News and notes from Reston (tm).

Thursday, January 30, 2014

With Layoffs, Will Patch Wither on the Vine?

Dead PatchPour one out for our BFFs at Reston Patch and Herndon Patch, both of whom were laid off yesterday in a massive downsizing of the nationwide network of local news websites, after AOL sold a big chunk of the business. No one seems to know exactly how many journalists were eliminated, but both of our local editors confirmed that they were laid off.

RestonHerndon
While all 900 Patch sites will supposedly remain open, there's a minor detail: There's no one to staff them at the local level. We can look forward to more dubious data-driven maps, some wacky news, but, more likely than not, not much in the way of Reston-specific information. And how will we keep track of our neighbor to the west's continuing debate over allowing farm animals in backyards?

All joking aside, local journalism matters, and after one of our community newspapers went out of business, we were excited that Patch was created to fill a growing void in very local news coverage. We've seen ample examples of the difference between what matters to Reston and what matters to Fairfax County. Fortunately, there's still Reston Now, the site launched by former Patch editor Karen Goff. And, um, there's this filthy "web log," although we've been told by authoritative sources that we're not experienced journalists, and after watching All the President's Men, we've figured out that we'd actually have to leave the house to do some, whazzitcalled, "reporting." And who knows, maybe the folks at Patch will surprise us, and not turn the local sites into what those of us in the "web logging" business like to call zombie sites:

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11 comments:

  1. Thanks for the shoutout. I am sad to see Reston Patch go as well, because I did work very hard to build it into a well-read site during my 3.5 years there. But the writing was on the wall a while ago, which I why I made the move over to Reston Now. I am still working hard and have a lot of confidence in our business model I encourage everyone to find the local new over there. www.RestonNow.com. -- Karen Goff

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    1. RestonNow is very good -- thank you, Ms. Goff! It is unfortunate that we may lose the Patch as another source. However as you have demonstrated when one door closes another one opens and hopefully the Patch folks can find a place to contribute.

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  2. Replies
    1. So it was somehow wrong of them to put an end to a massively unprofitable enterprise? Should have happened sooner than it did.

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    2. Because, as we all know, it's always about the bottom line.

      These two people are now unemployed. Maybe you could spare a little more sympathy for them from the abundance that you seem to feel for the shareholders.

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    3. They will be fine if they maximize the free market. You know, build a monopoly railroad or become architects. That kind of thing.

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    4. Are there no workhouses?

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    5. "Because, as we all know, it's always about the bottom line."

      At some point the bottom line certainly enters into it. Did you read the part where AOL lost $200-300 million? How many hundred million do you think they have to lose before they're allowed to pull the plug?

      "These two people are now unemployed. Maybe you could spare a little more sympathy for them from the abundance that you seem to feel for the shareholders."

      I didn't say anything about the shareholders. In point of fact I would hate to see an individual business owner waste money on an unprofitable enterprise just as much as a group of shareholders.

      As for the two employees, it is far better they should go get jobs elsewhere than that they should be employed in an enterprise that is doomed to fail sooner or later.

      Would you be willing to bankrupt yourself in order to employ two people just because you felt sympathetic towards them? If you would not do that, why should Patch do it?

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  3. I am now removing the Reston Patch from my favorites toolbar and filling it in with Reston Now.

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  4. Oh no! Now who will be the first to tell us when the new Hooters opens?

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    1. Reston Now, silly. We're the ones who told you about it in the first place - KG

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