The Observation Deck

Posted: **Fri Oct 25, 2013 8:49 am**

"What if Colin McEwen joined The Lakewood Observer?"

Colin McEwen and Jim O'Bryan would make a great superhero team up bringing news, conversation, and accountability to Lakewood.

And it would be a wonderful odd couple dream team!

Posted: **Fri Oct 25, 2013 4:20 pm**

If this was facebook, I would "Like" that idea.

Posted: **Fri Oct 25, 2013 7:57 pm**

Ryan Salo wrote:If this was facebook, I would "Like" that idea.

But it is not facebook, the shallowest most mediocre river of faux knowledge on the planet,
it is the Deck, where very serious people and some not so serious can carry on conversations
over a decade long in some cases, with people weighing in and speaking with respect, love,
knowledge, satire, ridicule and ... year after year after year after year.

Colin McEwen, and daughter at the Root Cafe.

So Ryan, what do you think now?

Let me tell you what I think, I have a ton more respect for Colin, than the hundreds that
preach local and sustainability and flocked to what the Wall Street Journal called, "The
WallMart of Hyper Local Journalism." All the people that called it the "Patch," instead of its
real name, America On-Line Patch, because it didn't go well with their rants about support
local, not corporate America.

Colin is a good guy, and we talked before he took the job. I gave Colin one of the best
pieces of advice I could possibly give him when he started. Colin was always up front and
honest, and I always enjoyed talking with him, and we tried to have lunch through the
year and share notes. I have never said a bad thing about Colin nor his family. Nice
additions to the city of Lakewood, and I hope he finds his way here. But seriously do we
expect Glen Palmer at Lakewood Hardware to send a holiday gift basket to Home Depot?
(For the record Home Depot is smaller company than AOL)

But the real question is, in a city 0f 52,000, why do we need local reporters at all? There is
always one person at a meeting, and if that person took the time to post it, it would save
others the time and need of going. That person then would benefit from someone else
reporting the meeting that that other person was at, and the accident site, or the
question, and before you know it you have a Transparent City. (The name of our original
grant application for the Knight News Foundation).

Then there was the reason why we felt the need to spend $$$$$ and years putting this
together. In 2003, a small group of us saw 1) How dangerous it was to a community to
rely on people/corporations that monetized the news. 2) The Freetimes, Scene, Sun
Papers, PD, Westlife and others were seen as unstable, and unable to serve a local
community for any dependable length of time.

So how does one build a sustainable vessel, open to all (still no one banned), uncensored,
open to the public with sustainability, depth, a respect for the city, the people, the elected
officials, and businesses?

We studied it for two years, with many, many, many very wise people and started the
Lakewood Observer project. The device that could rid a community of gatekeepers, and
empower every citizen to be equal with every other citizen. TOGETHER we can make this
city whole.

Today, the Observer project continues to grow, and continues to remain stable.

I hope to see Colin's name pop up on the Deck, and in the paper. After all, at some point
you have to have an opinion worth sharing, and be willing to share knowledge with other
members of the community.

I continue to talk with Colin, and he is busy with a new baby, Mahall's, a deserved rest
from carrying America ONLINE's "hyper local" multi-million dollar program on his back.

Colin working at a corporate Patch meeting. It nice one of them were actually from
Lakewood, or Ohio for that matter.

For the record, I believe it would be very nice for the Observer, this city, all of our
supporters and haters, and I bet for Colin, if Colin signed on and joined the Observer.

.

Posted: **Sat Oct 26, 2013 7:33 am**

Ryan Salo wrote:If this was facebook, I would "Like" that idea.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:For the record, I believe it would be very nice for the Observer, this city, all of our supporters and haters, and I bet for Colin, if Colin signed on and joined the Observer.

Posted: **Sat Oct 26, 2013 3:48 pm**

Jim,

You have so many great points.

But, man, you are longwinded!

So, I have some longwinded responses of my own below.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Let me tell you what I think, I have a ton more respect for Colin, than the hundreds that preach local and sustainability and flocked to what the Wall Street Journal called, "The WallMart of Hyper Local Journalism." All the people that called it the "Patch," instead of its real name, America On-Line Patch, because it didn't go well with their rants about support local, not corporate America.

