Many weeks of intense effort have culminated in the launch of the new Blackburn News website. It’s a regional hub combining the news-gathering efforts of all of the radio stations in the Blackburn chain; London, Windsor, Chatham, Sarnia, Leamington and Wingham. If you follow one of those stations’ news departments on Twitter you’ve noticed the logo and name have changed to Blackburn (market).
It’s designed as a one-stop-shop for news about southwestern Ontario and it’s been alternately fun and frustrating to be a small part of the launch process. However, the results are worth the effort. The site looks great. Once you pick your “home” market it will remember and always put related stories in the forefront for you. You’ll find it here: http://blackburnnews.com If you live around these parts you may want to bookmark the site and it will keep you informed on everything that goes on between the border and here at home. We’re very proud of it and the team that worked so hard to design it and get it online.
Updating the web is a significant part of what I do and my favourite aspect of it is writing a headline and choosing a photo to go with it! Before Free-FM launched on air a year ago I drove around the city taking photos of landmarks and points of interest that I knew would be useful. Now I’m sick of the same four angles of city hall so it might be time to go on another photo tour. It’s a chance to use the creative part of the brain in this very linear, fact-based business of news. Another favourite part is writing commentaries. They’re often very different than anything I write here; more political, more London focused and sometimes even calling out the Mayor on his actions, or what have you. So please check out the new site and feel free to comment on your impressions. It’s a work-in-progress. But can’t you say that about anything on the web?