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The Bulletin Previews Their New Site

For some reasons that a few people reading this site know, I'm going to just remain a neutral bystander on this, but it looks like The Bulletin is previewing their new design and registration scheme. Thoughts, comments? Feel free to comment here.

Posted by Jake on 09/11/05 @ 10:46 AM
Posted in Interesting, Local | 19 Comments | Permalink
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19 Comments

Mark Turner said on 09/11/05 @ 03:15 PM:
besides less ads, i dunno. never really like the Bulletin.

Jon said on 09/11/05 @ 11:41 PM:
Still no RSS?

Rick said on 09/12/05 @ 07:02 AM:
Perhaps they could make it so it could be viewed on an even lower resolution?

Nothing like having a third of the width of the page taken up by your content, and the rest by some nice white space....

Jon's wife said on 09/12/05 @ 05:07 PM:
Poor of them to CHARGE to use the full site :(

zenwanderer said on 09/13/05 @ 07:00 AM:
On my 19" monitor, set at 1280x1024, the page covers less then half the screen. Other then that it looks good.

monkeyinabox said on 09/13/05 @ 03:10 PM:
White space galore. I guess it's gives you plenty of space on your monitor to tape up articles from The Oregonian and compare the source material.

Evan said on 09/13/05 @ 04:56 PM:
Looks remarkably similar to this site: http://www.bendhomes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=BENDHOMES

me said on 09/13/05 @ 07:40 PM:
1) way too much effin' whitespace
2) way too small print on the left side
3) generally just damn unattractive

A Bulletin Reader said on 09/13/05 @ 08:14 PM:
Absolutely awful. I don't mind their current site, but the new one is so BLAND, so iceberg lettuce, so BORING.

A bunch of text, a lot more white space, and NONE of the pazazz of a newspaper.

Thanks, but no thanks. I'll continue to hold the tangible product.

Mark Stokes said on 10/01/05 @ 12:06 PM:
Everyone's comments about the change to the Bulletin's site are quite interesting. I was the guy who was responsible for the site's previous incarnation: the overall look, content, and structure, and I managed it from 1999-2002 with a very good designer/programmer. It was designed for the audience: attractive, interesting, and navigable. These changes to the site are regressive and meaningless. Not to mention that an Alexa analysis of rank and page views shows that visitors have left the building. It's a complete waste.

Jake said on 10/02/05 @ 10:31 AM:
Hello Mark! I remember when you were charge of the site. I remember talking to you in college, actually, trying to get a job there :-)

Pop me an e-mail sometime (as I'm assuming the e-mail address you submitted with is invalid).

Mark Stokes said on 10/04/05 @ 01:42 PM:
Hi Jake - Yes, I remember you. Very persistent when I was at WesCom. Unfortunately I didn't have time to pay attention/even do an exploratory interview with you (and many others) - I was buried in the multi-site management. Looks like you've done a great job with utterlyboring.com and other projects!

Jake said on 10/04/05 @ 02:07 PM:
Thanks for the compliments, Mark. Check your e-mail (assuming the e-mail you gave is valid).

Mark Stokes said on 10/06/05 @ 09:33 AM:
Reply to Jon at the top of the list: "Still no RSS?" I don't think they know what RSS is, and if they did, they would be afraid of it, a la fear of giving away too much news online. Duh - unclear on the general concept.

Mark Stokes said on 10/18/05 @ 03:37 PM:
Well, it appears that as part of the new site the Bulletin has bravely entered the world of ecommerce. Why anyone in their audience would want to participate in this is beyond words, or even thought. When you're done being thrilled and numbed by this, click on "See what the products look like" for a real consumer bonus. http://bendbulletin.mycapture.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?userphoto=0&image=11111134&thispage=1

David said on 10/24/05 @ 03:43 PM:
Hello everyone,

Hmm. Apparently, the Bulletin purchased a system called Publicus:
http://www.saxotech.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

According to an edition of Seybold Reports (with whom I am a published author), Publicus is owned by Saxotech, and pricing for their publishing system begins at $40,000:
http://www.seyboldreports.com/SRIP/subs/0409/html/middle.html

To find other newspaper sites using this overly priced, closed-source piece of Windows-based junk, just do a search for 'pcbs' or 'pcbs.dll' on Google. You'll quickly turn up dozens of sites, including the Toledo Blade (www.toledoblade.com, IP address 209.225.11.190, exactly the same as bendbulletin.com via a traceroute). In fact, for a while, accessing the bulletin via https:// would resolve to ToledoBlade.com. Oops!

What does this say to me? For the Bulletin to outsource its web operations to a national software provider is predictable, and a good example of corporate-driven excess. Too much of a top-heavy, dollar-driven, content-is-god-and-customers-should-pay approach. It's still run by the same people, who blew a minimum of $40K on a product that could easily be rivaled by more affordable, opensource PHP/MySQL options on the market whose cost could be the simple price of hiring an experienced developer to install the software.