The hypocrisy was deafening!

Folks had virtual ribbon cutting ceremonies throughout the 'Wood when AOL brought The Patch to town.

At least City Hall didn't give The Patch a tax abatement. Or, did it?

Jim O'Bryan wrote:But the real question is, in a city 0f 52,000, why do we need local reporters at all? There is always one person at a meeting, and if that person took the time to post it, it would save others the time and need of going. That person then would benefit from someone else reporting the meeting that that other person was at, and the accident site, or the question, and before you know it you have a Transparent City. (The name of our original grant application for the Knight News Foundation).

You need both.

Some of our elected/appointed/anointed officials - on all levels - are trying hard to limit First Amendment protections to those who don't fit within the traditional Fourth Estate model.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Then there was the reason why we felt the need to spend $$$$$ and years putting this together. In 2003, a small group of us saw 1) How dangerous it was to a community to rely on people/corporations that monetized the news. 2) The Freetimes, Scene, Sun Papers, PD, Westlife and others were seen as unstable, and unable to serve a local community for any dependable length of time.

I'm not sure folks in City Hall want what you want, Jim.

From my post in the "Got News?" thread:

So, what's next for news in the 'Wood?

City Hall helped create The Lakewood Observer, which appears to be a Lakewood news and information platform owned by Lakewood residents.

City Hall actively participated in sharing news with The Lakewood Observer in the past. For example, the Ed FitzGerald, Shawn Juris, and Kevin Butler posts were great!

Then, when The Lakewood Observer starting asking that City Hall be even more accountable and transparent, City Hall appeared to stop sharing news with The Lakewood Observer and, instead, sent virtually all its news to The Patch, which appears to be a national news and information platform owned by AOL.

Now that The Patch has abandoned Lakewood … as we all knew it would, where will City Hall share its news?

Will City Hall just take the “no news is good news" approach?

http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=12195

Jim O'Bryan wrote:So how does one build a sustainable vessel, open to all (still no one banned), uncensored, open to the public with sustainability, depth, a respect for the city, the people, the elected officials, and businesses?

We studied it for two years, with many, many, many very wise people and started the Lakewood Observer project. The device that could rid a community of gatekeepers, and empower every citizen to be equal with every other citizen. TOGETHER we can make this city whole.

See my above quote from the "Got News?" thread.

Simply put, Lakewood needs a "Colin McEwen and Jim O'Bryan" like team to keep City Hall honest.

The average citizen doesn't know how to hold City Hall accountable, which is why journalism is essential to any democracy ... local, state, and federal.

I can see the trailer now ...

Matt

Posted: **Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:34 pm**

Nice reply Matthew. I think you do need both. The Observer has proven not to be a "news" site, it's been a discussion site.

McEwen did a fantastic job of posting basic, nuts and bolts stuff happening around town. I miss it terribly.

I didn't go to AOL/Lakewood Patch for perspective, I went there to find out what was going on. Then I would check the Observer to see if anyone had additional perspective on it. Since it's nobody's full time job to provide a "news feed" of any sort to the Observer, it doesn't happen.

Of course, I'm a journalist, so I'm a little biased ... I think people are capable of honest reporting in a paid media format. I think Colin did a great job of it.

Jim, I understand your perspective and you don't need to go into it chapter and verse.... just wanted to throw in my two cents.

Posted: **Sun Oct 27, 2013 8:56 pm**

Paul Schrimpf wrote:Nice reply Matthew. I think you do need both. The Observer has proven not to be a "news" site, it's been a discussion site.

McEwen did a fantastic job of posting basic, nuts and bolts stuff happening around town. I miss it terribly.

I didn't go to AOL/Lakewood Patch for perspective, I went there to find out what was going on. Then I would check the Observer to see if anyone had additional perspective on it. Since it's nobody's full time job to provide a "news feed" of any sort to the Observer, it doesn't happen.

Of course, I'm a journalist, so I'm a little biased ... I think people are capable of honest reporting in a paid media format. I think Colin did a great job of it.

Jim, I understand your perspective and you don't need to go into it chapter and verse.... just wanted to throw in my two cents.

Paul

Paul, I completely understand your point, but it is very self centered, and that I also
understand. But then there are the facts. And the very real fact is that hyper local media
projects never generate enough money to pay "scale."

