The announcement about the Harrisonburg Times’ pending launch stirred a surprising number and diversity of people interested in contributing to an additional community-driven news and information resource for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham area.
Some stats so far, generated from the single post just two weeks ago:
- 1,112 Unique Visitors to the Website
- 4,902 Page views
- 191 Facebook Fans / 40 Twitter Followers
- 45 Interest Applications from Writers and Contributors (Apply)
Last Thursday, 22 people (including writers, teachers, techies, architects, videographers, hobbyists, philosophers, conservatives, and more) attended an interest meeting and made commitments to begin adding content and advising (get in the loop to be made aware of interest meetings). It is encouraging to see such a range of people involved!
At that meeting, the group agreed on one important point: while dissatisfaction of various types might be driving some of the initial interest in the project, the long-term purpose and motivation for the Harrisonburg Times is to create something new and valuable for the community.
Many ideas are being developed, and as the launch date grows closer, new features of the website will be revealed.
We’re on track for having our first content released by April 15.
In the meantime, early financial donations and subscriptions are encouraged as a way to show interest in the Harrisonburg Times and help cover startup costs. Please consider subscribing!
Related posts:
- Launch Party April 16! The Harrisonburg Times is launching community-driven content beginning April 15 – and that’s reason for celebration! Come to the Harrisonburg Times Launch Party Friday, April 16, 2010 at Clementine. Join...
- Wanted: 300 Members to Support Local News Writers The Harrisonburg Times is an effort to provide a sustainable alternative news and information source for the central Shenandoah Valley. Voluntary written contributions will be vital to the site’s success,...
- The Need for Political Dialogue Like many of you, I went to high school here. During that time, when most kids of that age think about a couple of things: girls, music, sports, or hanging...
I am curious about great businesses in Harrisonburg. What is being done in line with preserving the environment in Harrisonburg? What are JMU and EMU doing? What is Rockingham Memorial Hospital doing? Are there greenways being constructed in Harrisonburg? Is local organic produce readily available in Harrisonburg? Also, you hear so much about Rosetta Stone. I know that Harrisonburg has many refugees and immigrants. Is there adequate English As A Second Language instruction available for children and adults in the area. Are there many languages being introduced in the Harrisonburg area being honored and appreciated?