Huckleberries Online

My 2 Cents: I’ll Keep Linking, But …

Posted by DFO

March 6, 2009 10:24 a.m. • 29 comments

I’ve been thinking about that flap launched Thursday when Coeur d’Alene Press Editor Mike Patrick e-mailed a demand that Huckleberries Online quit linking to his paper’s online articles. (Which led to this wonderful thread.) I hope Patrick knows that such links are in the public domain and he has no power to make such a demand. I’ll be concerned with his decision-making abilities in this brave new cyber world if he doesn’t. As many of you know, I pointed out to him in the e-mail exchange that this site drives traffic to his whenever I post a link from CDAPress.com. A lot of traffic. He apparently views HBO as a competitor benefitting from his staff’s work. He should view HBO as a former rival that’s helping out his Web traffic. More below.

My philosophy has always been to promote area papers, columnists and bloggers by providing links to their work. Readers still have to click on the link to read the rest of the story. Online writers have expressed their appreciation for the links, from Statesman Opinion Editor Kevin Richert and Idaho Press-Tribune Editor Vickie Holbrook to St. Maries Gazette-Record owner Dan Hammes and River Journal owner Trish Gannon. In the past, I’ve linked to some Press articles that were marginal at best, simply to drive traffic in appreciation for rightful access to better stories. I no longer will do that. The Press links you’ll see now will be to stories that warrant posting or comment. I have more than enough interesting material from my bloggers, commenters, e-mailers and cooperative online newspapers to fill my front page.

29 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

Cabbage Boy on March 06 at 10:58 a.m.
If they don’t want people to read it, why put it online?
Sam on March 06 at 10:58 a.m.
I’ve actually been thanked by Spokesman staff for the links I provide to their work on my blog as well. Glad to do it for interesting writing and great reporting. It’s all about creating community discussions.
Joker on March 06 at 11:02 a.m.
DFO why why why are you tormenting Mr. Patrick? You know he’s pounding his desk and screaming at his computer monitor, “Noooooooooooooooooooooooo.”

It’s so cruel.
Rosalind on March 06 at 11:10 a.m.
“Former Rivals” - HA.

I think someone is being a big cry baby about this.

At least one person in this exchange has been direct. Whereas the other has to go online to be soothed and reassured. Sad.
DFO on March 06 at 11:27 a.m.
Rosalind; Patrick wasn’t being direct. He was being clueless. Basically, he was ignoring clear cyber law re: links and saying: I don’t want the traffic you generate for our site. Anyone who knows anything about cyber world knows the importance of interconnectivity and linkages. Patrick is sitting on a newspaper that’s tanking like so many others in the industry — and he’s biting a hand that’s feeding him a little. I don’t need to be soothed and reassured. But I do need to stop laughing or I’m not going to get much done today. BTW, in terms of full disclosure, I acknowledge that Mike’s brain cramp has been dyne-oh!-mite for page-views.
Rosalind on March 06 at 11:46 a.m.
Dave, the fact that you trash the Press as a way to increase your own page-views is slimy - mostly because you are so two-faced about it (you rag on about linking to news for journalism purposes, but everyone at HBO knows what you’re really doing).

I say, make up your mind about what kind of relationship you really want with the “former rival” and stick to it. Maybe you’d get a more positive response.
DFO on March 06 at 12:18 p.m.
Rosalind; you definitely can take the word “former” off the phrase “former rival” now. You’d be surprised how many private e-mails I’m getting from news sources questioning the Press’s common sense. As far as people “getting it” here … my Berry Pickers get it. We have fun. We foam. We grow one another. Meanwhile, the Press maintains a 1950s mentality in the 21st Century. I don’t mind. But it is silly. BTW, I appreciate having you here, defending the Press. The last thing I want is an echo chamber. You’re a free thinker. I seriously appeciate that.
idawa on March 06 at 12:51 p.m.
I’m somewhat torn on this issue. I agree that is bad decision on the CDA Press part that will limit page views and will hurt their paper, I also understand that legal implications, however, there is such thing a professional courtesy - especially in a small town, isn’t there? If one of your bloggers that you promote suddenly asked you to stop linking to them, wouldn’t you? You did it for Stebbijo when she had her porn embolism? Not saying we should stop talking about the news they post, that is in the public forum, but they’ve asked that you just stop linking, why not honor that request?
Kage_Mann on March 06 at 1:00 p.m.
Why would Mike P. want all the Mr. H, Souza, Press bashers over there anyway? That’s not who he’s trying to attract.
Rosalind on March 06 at 1:17 p.m.
I wouldn’t necessarily claim I’m defending the Press - just trying to call it like it is. That’s all.
Dennis on March 06 at 2:03 p.m.
Well, Here’s my opinion:

DFO and Mike Patrick have been professional colleagues for years. Everything has been fine up to this point.

It’s no secret that De-Wayne and his cast of CAVE’rs have no love for the Spokesman Review, Huckleberries and particularly, DFO. And lets be honest here, if De-Wayne didn’t think of it or be able to take credit for what ever it is, even if he didn’t think of it, he’s totally against it.

De-Wayne and his crew have been singing the “Chicken Little” tune for years. They finally get the investigation they want, problem is, the result of the AG’s investigation was completely opposite of what De-Wayne and crew was sure would be found.

The AG releases the report and guess what? The Spokesman “Scoops” the story. Then the laughing and finger pointing begins. To make matters worse, the city officials who cared to comment on the report did so here rather than walk in to the “Conspiracy Theorist” hornets nest that De-Wayne provides on the “Mess” web site.

Sooooo, De-Wayne blows a gasket and yanks Mike Patrick’s strings. De-Wayne, in his own pathetic little mind, is gonna “Punish” the Spokesman Review for the perceived slighting from the AG’s report and the lack of participation by city officials on his on-line forum.

As long as the “Mess” continues to post on-line, I don’t have a problem with him linking to “Mess” stories. As for me, I’ll get my news from real sources as opposed to the “Tabloid Tripe” the “Mess” puts out.
Rosalind on March 06 at 2:10 p.m.
Something is wrong with me….I can’t seem to care enough to read super long comments….ah well…
Frum Helen Back on March 06 at 2:17 p.m.
Now Patrick will have to continue checking out HBO to see if Dave is posting pictures. That means more hits for HBO.
Kage_Mann on March 06 at 2:45 p.m.
Helen thinks of everthing that could be positive, but it’s not like he would be coming over here hourly, giving HBO a plethera of hits.
cantyoureadthesigns on March 06 at 11:05 p.m.
“You did it for Stebbijo when she had her porn embolism?”

Heh!
“porn embolism”. Perfect description.

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About this blog

D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.