Speed Gibson

People's Republic of Minnesota found a newspaper that "gets it" regarding blogs, which got me thinking. Yes, this at least acknowledges the bloggers, and the paper can make a little money with banner ads. But suppose a paper (SPPP?) did this:

1. Encourage staff to blog, replacing "ombudsman" column.
   
2. Publish paper online for free, with 7 days' access to archives.
   
3. Those who subscribe to "dead tree" edition get 30 days' access to archives.
   
4. Provide your own web hosting site. You get one blog account with with an electronic subscription that gives you full access to archives. (The paper can revoke your blog for indecency, idiocy, etc.)
   
5. These Junior Woodchuck bloggers are the new copy boys and stringers. Some might earn a byline covering local high school sporting events, for example.
   
6. Work out a deal with SuperAmerica and/or Holiday (and Caribou, Starbucks, ...) to have a "full" subscription - both electronic and dead tree" where you present your prepaid "card" to pick up a dead tree copy. Long term you phase out carrier delivery. But now, St. Paul could use this to market in Mpls and vice versa.
   

This is how newspapers, otherwise dying, could re-invent themselves.