SOUTH DAKOTA STRAIGHT TALK

Blogging on Keloland.com! Wow!

As a two-year blogging veteran, it is an honor to be included in KELO’s increased political awareness effort on the WWW. South Dakota Straight Talk has about 3500 unique viewers each month and having exposure to Keloland.com’s 3 million plus hits a month is exciting.

People today are getting their news and information in many different ways. With the advent of Cable News almost 30 years ago the 24-hour news cycle became reality. Within the last 10 years people have been relying more on the Internet as a source of news.

The Movie News has been gone since the 1950s (television took them out). And getting your news at the end of your driveway each morning is fast fading into the sunset. There is great debate about the future of Newspapers but many think that there will not be many left in even 10 years. People under 40 don’t read the paper. To understand the nature and depth of the challenge that traditional media faces from Online Content take a look at the June 11th Harris Poll (black and white and not very read).

The local media companies that survive will be the ones who are the best at gathering the local news and disseminating it in a medium that people want. Media today understands they must have multiple platforms and they must have reach. Survival demands an Online component!

In recognition that people want there news 24/7 and not just at 5, 6, and 10, KELO television is placing increased emphasis on their website. This increased commitment to Keloland.com shows the media understanding of News Director Mark Millage and Web Producer Jeremy Moser.

Jeremy understands the challenge and explains it well when he says “There is no road map” (when talking about the changing way people are getting their news.)

Background on South Dakota Straight Talk – By way of introduction - my biographical information is posted on my blog at About Me. The inaugural post of Straight Talk tells a little about the blog and my opinions and interests. Just as housekeeping – I don’t post on any regular interval but usually 2 or 3 times per week as time permits. Sometimes more frequently when there is breaking news. I blog about half of the time on local, state, and national government and politics and the remainder on the popular culture and items of interest.

While the Keloland blogging is new, my initial plan to include the KELO posts on Straight Talk but not necessarily all of the Straight Talk posts on Keloland.com, however this is a work in progress. To see all my posts including a Sunday feature, Weekly Reader, check out www.sdstraighttalk.com.

My adult life has involved an intense interest in public affairs, politics, and elections and as Dr. Cohen, my pediatrician, often told my Parents, “he is opinionated.” Thank you Jeremy and Mark for letting me contribute and share my opinions.

Sidebar - for further information on newspaper disintegration “The Week” magazine had an article on The Decline of the American Newspaper and Public Broadcasting had a fantastic documentary on “Frontline” (watch Episode 3) (a fascinating program that explains the challenges facing today’s media companies.) If you have the time and want to understand the dynamics, it is a fascinating watch.

Sidebar 2 – Some of my favorite South Dakota Blogs (they are worth a look):

http://www.hoghouseblog.com/ Denise Ross is the best because she does original reporting. Unlike other South Dakota blogs she doesn’t just regurgitate news found elsewhere with commentary. Denise is a former political reporter for The Rapid City Journal who has background in South Dakota government and politics.

http://prairieprogressive.com/ Tim Gebhart is a Sioux Falls attorney (also a former life the political reporter for The Rapid City Journal) who writes about books and music with a smattering of current events and the law.

http://skolvikes.blogspot.com/ Mike Knudson is a local business executive, who writes with great analysis and love of the Minnesota Vikings. Big Mike is the son of Sioux Falls power couple, Councilwoman De and Senate Majority Leader Dave Knudson.

http://www.jayreding.com/ Jay Reding, I believe is currently a law student at USD and he is a thoughtful conservative that is engaging and writes on legal, political, and international topics with great intellect.

http://brookingsbanter.squarespace.com/ Tim Reed is the Deputy Mayor of Brookings and blogs on happenings in the Brookings community as well on Brookings City business. Tim’s blog is a good example of what many elected public officials should be doing. Effective leadership begins with communication.

http://jasonfolkerts.blogspot.com/index.html Jason Folkerts is a local cartoonist with great wit who not only blogs but is frequently published in Newspapers across South Dakota.

http://dakotawatercooler.blogspot.com/ Greg Belfrage is the conservative talk show host on KELO AM radio. Greg calls them like he sees them.

South Dakota Straight Talk at KELOland.com can be found at http://www.keloland.com/custompages/kelolandblogs/sdstraighttalk/