You’re right, you can’t teach location. Location is extremely important when it comes to good local blogging.

Still surprised that he doesn’t have social media experience. Everyone is on social media these days.

I think it says a whole lot about the priorities and culture of a lot of newsrooms. It’s good to offer all employees social media and Web training, but it’s another thing entirely to give a total beginner a position that requires social media and Web skills.

A lot of traditional reporters are already on Facebook and Twitter. It’s not a good sign when a would-be blogger isn’t even.

They wouldn’t stick a total noob into a traditional reporting position? So why hire somebody to blog that has no idea what Twitter or Facebook is?

Alas…… onward.

We have already received well over 3,000,000 hits since our October launch. We currently cover Summit, New Providence, Berkeley Heights, Livingston and Millburn/Short Hills and are expanding to Madison on April 1st.

We have over 75 paid reporters on staff and more than a dozen columnists. 100% of our writers live in New Jersey and close to 90% live in the 5 towns we currently cover. We are truly local in every sense of the word. We are also objective and non-partisan.

I believe that within 5 years, all local newspapers, most regional papers, and a good number of State and national papers will be all-online. We are at the cutting edge of this phenomenon. I believe we can be a model for newspapers, particularly local newspapers, to stay afloat and retain market share, all while preserving the integrity and professionalism of a newspaper.