This issue: Online news from Ken Sands

Reader comments: Moderation, identification, key to civility. Click here for more details.

Podcasts: The latest craze, or just plain crazy? Click here for a more information.

Browsable crime database with Google mapping. Click here for details.

Multimedia storytelling in Rochester. Click here for more information.

Transparency helps in coverage of mayor's sex scandal story. Click here for more details.

Also,

Register by July 1, become eligible for free night's stay in San Jose.

— June 15: Time-Out responses due
— July 1: Conference registration deadline for chance to win free stay in San Jose
— July 2: Mailing deadline for APME contest entries
— July 8: Contest entries must be received
— Sept. 9: Nominations due for Robert G. McGruder Awards for Diversity Leadership
— Sept. 25: Cut-off for $150 conference room rate at The Fairmont, San Jose
— Oct. 26-29: APME Conference, The Fairmont, San Jose

READER COMMENTS: MODERATION, IDENTIFICATION, KEY TO CIVILITY
The Ventura County Star is the most recent newspaper to run into problems with anonymous reader comments on its website. First, the Star suspended comments on May 18 because some readers were vicious and abusive. Then, it restored the comment feature on May 23 with much tougher rules.

Media consultant Vin Crosbie wrote in an online news discussion forum that "Any news organization website that publishes anonymous, unmoderated discussion forums will get the risks and results doing so deserves." He says it was established long ago that unmoderated forums "naturally degrade into cacophony" and that "the quality of online forums is inversely proportional to the anonymity of its participants."

He also points to the WELL community's motto of "You Own Your Own Words."

PODCASTS: THE LATEST CRAZE, OR JUST PLAIN CRAZY?
Lots of news websites are beginning to offer "podcasts," which essentially are radio programs that can be downloaded onto an MP3 player or iPod. Newspaper consultant Tim Porter argues here: www.timporter.com/firstdraft/archives/000447.html, that such innovation is good and necessary.

And here: www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=31&aid=82973, Steve Outing of Poynter points out a few words of caution. "I think that right out of the gate, publishers should be offering truly compelling content — something really special. My fear is that if we in the news business start out with pedestrian offerings (say, just readings of top headlines that don't offer anything you couldn't hear by turning on the radio), media consumers will get turned off to podcasting — because it offers them nothing special — before it has a chance to hit its stride."

Who has truly compelling podcast offerings? Tell us: kens@spokesman.com

BROWSABLE CRIME DATABASE WITH GOOGLE MAPPING
"Utility" is one of the most important and most overlooked attributes of the web. We can offer readers databases of all sorts of things, from obituaries, to sports scores and schedules, to crime. Take a look at the impressive work on a simple idea — tracking crime in Chicago: www.chicagocrime.org. This site offers searchable and sortable statistics, and then maps the results.

Take a look. If you can get your hands on this level of detail in your community, and you can build something similar to this, it's guaranteed to bring readers in droves.

MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING IN ROCHESTER
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle's web site has done some wonderful work. Here's a simple, effective, first-person story-telling tool. Record some compelling audio and combine with striking photos and you've got a winner:

And in Tampa, TBO.com has launched a Hurricane Guide: hurricane.weathercenter.com. According to new TBO.com General Manager Rusty Coats, TBO.com integrates content and expertise from print and broadcast platforms "while bringing distinct value and functionality from an online perspective."

And here's my personal favorite: Seattle mountaineer Ed Viesturs summited Annapurna in the Himalaya, becoming the first American to summit all 14 8,000-meter peaks in the world. Here's where you can see video, photos and satellite dispatches: www.firstandbest.msn.com. (Thanks to Cyberjournalist.net for the tip.)

What good multimedia have you seen or done recently? Tell us: kens@spokesman.com.

TRANSPARENCY HELPS IN COVERAGE OF MAYOR'S SEX SCANDAL STORY
At the risk of sounding self-congratulatory, here's an objective observer's description of The Spokesman-Review's web coverage of a sex scandal involving Mayor Jim West. The key is that we were determined to post every piece of supplemental material as possible — transcripts, audio, video, etc., so that the reporting process becomes transparent.

There are three other pieces to the newspaper's online transparency efforts:

— The year-old "Ask the Editors" blog, where editors respond to questions from readers;

— the "Daily Briefing" column, in which the newspaper reports from internal news meetings about what's planned for upcoming editions;

— And the brand-new "News is a Conversation" blog, in which a group of five citizens/readers offer up constructive criticism of the newspaper, and newspaper staff are encouraged to respond.

What transparency efforts do you have in your newsroom? Tell us: kens@spokesman.com

The online portion of today's edition was written by Ken Sands, online publisher, The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash., and a member of the APME Board of Directors.

COME TO SAN JOSE, ADD DAY OR TWO TO YOUR BAY STAY
Consider turning your trip to San Jose for APME into an extra day or two of leisure or travel in the Bay Area. The world-renowned Fairmont in San Francisco, just an hour away, is joining its sister property in offering discounted room rates to APME attendees.

Rooms as low as $209 are being offered the weekends before and after the APME conference (Oct. 21-23 and Oct. 29-31), based on availability.

Four room levels are being offered by The Fairmont: Fairmont Queen $209; Fairmont King $219; Deluxe Tower $249; and Signature Tower $299.

To reserve contact the hotel at 800-441-1414 and ask for the "APME Annual Conference." Reservations must be made by Sept. 21 in order to qualify for the group rate.

Another reason to come to San Jose: Register for the conference by July 1 and you are eligible to win a free night's stay in San Jose. Go to www.apme.com/registration/ to register now.