Friday, November 9, 2012

The Sixth Ward...a state of mind

Me and my other counterparts have considered ways to re-brand this blog. Personally I'm hesitant to turn this into The Sixth & Ninth Ward blog. The blog name as it is should be OK. Just that in the near future, some of the neighborhoods that were part of the "old" 6th Ward will become part of the "new" 9th Ward.

We'll probably still discuss how to re-brand or even find ways to integrate coverage of the 9th Ward into the content of this blog. As a matter of fact we're slowly easing it into the coverage. There are issues that concern the residents of the 6th just as easily as they concern the many residents in the 9th.

Besides many in the current 6th Ward are concerned about the possible extension of the Red Line into the far south side of town as much as I imagine many residents of the 9th Ward are concerned about it. Also if you drive down King Drive south of the Bishop Ford Expressway you will find neighborhoods just as nice and peaceful as those in the 6th Ward. Surely the residents of these neighborhoods - especially nearby Rosemoor - share the same values as those in Roseland Heights, West Chesterfield, and even Chatham.

What I suggest is simple. The values of the 6th ward and the neighborhoods that we seek to cover could be considered a state of mind. It goes beyond political boundaries or even geographic areas.

Let me put it this way, there are good neighbors everywhere.  The 6th is all about good neighbors and it made the various neighborhoods what they are today. My hope is that we can help tell the stories of the good neighbors in the various communities that make-up the 9th just as we have been able to tell the stories of the good neighbors that are in the 6th.

3 comments:

  1. You guys have done a good job in sharing information, airing topical 6th ward issues and trying to provoke dialogue between residents. But I for one don't see how you can mix apples and oranges without diluting your impact––meaning keeping the interest of one ward keenly focused–– unless you have a fully developed strategic plan.

    As a marketing and advertising consultant, I know rebranding really requires a lot more in the way of determining what the blog's objectives and r.o.i. are via strategic planning.

    However, I noted that in your subtitle for the blog you use: "Dispatches from the Southside." So I would suggest that maybe you flip the script and turn that into your blog's new name and then use as a subtitle: For Wards 6th, 8th, 9th, 17th & 21st. Why?

    First, the 6th ward has borders with all of the other wards mentioned.

    Secondly, all of these wards have in one way or another impacted the 6th Ward–-some recently–– in regards to some issue. And thirdly, most of the aldermen in those wards snatched a piece of the 6th ward in the remapping. By the way, at GCA, we heard the official remapping of the wards might kick in next year instead of 2015.

    As the 6th Ward loses long-time residents to these other wards, why shouldn't we keep communicating with each other? After all, this isn't Europe with countries having different governments. We all belong to the
    City of Chicago.

    In addition, it allows us to see issues that may affect us directly or indirectly in other wards––or serve as warnings of what's to come whether we agree or disagree.

    Certainly, it will increase the eyeballs and click-throughs for your blog.
    And it will expand the amount of community information that some of us know about, but others don't.

    To me, by reaching out to these other wards above via constituents that we will lose–– through those other ward's aldermanic manipulations–– your blog helps to provide the foundation for a broader base to work from in the rallying of all residents. Residents who are much more likely to be interested in and invest in the success for all of these communities that exist in this particular part of the Southside.

    Ultimately, your blog serves as a central point in keeping all residents educated, focused and invigorated. You can always separate on your main page each individual Ward with story links pertaining to that ward. Then,have overall, daily headline stories that impacts all of the wards.

    Or bring a story / program to the forefront that is significantly more exceptional at the time in terms of audience appeal.

    If you think about this, you guys become the go-to Internet media
    connection. Chicago's mainstream media mostly treats Southside interests as secondary. Most of our coverage is crime sensational! But you guys would have the opportunity to present everything: the good, the bad and the ugly.

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