Focus: News, Features, Op-Ed, Real Estate, Milestones, and Sports, Pets, Kids, Obituaries sections, etc. in Sound Shore area in New York City suburbs; Spanish-language section called En El Circulo

Started: 2007

Metrics: 8,000 hits a day, 35,000 visitors per month from coverage area

Staff: editor/publisher Polly Kreisman, who is also co-editor of investigative journalism site InvestigateNY and has a background in broadcast media; co-editor Dian Marszalek, a former New York Times and Associated Press reporter

Funding: advertising

Site: theloopny.com

From About:

mission statement:

theLoop endeavors to unite its readers with local information through professional journalism and new technologies to create community.

theLoop is:

•  since 2007, an on-line newspaper serving larchmont, mamaroneck, and lower westchester county.
• a powerful platform for readers to report news and express opinions.

• editorial content driven by journalists whose experience runs deep and whose respect for journalistic integrity runs deeper.

• the number one local news site by traffic in westchester county  (analytics available)

Sample stories: “Scarsdale woman scammed at ATM”; “Arbor Day in New Rochelle”; “Puppy tips: Housebreaking 101″ part of pet adoption section; “Mamaroneck lacrosse edges Bronxville”; “Local efforts for Japan”; “What they’re reading” (Public library staff recommendations)

Focus: the “Ithaca Indy” independent community news outlet serving Ithaca, in upstate New York; information categories include City, Life, Crime, Business, Sports, Opinion, Resources

Started: January 2010

Staff: founded by Ed Sutherland, a 20-year journalist; request for contributors

Site: ithacaindy.com

From About:

The goal is to bring news coverage closer to the citizens through numerous avenues, including Twitter and Facebook. Although we embrace modern technology, we remain steadfast in publishing quality journalism, following traditional practices. This is not a blog, where commentary mixes with fact. Nor is it an amateurish enterprise. We hold ourselves to the highest standards and hope our readers will keep us on our toes. Opinion is limited to the opinion pages.

Sample stories: “Ithaca Police Make Check Forgery Arrest”; “Ithaca College Names Park School Dean”; “‘Shock Doctrine’ Author to Visit Ithaca”; “Ithaca Elementary School Among Food SafetyViolators”; “Airport Receives $336k FAA Grant”

Focus: community news, hyperlocal info around Southern Brooklyn; original reporting, links to nearby placeblogs, traditional media outlets, ex: NYT; information categories include Arts & Culture, Business, Food, Education, Events, News & Features, Opinion, Police & Fire

Started: May 2008

Staff: founded by Ned Berke, who is editor and publisher; associate editor is Ray Johnson

Funding: advertising

Site: sheepsheadbites.com

From About:

…Many of Brooklyn’s neighborhoods still filled with genuine Brooklynites feature local characters and compelling, complex issues, but are going under-reported in both the established media and the nebulous Brooklyn blogroll. And while most of our neighbors sink further into either apathy or Monday morning quarterback-style governance, our communities are going on without us. They’re leaving their flair and character behind and moving forward in erratic, worrisome ways.Now it’s time we steal from the digital toolbox, and present our neighbors with useful, well-explained information and foster debate on the issues of our day.

Our Beat

Community meetings, development issues, local politics, interesting people, happenings and cool new places — these are just some of the topics the Bite will sink its teeth into. And what will set us apart from any other great blogs in the area is our humor and irreverence, blended in with the same passion and concern that comes from our colleagues.

Sample posts: “Sheepshead Bay Station’s mural artist passes away”; “Halikarnas restaurant closed by DOH”; “Luxury Dental office coming to Ave Z”; “Taking ‘South Brooklyn’ back for the good guys” re-published (from BK Southie), contributed opinion piece on place identity; “City embarks on salty slaughter” article about sodium in foods regulation; “Two killed, Gravesend man arrested in Belt Pkwy crash” with excerpt from NYT story

Platform: WordPress

Focus: news and information covering Hempstead, Uniondale, Roosevelt, and Garden City municipalities; heavy multimedia; sections include news, business, politics, sports, features, and religion

Started: February 2009

Staff: student project of Hofstra University School of Communication undergraduate and graduate journalism program led by Assistant Professor Mo Krochmal

Funding: university

Site: nassaunewslive.com

From About Us

Located in Dempster Hall, Nassau News Live starts with the goal of creating a trusted serious news website and fostering new connections between Hofstra and the people living in the surrounding communities while enhancing the education of journalism students with the opportunity to work in a 21st Century news organization.

Students will collaborate to produce and report area news in real time with a combination of pressure-tested live blogging and live video webcasting as well as multimedia interactive news packages, information graphics and digital and still photography.

Sample Stories: “Supporters, Staffers of Nassau County Democratic Party Celebrate, Wallow, and Wait on Election Night”; “Mayor Hall discusses Village of Hempstead’s waning recession”; “Restaurant servers finding a tough economy”; “Unofficial Nassau County election results”; “Nassau County high school football playoffs announced”

Focus: “News & Opinion Weekly”; community news and information; extensive municipal boards coverage; sections include Front Page, Photo Gallery, Letters to the Editor, Op-Ed, Town, Government, Schedules & Agendas, Sports, People, Volunteer Ops

Started:

Staff: 4 — editor, managing editor, copy editor and advertising director; approximately 130 contributors

Funding: advertising

Site: newcastlenow.org

Sample stories: “Town board will hire consultant to assess town-wide real property revaluation”; “Teen drinking party results in arrest of Chappaqua dad”; “Bridge construction update, some nighttime closings to move big materials”; “Greeley Boys Varsity Soccer – League Champions!”; bulletin: “Lost toy poodle: Simone”

Focus: “the first local, online-only news source for Batavia and Genesee County”; news, sports and business sections, citizen forums

Started: May 2008

Employees/Writers: Founder, editor Howard Owens.

Funding: advertising (site allows free jobs listings)

Site: thebatavian.com

Online news, community views…

The purpose of the site is to provide local residents with timely news and information mostly about Genesee County. It is also our mission to ensure that every resident has a chance to contribute to the community by posting news and opinion about events, whether of local interest or national or international importance.

Sample stories: “Walgreens fence is barrier to business in Leroy” (generated 40 comments in business section); “Genessee County not out of the running for high-tech jobs”; “Police Beat: DWI charge on Galloway Road”; “Things keep clicking for Muckdogs in 7-0 win”