This was born out by the number 1 print/news media analyst in the USA for over ten years
Lauren Fine. A woman watching media for Merrill Lynch and Wall Street, who came to
Cleveland about 8 years ago to talk about the death of newspapers. During a discussion
at the City Club, she went into great detail that the large papers would fail. She gave the
PD 6 years at the time. Then a website owner stood up and said, "Well then the local
websites will take up the slack." And she rightly answered, "They will NEVER generate
enough income to be stable or sustainable." She then went into a story about a little
project that had a hybrid vision, and seems to be about ten years ahead of the rest.

So it really comes down to residents and businesses of Lakewood covering themselves, or
we will continue to got through hobby websites, that have no long term viability. Online
advertising has proven to be not a money maker, nor effective. So where does the money
come from to prop up the 4th estate, and their support staff?

Sustainable, which is a huge key to covering a city, and keeping events alive and a library
of history, is not an easy balancing act. It seems to be most if not all are failing, however
there is one project that continues to grow, and with each new project builds the sustainability
of this one.

At some point, a person has to pick up litter, help someone cross the street, and help to
keep a city informed on a level they feel comfortable.

peace

Posted: **Mon Oct 28, 2013 1:51 pm**

Jim,

As a preliminary matter, I never read “investigative” journalism in The Patch. And the comments on The Patch were, at best, shallow.

Now, let me explain further why I think The Lakewood Observer needs both traditional and citizen journalists.

You are a local businessman and journalist. You are the publisher of the only news source in Lakewood. You have owned and started countless successful businesses and projects. That’s why you were the 2008 Lakewood Businessman of the Year!

Colin is also a local businessman and journalist. Colin has just revitalized a Lakewood landmark.

Oh, no!

I think that I may be talking myself out of my original quote above:

Colin McEwen and Jim O'Bryan would make a great superhero team up bringing news, conversation, and accountability to Lakewood.

From what I read in the comic books, being a superhero isn’t easy.

That’s why most superheroes have hidden identities.

Both you and Colin need to take care of your families.

Regardless of whether you or Colin know where the “dead bodies are buried,” it might be unreasonable to assume that either of you are going to take on the “Wrath of City Hall.”

It might just be the case that The Lakewood Observer needs “traditional journalists” who are solely dedicated to “uncovering the truth” rather than “building the brand.”

No secret identity is needed to be a traditional journalist (unless you are going to argue that Superman was actually Clark Kent's secret identity).

Can a person both “uncover the truth” and “build the brand” at the same time?

Sure.

But which goal gets set aside when City Hall comes knocking on your door?

Matt

Posted: **Wed Oct 30, 2013 9:22 am**

Matthew John Markling wrote:Jim,

As a preliminary matter, I never read “investigative” journalism in The Patch. And the comments on The Patch were, at best, shallow.

Now, let me explain further why I think The Lakewood Observer needs both traditional and citizen journalists.

You are a local businessman and journalist. You are the publisher of the only news source in Lakewood. You have owned and started countless successful businesses and projects. That’s why you were the 2008 Lakewood Businessman of the Year!

Colin is also a local businessman and journalist. Colin has just revitalized a Lakewood landmark.

Oh, no!

I think that I may be talking myself out of my original quote above:

Colin McEwen and Jim O'Bryan would make a great superhero team up bringing news, conversation, and accountability to Lakewood.

From what I read in the comic books, being a superhero isn’t easy.

That’s why most superheroes have hidden identities.

Both you and Colin need to take care of your families.

Regardless of whether you or Colin know where the “dead bodies are buried,” it might be unreasonable to assume that either of you are going to take on the “Wrath of City Hall.”

It might just be the case that The Lakewood Observer needs “traditional journalists” who are solely dedicated to “uncovering the truth” rather than “building the brand.”

No secret identity is needed to be a traditional journalist (unless you are going to argue that Superman was actually Clark Kent's secret identity).

Can a person both “uncover the truth” and “build the brand” at the same time?

Sure.

But which goal gets set aside when City Hall comes knocking on your door?

Matt

Hey Matt,

I guess I need some clarification here. Which person in your scenario is “building the brand” and which is “uncovering the truth”?

