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WikioJersey New Media emailed the survey to 16 people who have web sites that fit a broad definition of hyperlocal journalism. Not included in the survey were sites run by major media outlets, such as Newark Live and Morristown Green, both of which are owned by nj.com. This survey was geared more toward the entrepeneurial journalist, rather than sites with large, professional staffs that can sell ads, design pages and report news. The following questions were asked:
1. Your Name and position
2. What communities do you cover?
3. What blogging platform or content management system do you use? Did you have a web designer create your site or did you do it yourself?
4. When did you start your site?
5. Did you incorporate as a business?
6. Do you have any paid employees? What are their positions?
7. Do you have any contributors? How many? Are they paid for submissions? How much?
8. Is this a full time job, or a hobby? If you have another job that pays the bills, please indicate what it is.
9. Do you have advertising on your site? 10. Is it affiliate advertising (Google Adsense, Amazon, etc.) and/or from local businesses?
11. Who sells the ads?
12. Is there a "wall" between advertising and editorial? Please explain.
13. Are you making any money from your site? (If you don't want to be specific, please give a range.)
14. If you had to classify yourself, would you say you were a:
citizen-journalist
blogger
journalist
citizen-activist
other (what would you call yourself?)
15. Do you have any formal training in journalism or did you ever work for a mainstream news organization? Please detail.
16. Do you consider yourself a watchdog of local government?
17. Are you involved in any way with local politics, for example, do you hold an elected or appointed position in local government, are you a member or office holder of a local political committee, do you work for a local political campaign? Please explain.
18. If you answered yes to the previous question, how would you describe the perceived conflict of interest to your readers?
19. Why did you start decide to start a site?
20. What do you see as your competition?
21. Are you satisfied with the coverage of your town from the weekly and/or daily newspaper? (Please name the weekly and daily newspapers that circulate in your town.)
22. Do you think hyperlocal journalism will eventually replace newspaper coverage of local news.
23. How do you see your site developing
