Suggestions
May 7, 2009Ok, Red Hampshire…I already took a pot shot at you. Not because I wanted to, but because I thought you should see what’s coming if you continue to call yourselves a “red” site, or a “Republican” site run in a similar manner to Blue Hampshire. I will try to be polite here.
Red Hampshire. Sounds like Red Herring. Could be a Communist website. Could be a strictly partisan site, thereby pushing others away. Could be a copy of Blue Hampshire’s idea, thus signifying a complete lack of creativity in the Republican ranks. Is not an independent site, thus never completely trusted. If it’s Republican, it must be entrenched Republican, thus every word being watched by big brother. And…it’s a partisan blog site.
Mainstream Media will accept every word as if it came direct from the mouth of John Sununu.
The real political battle today is not in electoral politics. The real battle is being waged in the media. Blue Hampshire doesn’t see this. Red Hampshire could.
To become an accredited, independent styled news organization requires only two things, a website and a newsy name. A website called Red Hampshire does not sound like a news site. For some reason every time I write it, here it, think about it, I can almost smell lobster.
It is probably best not even to include Hampshire, or New Hampshire in the website title. Granite either. No NH. No Live Free or Die. Nothing that ties the site to New Hampshire. Call your site the Conservative News or something bland that seems to invite the whole world to view it. You can use the quality of local bloggers to invite national bloggers to post.
Obviously, you would want to make sure that New Hampshire readers feel primarily catered to. But, you should also provide a welcome mat to anyone in the country on national issues.
You obviously have some very respectable voices being brought forward in the site. Make sure they don’t outgrow you when they decide to pursue national issues. And use them to draw in the big hitting national voices.
My advice, think much bigger, much broader, and realize that the battle to be won is a media battle first and foremost, electoral battles are a consequence of solid media support, and today the Union Leader is providing none of it. And make your changes soon before people get used to the name.
If you don’t make changes someone like me can make your authors feel uncomfortable and want to leave. Not a threat. Just reality in 2009.
ps: I really don’t mean to offend anyone. However, John Sununu is a notorious Bushite. I hope people realize what that means in 2010. It means the Bush family is square in the middle of our state’s politics…once again. It’s a disaster waiting to happen.
ps: Go Fergus!
RedBull
May 7, 2009
Dave: Your post is well thought out and you clearly spent a lot of time on it, but you make the assumption that the owners want this to be a news site. I don’t think they do.
You seem to be suggesting they do something like Pat Hynes and NowHampshire. But it looks like they want to be upfront about the agenda and make this sort of a gathering area for like-minded folks and leave the news to reporters.
And a gathering place is needed.
johnstark
May 7, 2009
RedBull, you are absolutely correct. Red Hampshire should be nothing like the rag NowHampshire, which is used to mainly push Hynes’ clients. This site needs to be honest about what the purpose of the site is.
Dennis Acton
May 17, 2009
I like the local NH aspect to this site. We need a place to gather and discuss our party’s future here in NH. It will get too watered down if the focus is raised to a national level.
I’d like to suggest that everyone be required to use their real names. I am sick of people hiding behind nicknames and throwing bricks at people’s heads on political blog sites. Anonymous postings almost always go over the top while if your name is on something, you tend to spend a little more time thinking about what blather you post.
Dennis