Here's a great idea from the Patriot Ledger in Quincy, Mass.: Ask for Patriots fans to blog from the big game. See how the Ledger did it.
Join GateHouse trainer Sarah Corbitt and four GateHouse editors as they discuss recruiting techniques for community bloggers that have worked in their markets.
Inner Circle evaluations begin today for fourth quarter 2011. Follow us on Twitter, where we'll keep you updated throughout the week as we examine GateHouse newspapers and websites to see if they meet the criteria for Inner Circle 2011. We'll also do daily posts on GHnewsroom.com so you can find out as soon as possible whether your news organization qualifies.
The Orion Gazette and a few other weeklies in central Illinois had some fun with a Santa By the Numbers that ran this week. Find out how they got the scoop on the Jolly Old Elf.
Nothing beats waking up Christmas morning to find a fresh blanket of snow outside. But if you're dreaming of a white Christmas this year, you'll likely be disappointed. Find a few ideas to localize the story.
The Springfield State Journal-Register in Illinois is asking readers to help map the best holiday lights displays in the area. Check out how they're using reader involvement to create the "ultimate Christmas lights driving map."
How are your readers doing with their Christmas shopping? Are the spending more or less than previous years? Are they relying on credit more or less? Are your local shops doing better or worse so far? Here are a few ideas, including a national study, to check in with retailers and readers in your area with less than two weeks left before Christmas.
Messenger Post in Canandaigua, N.Y., presents a centerpiece about a skateboard park in a non-traditional way, using numbers, a quick-hit ASF and a refer to the web to complement dynamic photos.
The State Journal-Register in Springfield, Ill., offers online readers a package of prep football photos and links to plenty of other information for a complete Monday package.
The Peoria Journal Star covered a fatal car crash. If it happens in your town, would you have these three elements?
A family lost in a corn maze in Danvers, Mass., called 911 for help in getting out of the maze. Check out the related blog that linked to the 911 tape.
The Newton Kansan used an illustration to simplify a city budget.
From competition to the economy, here are some ideas for Halloween stories. Share your ideas, too!
Rockford Register Star has a nifty tradition called Editorial Stew that takes some good news stories a cooks up a positive editorial.
Some states struggling with uncertainty over federal money for maintaining roads are turning to tolls to raise money to make repairs. Is your state raising tolls or expanding tollways?
The Utica Observer-Dispatch has had some lovely fall foliage photos from a callout for readers to send their photos.
Halloween is just a few weeks away, so it's time for a spooky callout to get readers to send you their photos. Here's an idea from the Springfield State Journal-Register.
Nebraska City News-Press put out a callout for spider photos, and got a better response than many of the callouts they've tried.
MetroWest Daily News in Framingham, Mass., has a strong news package on the man accused of plotting attacks that involved flying model planes into the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol building.
Nebraska City News-Press has been running a Q&A called "Who Mentored You?"
Jean Hodges served as a reporter and editor for more than 20 years and led groundbreaking projects that won national acclaim before coming to GateHouse to launch the company's news service. She worked most recently at the Chicago Sun-Times' Daily Southtown, covering the south side and south suburbs of Chicago. Before that she worked at the Killen (Texas) Daily Herald, the Clovis (N.M.) News Journal and the Ely Standard in Cambridgeshire, England. She now works with GateHouse news organizations on content strategies, Web initiatives, plus she leads training programs such as webinars and LEDE, GateHouse's leadership program.
