side note: CBS actually WILL carry the Oakland-Houston game on the West Coast. Even Raiders fans can’t be happy about that.

We’re getting clooooossseee…

4:04

This Saints-Jaguars game is still going, and folks are getting restless. The BW3 staff says they can’t switch from this game to the Colts because they are the same affiliate (CBS). We might have a mutiny on our hands, if my Saints don’t finish this thing soon. lol.

For any non-football fans out there wondering why this game is such a big deal, check out this New York Daily News column that summarizes it pretty well: It has become more than a rivalry. It has become a battle of good (Peyton Manning, Tony Dungy, Colts) versus evil (Randy Moss, Bill Belichick and “Cameragate,” Patriots). It has everything you could ask for beyond this: the strongest rivalry of this decade; undefeated honors on the line; the Manning v. Brady quarterback debate. Hell, I’m excited. Let’s get this thing going!

3:50

Buzz is building here for the game. Some sporatic shouts, a little trash talking between a table of Patriots and Colts. Here’s a fun fact: A Google News search for Patriots-Colts yields 498 results. Iraq yields 2,498. Good to know there is still is some sensibility in the news world.

3:47

Brian Baldinger over on FOX lectures Vince Young and David Carr (the Titans and Panthers QBs he’s been subjected to watching) about a “real” quarterback, Tom Brady. You’ve heard of him, right? He plays for …

3:42

I know where you’re going with this, CBS. Dick Enberg: “Coming up next … the Amazing Race.” ??? Never mind.

3:31

Fox gets back into the Pats-Colts picture (because this Panthers game sure is boring): The last two QBs to beat the Patriots and the Colts were David Carr (Colts) and Joey Harrington (Patriots). Wow.

3:11

Real breaking news related to the game: Marvin Harrison and Tony Ugoh will be inactive, ending weeks of speculation. This will make it a bit tougher on the Colts, who are going off about a five-point underdog.

2:54

There you go, CBS. They go through the motions on some highlights during their halftime report, and then mention – have you heard? – that the Patriots and Colts play next. Did you know that? I wasn’t going to check that out until Shannon Sharpe screamed, “Yeah, baby. Yeah, baby” to highlights of players getting ready. Now, I’m excited!

The crowd grows even bigger at BW3s. I volunteer to relocate to a bar stool so a group can use my table. The house is packed and most people seem to be settling in for the long haul. The ratio of Patriots to Colts gear is pretty split. God bless them, there are some actual Carolina Panthers fans in the house. And one random, rowdy 49ers fan. You go, boy! Who cares about Pats-Colts?

Back in a bit. Going to pay attention to my Saints for a bit.

2:40

FOX and their halftime group don’t mention the Patriots-Colts ONCE during halftime. Incredible. As I said, I’m torn on the hype of this game, so I’m not sure that it’s a good thing to ignore such a big story. At the same time, if you don’t know this game is happening today, then … Kudos to Curt Menafee and the gang.

2:38

Whoa, there, CBS. The game is only a few hours away, chill out! Dick Enberg calls Saints QB Drew Brees Tom Brady. We’ll get to him, Dick. Soon enough.

1:51

Fox gets into the party: Dick Stockton promotes the Pats-Colts game – did you know that was today? – even though it’s on CBS. This is bordering on the most hype I’ve seen for any single regular season sporting event since Shaq vs. Kobe a few Christmases ago in Shaq’s first season in Miami. How much hype is too much? And is mocking the hype really just another form of hype? The only person I’ve seen who has really deflected all importance from the game is Steve Young, who got into a near-shouting match with Stuart Scott on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown after saying the game didn’t mean much. Scott, there to hype it, disagreed. I tend to agree with Young, though. These teams probably will meet again in the AFC championship, when the true winner will be crowned. BUT, this game could mean home field advantage …

Rachel Taylor, 29, of Surf City, agrees that the game has been too hyped. Taylor says she has no plans to watch the game.

“I might watch when they meet again in the playoffs,” she says.

1:45

Touch et, CBS, you don’t need a commercial every five minutes. Just mention it at the top of the ticker that runs across the bottom of the screen all game. You NEVER see any game mentioned in the ticker that isn’t happening currently, except in rare cases. This is one of those, I guess.

1:35

**BREAKING NEWS: The Patriots, who are undefeated, are playing the Colts, who are undefeated, later today. And these two teams don’t like each other. Thanks CBS for the first of why I’m sure will be several commercials.

1:03 p.m.

A full slate of 1 p.m. games kicks off on the various networks, officially starting Sunday’s action. I’ll update sporadically until 4:15 p.m., when the real fireworks start. Although he is commenting on the Saints/Jaguars game, Dick Enberg mentions the Patriots and Colts in his opening preview. This is nuts. You would think that people are sick of the hype by now. The increasing number of Colts and Patriots blue filing into to BW3s indicates otherwise. I think most everyone just wants to see what happens. Every detail of the game has been analyzed. Now, people want to see who comes out on top.

