As earlier noted,Ā Florida Voices, the opinion-oriented website and op-ed distribution network co-founded byĀ Tampa TribuneĀ alums Rosemary Goudreau (now editorial page editor at theĀ Sun-Sentinel)Ā and Rosemary Curtiss, is going silent after tomorrow.
āWe had such high hopes whenĀ we launched 18 months ago,ā editor Goudreau wrote in an email to friends and colleagues. āBut as you know, the business of online media is a tough slog [and] we couldnāt drive the audience needed to grow advertising dollars. We operated Florida Voices on a shoe string and paid people next to nothing, but still weāve run out of money.ā
As one of the columnists for Florida Voices, I am personally disappointed to see FV fold up shop. Being part of its network provided me with the opportunity to see my work published regularly in theĀ Miami HeraldĀ andĀ Tampa Tribune.
That said, here’s what I think worked — and didn’t work — with Florida Voices.
First and foremost, having two established figures from traditional journalism — the two Rosemarys — provided Florida Voices with the kind of credibility that most other online newsĀ start-ups can only dream to possess. Certainly, SaintPetersBlog did not start with the kind of pedigree that Florida Voices came with. Goudreau’s relationship with so many Florida-based editors and reporters is why the site lasted as long as it did.
Second, the stable of writers — Lloyd Brown, Bill Cotterell, Martin Dyckman, Florence Snyder — involved with Florida Voices also brought it gravitas. Ā
Third, having outspoken former lawmaker Paula Dockery write for FV was a real coup. Hopefully, some smart editor somewhere is figuring out a way to offer Dockery a new platform.
Fourth, FV’s daily email — What Florida is Talking about Today — which aggregated the editorials and columns from the daily newspapers provided a needed service.
Yet, despite these strengths, the two Rosemarys could not make Florida Voices work. Why not?
For one, when Goudreau left to take the job as editor of editorials for the Sun-Sentinel, the writing was on the wall, no matter how hard the other Rosemary worked.
I didn’t say it at the time (a decision I regret) but Goudreau’s decision was not just a job change, but an indictment of her new media project. She essentially said, ‘This job in traditional journalism is more important than my foray into new media.’
I am not saying Goudreau is necessarily wrong to make that assessment, but, I would not have made the same decision.
People (and by people, I mean my mom) often ask me, “Why don’t you go write for the Times?” Putting aside the fact that the Times would never have me, I would not give up SaintPetersBlog to work for the newspaper because a) it can’t afford to pay me — not by a mile — what I make from my blog, b) newspapers are still on life support, if not dying, and c) and most important, I believe what I am doing is so cool, so unique that I can’t imagine abandoning it.Ā
If I had put as much time into building, launching andĀ maintainingĀ Florida Voices as Goudreau had, it is inconceivable to me the idea of switching horses in midstream.
On a similar note, in regards to Goudreau’s assessment that “online media is a tough slog”, I can’t disagree with that, but the two Rosemarys should have known that going in.
It took eighteen months before SaintPetersBlog.com sold its first ad. It took longer than that for SayfieReview.com.Ā At the very least, FV needed to get through a full election cycle before it wasĀ abandoned.Ā It seems to me that Florida Voices is going dark at about the point it should be past the “tough slog” phase.
Turning to the product Florida Voices delivered, I believe there are several things the editors could have done differently. The website should have been constantly updated, rather than daily.In fact, the website itself does not look very current. It looks like what newspaper folks believe a website should like. Disagree with that assessment? Well then ask yourself this, how far away is Florida Voices from being like BuzzFeed or Talking Points Memo?Ā
I didn’t even like the social networking efforts of FV. In this media environment, a columnist has to be active on Facebook and Twitter, yet it was FV’s editors who were Tweeting for some of the columnists because these old schoolers just weren’t interested in ‘The Twitters.’
I could go on, but what’s the point?Ā
The demise of Florida Voices proves yet again how extraordinarily difficult it is to launch, maintain and make successful an online news/opinion venture.Ā That Iāve been able to do this with SaintPetersBlog is nothing short of a miracle, for which I am eternally grateful to my readers, investors, partners, and advertisers.
