Jersey Shore Media buys former Courier websites

It has been a long time since people have heard from The Inside Clamdigger (www.TheInsideClamdigger.blogspot.com) after The Courier newspaper closed its doors on April 3.

The Clamdigger website, which was originally developed by former Courier Publisher Jim Purcell, was transferred to Bayshore Press just before the newspaper concluded operations. Consequently, according to John Azzolina, vice president of The Courier, there has been a transition period to updating the Clamdigger.

The Inside Clamdigger is now a part of Bayshore Courier News (www.BayshoreCourierNews.com), which is owned by Denise Reinle and Rose Marie Maier. The new ownership tandem formerly worked for The Courier newspaper, as its production manager and sales manager, respectively. The Courier’s website was originally constructed in 2006 by former Courier Associate Editor Jacklyn Corley.

“Ms. Reinle and Ms. Maier realized that digital news is the next generation of journalism. They have resumed the partnership in place with Rutgers University, which was developed by The Courier,” Azzolina said. As part of this partnership, Bayshore Courier News will continue to receive various levels of support from the university.

According to Azzolina, Bayshore Courier News and The Inside Clamdigger were both acquired by Jersey Shore Media, LLC. (t/a. Bayshore Courier News), and he has great confidence in their future. “I think every part of the printed news industry, not only locally but nationally, is going through a very challenging period,” Azzolina said.

The Courier’s printed edition was supposed to be sold to a local media company. However, Azzolina said, negotiations involving the sale of the newspaper could not be concluded. In the meantime, Azzolina said the former employees came to him with a hope of buying the online edition of the newspaper, as well as The Inside Clamdigger, to operate and build.

Reinle concluded, “There is a transition period going on at the websites right now. My mission, and Ms. Maier’s, is to create even better websites that can be the local news sources for Northern Monmouth County online and there is a lot to do in order to get it where I want it.”

For more information call Azzolina at (732) 671-2220, ext. 6210.

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Passeggio will take center stage editorially

For the next several weeks, Courier Senior Staff Writer Alyssa Passeggio will be writing the editorial in this space.

This is the first time since April 1998, when I started editing the newspaper, that I have done this.

The philosophy of the Editorial Department at the newspaper is that The Courier is usually our reporters’ first steps in journalism, and their first stop along the way, but certainly not their last. Consequently, a great deal of attention is paid to their development as writers, with the idea that after a couple years they will be moving onto writing for daily newspapers, editing weekly newspapers or public relations, as they feel so drawn.

Alyssa joined the staff here at The Courier in May 2007 fresh out of graduation from Georgian Court University, in Lakewood. During her tenure here at The Courier, she has proved truly exceptional in her work ethic, dedication to her coverage area, and development as a news writer.

Alyssa’s coverage of the Highlands bridge, among other storylines, allowed the public to understand that very complex project in a way that was thorough and detailed.

This is the kind of information that voters and residents need to know in order to make informed decisions about their community.

Writing editorials every week is not as easy as it looks. Some weeks, a writer may not have anything at all that they feel all that strongly about. But, taking a stand on issues and saying what one truly thinks is what an editorial should be. Sure, there should be facts and information, but having an opinion is implicit to the editorial: Something is good or it is bad.

When I was a reporter, around the time dinosaurs roamed the world (a.k.a. the 1990s), making public comment was straightforward: I wrote about events insofar as who did what when, and where they did it and why in five paragraphs with short ledes. This is the basic mission of reporters and people that do not enjoy that should probably not be reporters.

Writing editorials is more personal and speaks to the belief structures that people have. In my opinion, it is a great exercise for young reporters, who have had some seasoning, to try their hands at this practice. When everything else is in place with a reporter’s skill set, development of this kind of writing can be an asset. I think this is exactly the case where it involves Alyssa.

Reporters know their areas like the back of their hands. They know the people, the issues and the emerging issues that often take the spotlight in the news. Yet, each of us are residents of a larger community, and reside within a county and a state as well as just a town. Consequently, crafting informed editorials could stretch the skills of a writer in a way that is forward-looking in this industry.

I look forward to Alyssa’s tenure as an editorial voice of the newspaper. I certainly hope that our readers do also.