If we had a paid team of reporters who did not live in Lakewood (or maybe Cuyahoga County) so there was no possibility of their businesses being shunned, their children harassed, their homes cited, etc etc, then that team would probably be more able to go about the business of “uncovering the truth.” If those traditional reporters lived in Lakewood it wouldn’t matter how traditional they were, or how much they were paid for reporting, they would still have to endure the potential “killing of the messenger” from their hometown.

However, it is the right of every person here to know what’s going on in our public chambers—city, schools, police, fire, court, city services, parks.

We pay for all of this and elect some of the people who run it. The strength of the Observer project is that everything can be shared with everyone else.

For example (and Matt, I know how much you love this particular example):

If one person is upset that streets around our schools aren’t shoveled, and that person posts about it on the Deck and more people respond to that information on the Deck, that first person (or ANY person) can say, “Let’s meet for coffee and see what we can do.” Then someone can write an article about that for the printed and online Lakewood Observer paper and the part of the city that doesn’t know about the Deck will see it in the paper and can support whatever that first individual was talking about, or not support it, and offer alternatives to make it better.

If that first person gets no support, in fact, somehow is now seen as now having a target on their back because they dared breathe the idea out loud that, “Lakewood isn’t the greatest at snow removal,” that would be a shame. I have yet to see it happen on the Deck that other Deck users won’t answer someone. And they even use their real names. Because they recognize the amount of good will and neighborliness there actually is in this town. We can talk to each other here over the digital fence and over the garden fence. We can make things better. We can actually work WITH the schools and the city sometimes to get things done for all of us, especially if we work together.

We know that those in positions of power don’t always tell the truth. The more we stay on top of simple things like what our representatives actually do at their public meetings, and share this knowledge with each other, the more those in elected positions will know that we care and that’s good for everyone.

There is a lot of strength in public discussion. No one needs to be an expert or a professional. They just need to care. They just need to take the time to put it out there. It’s pretty easy, but sometimes it takes a lot to go from being “no-one in particular” to being “someone.”

I think Jim in part was talking about Colin as a citizen of Lakewood. How much fun it would be to engage him in a discussion on the Deck because Colin obviously loves this city and has a lot of good ideas.

As Matt points out, both Jim and Colin are Lakewood businessmen and family men, along with being journalists, whether they are professional or “citizen” journalists.

At this point, they, and we, are all in it together. AOL folded up its tent and went home but they took the bathwater, the baby stayed here with us.
Onward!

Betsy Voinovich

Posted: **Wed Oct 30, 2013 10:09 pm**

Betsy,

I'll let Jim speak for Jim.

Betsy Voinovich wrote:I guess I need some clarification here. Which person in your scenario is “building the brand” and which is “uncovering the truth”?

Please read my last post and the following quote again:

Can a person both “uncover the truth” and “build the brand” at the same time?

It was a question.

I don't know who can do this.

I'm sure it can be done.

But, remember that superhero secret identity issue?

I guess I'll ask another question.

Does it help "build the brand" if you "uncover the truth" and actually report/post dirty truths?

My answer is, "no."

That leads to yet another question.

Can you be an honest journalist and be true friends with the same folks you report on?

My answer is, "no."

As to the rest of your post, it is what it is.

In sum, strong journalism is essential to a strong democracy. And the 'Wood needs strong journalists.

Matt

Posted: **Thu Oct 31, 2013 8:52 am**

Betsy,

I have some further questions and comments for you.

Betsy Voinovich wrote:However, it is the right of every person here to know what’s going on in our public chambers—city, schools, police, fire, court, city services, parks.

We pay for all of this and elect some of the people who run it. The strength of the Observer project is that everything can be shared with everyone else. (adding emphasis)

Everything is shared with everyone? Really?

Betsy Voinovich wrote:We know that those in positions of power don’t always tell the truth. The more we stay on top of simple things like what our representatives actually do at their public meetings, and share this knowledge with each other, the more those in elected positions will know that we care and that’s good for everyone.

There is a lot of strength in public discussion. No one needs to be an expert or a professional. They just need to care. They just need to take the time to put it out there. It’s pretty easy, but sometimes it takes a lot to go from being “no-one in particular” to being “someone.”

