Monday, August 01, 2005 | Ever since the Internet was born, high-tech San Diego has ranked among the several most wired cities in the nation. Six months ago, with the aim of creating a regional town hall to empower all San Diegans, we at Voice of San Diego launched a unique nonprofit Web site.
You have responded by the thousands in numbers that have startled and delighted us, and brought national attention. From the Online Journalism Review to The New York Times, readers have learned that San Diego is at the cusp of a nationwide wave of free and independent online local news.
Now it’s time to share news of our first six months, and our future plans.
You are adopting Voice of San Diego with warmth and loyalty, exceeding our hopes.
Five months ago we were still searching the Internet for a nonprofit community news Web site as our model. We couldn’t find one. We went to work anyhow.
Some of you have told us that existing media do not fulfill your needs. You have e-mailed us that “if the existing media aren’t going to provide progressive reporting, we’re going to find it.”
Profound credit goes to our start-up editor in chief, Barbara Bry, who at the beginning told us she would move on from a day-to-day role after we were launched. After a few months off for travel, she will return to Voice in a part-time role as a senior editor and columnist.
She is being succeeded by Glenn Rabinowitz, an experienced journalist who comes to us from another newsroom, where he was managing editor of the San Bernardino Sun. He is one of many around the world excited by the potential of news coverage by Internet. Glenn will oversee the continued growth of our Voice coverage.
Buzz Woolley, Chairman, Voice of San Diego