myAdvertiser.com paves a local information highway

The Honolulu Advertiser has created a new community web site, myAdvertiser.com, where residents, nonprofits, churches and community groups can write their own news stories and get their messages out directly to their immediate communities.

Rather than pitch a story to a reporter or send in news releases and cross your fingers, the new web site is an opportunity to publicize your events for free, increase community participation and make news and photos for and about the neighborhood accessible. The web site is intended to be hyper-local, both written by the Advertiser staff and by members of the community.

The Advertiser is encouraging schools, nonprofits, clubs, boards, businesses, churches and individuals to use the site to connect with neighbors, shoppers, students and volunteers. To use it, just go to the web site, click on your community, register and use the “Get Published” tool to send in news for publication.

The site can be used for discussion groups, to create blogs, register complaints or communicate anything about the community. A “Wish List” feature allows groups to ask for community support, such as donations of items such as books, teams needing coaches or umpires, cleanup projects needing volunteers, etc.

For more information, go to http://myadvertiser.com, send an email to myadvertiser@honoluluadvertiser.com or contact the community news editor, James Gonser, at (808) 535-2431 or jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com.