KC STAR SHOWS ITS HIPNESS WITH NEW SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE The executives at the Kansas City Star are well-aware of the demographics of their readers. Basically, the only folks reading the paper today are 80-years-old and older. Many are dead. So, what can they do to attract a younger demographic? Form your own Internet social networking blog with relatively young girls and a token guy to talk about really cool things. Of course, FaceBook and MySpace and hundreds of others have done this for years, but the Star is hoping thousands of kids 12-35 will now eagerly start posting their innermost thoughts. Then they hope they sign up for home delivery of the newspaper. Good luck. Early indications are that http://www.inkkc.com/index.php looks like something older folks put together to show how "hip" they are and how they can "relate" to the young generation. It is kind of like the 60-year-old uncle who wears Abercrombie & Fitch clothes and drives a Chrysler PT Cruiser to show everyone how cool he is. Our buddy Tony http://tonyskansascity.com/ skewers the Star over its new site and calls it "lame and embarrassing...It's a cheap attempt to aggregate eyeballs and sell lame products and ads rather than bring any passion to the local web." No debate here...
FEEDBACK (3/21/08)
Thanks for your comments about Ink. When you visited our Web site you most likely noticed that we're still in beta form. We have much more content planned for April 2, when we launch our weekly printed product and more features on the Web. You'll be able to pick up the magazine for free in distribution boxes around the Kansas City area and in Lawrence. Keep your eyes peeled...
4/5/08 ..it's just a KC Star supplement to rival Pitch and LJ world's weekly? Sheesh....... I thought it was actually a diff. voice there for a second.
