Focus: City, neighborhood news; local events, lifestyle, sports, politics; “an antidote to all those sites infatuated with the coasts” ; lots of aggregated news content; big blogroll

Started: 2003

Employees/Writers: Founder and editor Andrew Huff; 9 other sections editors; about 30 writer-contributors

Funding: Advertising

Site: gapersblock.com

Gapers Block is a Chicago-centric web publication providing information on news and events around town. It is written by and for Chicagoans and those who love the city — its mission is to get you to slow down and check out all the cool things around you.

Sample stories/posts: “Reflections of a Pop duo: TTTTotally Dudes explain it all” (Q&A with two music DJs); links to “Mourners warned of thefts at cemetaries,” “Daley: We’ll sign Olympics financial guarantee” at legacy media site; active area arts and entertainment bulletin board

Focus: “Los Angeles media, politics and sense of place” blog; site is home to LA Biz Observed and Native Intelligence blog sections. Native Intel. is section for “LA Observed’s contributors at large” 

Launched: May 2003

Employees/Writers: Launched by Kevin Roderick, who is the site’s editor and publisher. Mark Lacter is LA Biz Observed business section editor. More than 20 contributor/authors.

From Mr. Roderick’s bio: “Kevin was an editor and staff writer at the Los Angeles Times for two decades and led the Los Angeles bureau of the late Industry Standard magazine. He is the author of two books about the city…”; his commentary airs weekly on KCRW-FM.

Funding: advertising — “LA Observed only accepts ads that are in good taste and that fit the style of the site in the sole judgment of the publisher”

Site: laobserved.com

LA Observed is an award-winning website devoted to independent reporting, informed commentary and selective linkage on the Los Angeles region and the news media.

Sample posts: “Tales of the LA Weekly,” “Big layoffs at Latham & Watkins,” “Dodgers having cash problems agan?”; LA Biz Observed, mostly aggregated stories from California and national media outlets; From Native Intelligence: “Lakers advance to the NBA finals” and “Field of weeds”