“They’ve beaten us three times in a row,” says Brian Donovan, 28, a Wilmington commercial director and self-described die-hard Patriots fan who dons a Tom Brady jersey. “It’s our time to put them back into their place.”

Donovan sits with a table of six, full of Patriots fans. The table consensus is that the Patriots will win this much-hyped match-up and go on to be undefeated, something that no team has accomplished since the 1972 Dolphins.

On the other side of the bar, I spot a group wearing Colts hats that has a slightly different opinion.

“The Patriots are overrated. They’ve just been running up the score on inferior teams,” says Josh Siegel, 21, a UNC-Wilmington junior from Asheville. “The Colts have been more impressive this year, since they’ve been playing with injuries.”

His barmate Devon Hower, 21, of Columbus, Ohio, agrees.

“This game is going to be awesome, but I expect the Colts to win. Everyone has been disrespecting them,” he said. “You can’t disrespect Peyton Manning.”

Like most of the analysts, it seems this crowd is split. No matter their opinions, everyone in the building is just ready for kickoff. There is a palpable buzz that is higher than your normal football Sunday. Back in a bit.

11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

I arrived early to take in Sunday NFL Countdown on ESPN. The crowd starts out light, but some Patriots and Colts hats and jerseys make their way into the restaurant as the ESPN analysts continue to debate every nuance of the game and the hype. Though there are 14 games taking place today, more than one hour of the two-hour show is dedicated to the Patriots and Colts. I hear some muttered comments about this fact, especially from fans wearing the Panthers blue and the Saints black and gold (both teams play at 1 p.m. along with nine or so other games being overlooked in anticipation of the 4:15 p.m. kickoff in Indianapolis).

“Ok, we get it,” groans Mike Hughes, 23, of Raleigh, who admits that he is not they biggest football fan. “All I’ve heard all week is about this game.”

First, my responses to questions from my week 8 post:

First, what will be in it for young alumni to participate? How will their involvement be incented? Encouraged?

Like any online forum, there won’t be any outward incentive to participate. Compelling content will be the main attraction, in addition to the social networking options available. I expect this feature to be heavy on viral marketing – I intend to exploit facebook and myspace alumni groups to both promote and solicit content. Whether in contributing their own content or just readinig, I expect alumni to keep up with this feature because of the content and because of the opportunities to share in common experiences with other alumni. I talked a lot about promotion in my week 8 post: I hope to promote this feature through the General Alumni Association as well as facebook and myspace. I expect young alumni to be aware of the platform, and we’ll work to demystify the entire concept to encourage submissions as well as to attract readers. This isn’t going to be a passive reading experience as led by one person. This will be a dynamic arena for young alumni to share in their experiences together. I see it as a more centralized, professional facebook experience.

You mention that in your target audience the diversity is “even more unique” online. I didn’t catch what is unique about the audience offline. You mention percentages, but is this breakdown unique? Do you mean unique from general interest sites? Or unique within academia? And how is it yet more unique online?

I mean that the audience of the dailytarheel.com comes from all over. Referrers originate from some 25+ countries and every state in the U.S. While this aspect of online readership is common, I believe the diversity is even stronger with the DTH Web site, because of the alumni factor. People associate dailytarheel.com, like www.unc.edu, with their alma mater and they visit the sites with increasing regularity to “keep up.” The emergence of RSS and mobility, as well as the greater investment of both the University and the DTH in their online operations also has provided a boost in general traffic.

Using DTH blogs as examples, you see you will have to promote effectively and develop better content. I wonder if even those steps would significantly boost DTH blog traffic. Isn’t it possible people just don’t look to a campus paper for that kind of content? IT’s worth asking.

I think this is a valid point, which is why I propose the external partnerships I do. Facebook, www.unc.edu.edu – these will be vital to the success of such an initiative. We can’t expect all our readership potential to be realized through promotion on JUST dailytarheel.com

For your FAQs, continue to flesh these out. And I strongly suggest using language regular people use. “Platform” is not one of these words. I can’t get too warm and fuzzy about my “platform” of choice. I dive off one; I launch rockets from one. I relate to communities of interest. If that makes sense.

Yep. These were a bit jargon-y, as I didn’t know if I was preparing them for you or for the actual audience. Look to my new detailed proposal for more questions, as well as the answers!

Online communities line this current media landscape. There are more than 1,000 “citizen journalism” Web sites in the United States. Millions of people rely on facebook.com and myspace.com for their social interactions. Social networking communities exist for photos, video, instant messaging – you name it. In this age of customization, people are forming communities based on similar interests and shared experiences. Our network will leverage this experience for UNC young alumni, a cohort that is very Web savvy and already accustomed to this sort of online experience.

