Alborn: Bloggers Need a Wider Audience

Opinion 

“If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it does it make a sound?”   – Zen Koan.

I’ll admit it. I start my day by reading the Washington Post online edition, and a few other news outlets I have bookmarked, and the local blogs. 

I have observed that our local bloggers have matured over time.  They touch on difficult issues that the traditional press often ignores.  Bloggers respond in real time, often while Board Meetings are in session, or issues have barely been uncovered, and often provide good analysis and opinion on their topics.

I actually gave up on my blog because so many others do a better job of covering local issues than I ever did.  Now, I focus on my weekly column, and attempt to cover issues that perhaps others missed.

Blogs often get very personal, include a bit of vitriol that really adds nothing to the conversation, and occasionally a jab or two at the personalities involved.

I enjoy every bit of it. 

Anonymous bloggers can do that.  I take everything I read with a grain of salt, fact check the issues, and often draw my own opinion based upon breadcrumbs left behind.  In my interview with the Sheriff of Nottingham of Prince William County (and I still don’t know who he really is), he freely admits a desire to be outrageous to get the public’s attention.

It works.

I’ve also noticed that bloggers bring facts, research, opinion, documents, emails, and analysis to the table.

I like that.

But, I wonder how many people actually hear the sounds the Sheriff and other local bloggers make?  While all of our local blogs have a loyal core constituency and regular critics, I suspect they may not actually reach enough Prince William County to influence public policy, local decision-making, transportation planning, budget issues, or the 2015 elections?

If few people actually read a blog, does it make an impact on our lives?

I’d like to fix that.

Potomaclocal.com would like to offer space once a week in its Letters section to any of the local bloggers who are willing to write an Editorial about topics of public interest. Editorials should be submitted via this link. 

Facts presented must be supported by specific artifacts (links, documents, attributable quotes).

Bloggers may draw conclusions based upon the facts and their particular bias, political persuasion, personal circumstances or whatever as long as they are arrived at logically.

The vitriol that makes blogs so interesting must be left behind on the blogs.  I roughly follow the Associated Press Stylebook; however, I have come to understand that if I write reasonably polite, footnoted and properly references, columns I comply. 

The Editor of Potomaclocal.com reserves the right to reject anything submitted if, in his opinion, it isn’t up to editorial standards (that “reasonably polite” thing).

As anyone knows who reads my column, I respect our local bloggers and believe that they bring a valuable perspective to the public conversation.  I also believe that only a small percentage of Prince William County residents actually know that they exist, let alone benefit from the perspectives and opinions presented.

The goal of my modest offer is to expose the public to what I consider to be worthwhile perspectives on issues facing Prince William County.

I suspect 1-2K hits is a “Good day” for a local blog.  Potomaclocal.com has 40,000 readers.  If you really want to share your perspective, influence public policy, and actually influence the 2015 election cycle, take me up on this offer.

Bloggers may continue to be a tree falling in the forest that very few actually hear, or a tree crashing down on public policy and the 2015 elections that perhaps helps determine the future of Prince William County.

I kind of like the latter.