Is there not a difference between "good neighbors talking over the digital fence about life in and around Lakewood, Ohio" and "journalists" covering Lakewood?

I value discussion.

But, I don't believe discussion is journalism.

Betsy Voinovich wrote:I think Jim in part was talking about Colin as a citizen of Lakewood. How much fun it would be to engage him in a discussion on the Deck because Colin obviously loves this city and has a lot of good ideas.

It would be a blast!

Betsy Voinovich wrote:AOL folded up its tent and went home but they took the bathwater, the baby stayed here with us.

So, how do we raise this baby, Betsy?

Matt

Posted: **Thu Oct 31, 2013 9:13 am**

Matt/Betsy

I think I am pretty clear with all of this.

Now I have neither the background or understanding of community media projects that you two
have, but I will give this a shot, one more time.

Anyone that would try to follow the path of the PD, Scene, FreeTimes, or AOL Patch is destined for
failure, as proven by companies that actually had some knowledge of this sort of thing. We can all
go into detail over the bad management, the self inflicted wounds etc. but the fact remains, and has
been bore out by professionals, not a lot of money for hyper local news sites. Or for that matter
hyper local sites. Do they exist by the thousands, sure, do they pay bills, rarely.

Even in the AOL world of basically owning the internet, they could not afford the salaries they had
put forward. So if AOL spends $767 million proving a known fact, I think we can believe it is true.
If we look at the various Observers and their budgets, we can say it is true.

So the problem we saw ten years ago, was how does a city get out information that is needed to
all and, make it sustainable. Also as we all have different lifestyles and goals, how do we produce
it in a way that benefits a community.

The example I used with an elected official the other day was...

Do we need every report of copper theft in its entirety? OR do we need people talking that copper
theft is up, and we need to be vigilant.

Do we need to bend for the few unwilling to put up, or do we cater to those willing to put up in a
community where putting up is a true gold standard?

All fascinating questions as we move into the second decade of this project.

.

Posted: **Thu Oct 31, 2013 9:16 am**

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Now I have neither the background or understanding of community media projects that you two have, but I will give this a shot, one more time.

... funny ...

Posted: **Thu Oct 31, 2013 9:17 am**

Jim O'Bryan wrote:So the problem we saw ten years ago, was how does a city get out information that is needed to all and, make it sustainable. Also as we all have different lifestyles and goals, how do we produce it in a way that benefits a community.

The example I used with an elected official the other day was...

Do we need every report of copper theft in its entirety? OR do we need people talking that copper
theft is up, and we need to be vigilant.

Do we need to bend for the few unwilling to put up, or do we cater to those willing to put up in a
community where putting up is a true gold standard?

So, Jim, how did this elected official respond to your questions?

Posted: **Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:37 am**

Matthew John Markling wrote:Betsy,

I have some further questions and comments for you.

Betsy Voinovich wrote:However, it is the right of every person here to know what’s going on in our public chambers—city, schools, police, fire, court, city services, parks.

We pay for all of this and elect some of the people who run it. The strength of the Observer project is that everything can be shared with everyone else. (adding emphasis)

Everything is shared with everyone? Really?

***

Betsy Voinovich wrote:AOL folded up its tent and went home but they took the bathwater, the baby stayed here with us.

So, how do we raise this baby, Betsy?

Matthew John Markling wrote:
Jim O'Bryan wrote:So the problem we saw ten years ago, was how does a city get out information that is needed to all and, make it sustainable. Also as we all have different lifestyles and goals, how do we produce it in a way that benefits a community.

The example I used with an elected official the other day was...

Do we need every report of copper theft in its entirety? OR do we need people talking that copper
theft is up, and we need to be vigilant.

Do we need to bend for the few unwilling to put up, or do we cater to those willing to put up in a
community where putting up is a true gold standard?

So, Jim, how did this elected official respond to your questions?

Hello, Betsy?

Hello, Jimmy?

The Observation Deck

Colin McEwen and Jim O'Bryan!

Colin McEwen and Jim O'Bryan!

Re: Colin McEwen and Jim O'Bryan!

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Re: Colin McEwen and Jim O'Bryan!

Re: Colin McEwen and Jim O'Bryan!