Sure, their print circulation may be on the up and up. Why not? It's not hard to accomplish this when the city in which you operate a business is growing at such a fast rate:
http://www.ci.bend.or.us/about_bend/index.html

Mass media monopolies, national web vendors, top-down managerial policies... it still all boils down to quality of content. In the absence thereof, it's up to us bloggers to make a dent -- or a positive move forwards at least -- and do what the 'traditional media' members among us fail so often to do: their job. To report the news, to publish it fairly and equally balanced, not just as a tag-line but as the real thing.

Memory tells me that Wescom (parent company of the Bulletin) was founded by several ex-Gannett employees who wanted to start over and do the news the right way. (Gannett is parent company of USA Today, it's employees are termed "gannetoids" for their drone-like personalities, another admittedly sad group of whom I must count myself, having been the first webmaster at the Salem StatesmanJournal.com).

Just ask yourselves, though, as you read the Bulletin's print or "new" online edition: to what extent was the original effort in vain, and to what extent have they in fact modeled their product after the very thing from which they wanted to differ?

In the absence of actual journalists, it's up to you and I to fill in the blanks. We must spread the word, report the stories of importance, and do the work that so many corporate journalism employees constantly fail to do: disseminate news and information as a matter of responsibility, rather a begrudging effort borne out of contempt for readers, and performed as a last resort due to sheer boredom with the process.

If they can't figure out how to do it, we will.

All the best,

David

Additional Links:

Publishing Goes Mobile: A Look at The Wireless Application Protocol
http://www.seyboldreports.com/TSR/subs/0108/wirelessprotocol.pdf

Pacific Northwest Blogs
http://www.NWBlog.com

Jake said on 05/16/06 @ 11:28 AM:
David:

The toledoblade isn't the only site on that server. According to whois.sc, here are all the domains on that same IP address:

