The Difference Between a Forum and a Beat Blogging Network

The Patriot-New’s reporter for Hershey has launched his network. In one week he has 23 members (and growing), all have been vetted by him and so far understand the rules he has set up to join.

Early on, however, someone took the network as a sign that the general forum was failing: 

"Has it gotten so bad over there that Patriot News reporter Daniel Victor saw fit to set up a completely separate website at http://hersheyhome.ning.com/ or is there another reason?"

That’s a fair question, but the network Victor is setting up isn’t a forum. This is a tool for his reporting – one that the residents of Hershey can also use to inform themselves and converse with others on important issues.

Daniel handled the question very well: "
This is set up more as a laboratory to see if this kind of forum works, and to see how much it could improve The Patriot-News.

Also: Whereas the Pennlive forums are moderated by the people at
Pennlive (which is a separate company from The Patriot-News), I will be
the sole moderator here."