The dailytarheel.com Web site will host this young alumni blog network. The DTH site usership has grown steadily in recent years, and alumni make up a strong percentage of that readership. Attracting existing readers to this new feature won’t be difficult, as the blog will be promoted heavily on the home page and will contain content of interest to readers. I won’t be the sole author. We will enable submissions as well as content from other alumni blogs and news centers. We’ll seek affiliations with facebook.com and myspace groups related to UNC alumni, as well as the University Web site and the General Alumni Association Web site. My own connections, as well as the DTH reputation, should make this easy. In the facebook arena, there are more than 39,000 users registered to UNC alumni groups. Connecting this audience with this new feature will be vital to its success. As I envision this blog operating similarly to a facebook news syndicate, we should be able to successfully piggyback on the facebook networks. We’ll also look to reverse publishing opportunities in both the DTH and the Carolina Alumni Review to promote content and the site itself.

The point of this site is to stimulate conversation about young alumni issues, as well as to create a network for UNC alums. Many young people move constantly after graduation, missing that strong toehold in their lives. This feature could be one anchor for their thoughts and experiences. Participation will be key, which is why the affiliations I mentioned will be so important. As the original proposal stated, I plan to have three to four original posts a week, PLUS all those contributions. A similar site I started in Brunswick County, NC, averages 15 submissions a day on myriad topics. I’d expect this site to exceed that, especially when factoring in content we will syndicate. Expanding the platform to include facebook-like functionality, as well as tagging, will improve the experience. The more interactive, the bigger the audience we’ll attract.

My posts will cover myriad subject matter. Some will be highly personal, including topics like I mentioned in last week’s post. There also will be an aggregate post feature on the site – “news that matters” to our audience in terms of a round-up of University news (as provided by the DTH) and alumni notes (as provided by the GAA). Guest posts and contributions also will run the gamut in terms of subject area. I envision posts covering everything from recent trip photos to personal commentaries on life. As successful citizen journalism Web sites and facebook-type networks have shown, diversity is key. Giving users as many tools as possible is key. This initiative should be successful in both of these ways.

Some expanded FAQs about the site:

What is the mission of this Web site?

The mission of The Young Alumni Network is to bring together recent alumni of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in discussions about life, common issues and experiences since graduation. This is an online network to read about young alumni news; to discuss common themes of post-college life; and to share news, photos and notes from your world. This is a place for young alumni to stay in touch with their alma mater and other alums. This is a place to stay connected.

How can I submit to this Web site?

Submitting to The Young Alumni Network is simple. You can contribute photos, words or commentary by just using our visitor submission form. You can also register an existing blog or RSS account to be updated on the Network. Or, you can simply use our tagging, comment and rate-it functions as a visitor to the site. Submissions are free and voluntary. All posts are approved by site administrators according to our terms of service.

Can I become a regular contributor?

If you desire, The Young Alumni Network offers blog accounts to alumni who want to regularly contribute posts. Otherwise, you can use our users submission form whenever you like. As mentioned earlier, we also can pull in RSS feeds from an existing blog account or network. Click “Sign up for a blog” on our community submission form to start the process.

What is RSS syndication?

RSS, or real simple syndication, enables people to keep up with their favorite Web sites in an automated manner through an RSS player or feed, such as on Net Vibes or facebook.com. It’s a quick way to receive updates on favorite Web sites or networks.

What is social networking?

Social networking, as made popular through Web sites like facebook.com and myspace.com, refers to a Web site or platform that enables people of similar interests to stay connected. Employing tools like ratings, polls, tagging and more, social network sites allow online communities of users to stay in touch and to interact with “friends” or other users. The Young Alumni Network wants to enable the tools of social networking to allow young UNC alumni to stay connected, much like groups on facebook.com but with more tools, greater visibility, as well as greater publishing power.

Who are the site operators?

The Daily Tar Heel began this site in partnership with 2006 alum Ryan Tuck as a way to enable alumni connections. Facebook.com and other Web sites offer ways for UNC alumni to stay in touch, but there isn’t one targeted place online for University alum to go and discuss life. In partnership with the General Alumni Association and the University, the Young Alumni Network is your destination online to discuss your life post-Carolina. As Carolinablue.com is a place to discuss UNC sports, the Network is your online community to keep up with all things related to post-Carolina life. Please contact us with any suggestions for how we can improve your experience, and how we can better create a place for alumni to stay in touch. Just because we leave Chapel Hill doesn’t mean we have to leave each other.

How is this site related to the General Alumni Association and the University?

The GAA and University sponsor the site along with The Daily Tar Heel, as it is a not-for-profit forum for all alumni. The Network also is pursuing official partnerships with facebook.com and myspace.com.