www.100yearsofgatorfootball.com
www.168mag.com
www.anmarketer.com
www.anremarketing.com
www.atlantic-interactive.com
www.atlanticclassified.com
www.automotivenews.com
www.autonews.com
www.autonewsdatacenter.com
www.autoweekstuff.com
www.bayoubusinessreview.com
www.bendbulletin.com
www.bendbulletin.info
www.bendbulletin.net
www.bendhomes.com
www.bestofnh.com
www.blogwilmington.com
www.bradentondining.com
www.bradentonheraldtoday.biz
www.bradentonheraldtoday.com
www.bradentonheraldtoday.info
www.bradentonheraldtoday.net
www.brunswickhomesguide.com
www.brunswickmagazine.com
www.brunswicknchomefinder.com
www.brunswicknchomes.com
www.brunswickncrealestate.com
www.brunswicknews.com
www.butlereagle.com
www.bvfreepress.com
www.canadaest.com
www.capefearboats.com
www.capefearhomefinder.com
www.centraloregonluxuryhomes.com
www.charlottelifemagazine.biz
www.charlottelifemagazine.com
www.charlottereads.net
www.clevelandbusiness.biz
www.clevelandbusiness.com
www.clevelandbusiness.info
www.clinton-item.com
www.coastalprimeliving.com
www.competitionpress.com
www.comppress.com
www.corridorninerecord.com
www.coulterpress.com
www.crainscleveland.com
www.crainsclevelandbusiness.com
www.dailygleaner.com
www.eastpolklifestyles.com
www.elledger.com
www.energycareers.net
www.englewooddining.com
www.englewoodrestaurants.com
www.eworcester.com
www.floridajobhunter.info
www.floridajobhunter.net
www.floridajobhunter.us
www.floridajobsite.net
www.fourcornersfla.com
www.fourcornersshopping.com
www.gadsdenfootballfriday.com
www.gadsdenhomefinder.com
www.gainesvilleguardian.com
www.gainesvillemag.com
www.gainesvillemagazine.com
www.gainesvillemagazine.net
www.gainesvillemarketsource.com
www.gainesvilleocalajobs.com
www.gainesvillesun.com
www.gatorcentury.com
www.gatorcenturybook.com
www.golfcoastonline.com
www.goupstatejobfinder.com
www.guidetopolk.com
www.gulfcoasthealthyliving.com
www.gvilleguardian.com
www.gvilleguardian.org
www.herald-tribune.com
www.heraldtoday.biz
www.heraldtoday.info
www.heraldtoday.net
www.heraldtribune.biz
www.heraldtribune.org
www.heraldtribune.us
www.heraldtribuneautos.com
www.heraldtribunegolf.com
www.heraldtribunehomes.com
www.heraldtribunerealestate.com
www.heresj.com
www.homesofwestalabama.com
www.houmacourier.com
www.htdiningguide.com
www.htflorida.com
www.htstylehome.com
www.htstylehome.net
www.independentpublications.com
www.kvstyle.com
www.kvsyle.com
www.lakewoodranchdining.com
www.lakewoodranchrestaurants.com
www.lavisionlatina.com
www.leaderon200.com
www.ledgerautos.com
www.ledgerclassified.com
www.ledgerclassifieds.com
www.ledgerhome.com
www.ledgermarketplace.com
www.ledgershopping.com
www.ledgertimeout.com
www.ledgervirtualtours.com
www.ledgerwheels.com
www.lifeintheheartofflorida.com
www.longboatkeydining.com
www.longboatkeyrestaurants.com
www.luxurybendhomes.com
www.maine-classified.com
www.manateedining.com
www.manateeheraldtoday.biz
www.manateeheraldtoday.com
www.manateeheraldtoday.info
www.manateeheraldtoday.net
www.manateemagazine.com
www.manateereads.com
www.monroecountyparent.com
www.monroenews.com
www.monroeparent.com
www.mtntraditions.com
www.myreporter.com
www.nb-interactive.com
www.nbclassified.com
www.nblifestyle.com
www.nblifestyles.com
www.nbmoney.com
www.nbnews.com
www.nbpub.com
www.nbreader.com
www.nbsports.com
www.nbwhatever.com
www.nbwheels.com
www.nfldclassified.com
www.nfldclassifieds.com
www.nfldnews.com
www.nh-primary.com
www.nh.com
www.nhautofinder.com
www.nhbr.com
www.nhcentury.com
www.nhevents.com
www.nhhomefinder.com
www.nhhomemagazine.com
www.nhjobfinder.com
www.nhmagazine.com
www.nhprimary.com
www.nhtelegraph.com
www.nhtourism.com
www.northportheraldtribune.com
www.northportrestaurants.com
www.ns-interactive.com
www.nsclassified.com
www.nytrnghub.com
www.ocalaautos.com
www.ocalaautos.net
www.ocalacar.com
www.ocalagainesville.com
www.ocalagainesville.net
www.ocalagainesvillecars.com
www.ocalalifemagazine.com
www.ocalalifemagazine.net
www.ocalastar-banner.com
www.ocalastarbanner.com
www.ocalastarbanner.net
www.onthecommon.com
www.oromoctopostgazette.com
www.palmettosports.com
www.palmliterarysociety.com
www.parentingnh.com
www.pei-interactive.com
www.peiclassified.com
www.peinews.com
www.polkteen.net
www.puntagordadining.com
www.recoversola.com
www.reporteritv.com
www.romesentinel.com
www.rutlandherald.com
www.sarasotacomedyfest.com
www.sarasotacomedyfestival.com
www.sarasotaheraldtoday.biz
www.sarasotaheraldtoday.com
www.sarasotaheraldtoday.info
www.sarasotaheraldtoday.net
www.sarasotaheraldtribune.com
www.sarasotajazzfest.com
www.sarasotajazzfestival.com
www.sarasotaparade.com
www.sarasotareadingfest.com
www.sarasotareadingfestival.com
www.sarasotawinefest.com
www.sarasotawinefestival.com
www.sbtinfo.com
www.scotiaclassified.com
www.scotiaclassifieds.com
www.scotianews.com
www.seevermont.com
www.shoalshomefinder.com
www.shoalswoman.com
www.shopmarion.com
www.shopocala.com
www.siestakeyrestaurants.com
www.sixnewsnow.com
www.sixnewsnow.net
www.snn6.com
www.snn6.net
www.southbendtribune.biz
www.southbendtribune.com
www.southbendtribune.info
www.southlouisianajobs.com
www.spartanburgmagazine.com
www.star-banner.com
www.star-banner.net
www.starbanner.com
www.starbanner.net
www.stylehomemagazine.com
www.stylemagonline.com
www.sunone.com
www.telegraph-nh.com
www.telegraphgetclassified.com
www.telegraphgetclassifieds.com
www.telegraphjournal.com
www.telegraphnh.com
www.thebrunswickmagazine.com
www.theheartofflorida.com
www.theheartofflorida.net
www.theheartofflorida.org
www.thelakelandmagazine.com
www.thestar-banner.com
www.thestarbanner.com
www.theweeklybanner.com
www.timesglobe.com
www.timestranscript.com
www.toledoblade.com
www.ua175.com
www.urbanpublications.com
www.urpub.com
www.venicedining.com
www.veniceparade.com
www.vermonttoday.com
www.vttoday.com
www.worcester-quarterly.com
www.worcestermonthly.com
www.yourreporter.com

David said on 05/18/06 @ 05:44 PM:
No kidding! Thanks for pointing that out. I suppose we all know now why that site loads so... slowly... if... at... all... Guess they're getting their $50k worth.

Michael said on 03/23/07 @ 01:11 PM:
has anyone there got the tummy, for a good story? (real story) true, and down to earth. You if you take this on, can't be one of the weak. It involves a big company, discrimination, and true facts given to you by the one person, that can give it to you as it happend. OK believ or not, I can give you a story that would enterest readers for sometime. e me and will unfold something to you that is shocking and true...

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