Wide Open, Part Deux at the Akron Beacon Journal (UPDATE: Coming Back?!? — !!!)

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Tip-Top of the Line Update, Jan. 26, 12:15 a.m.: The ABJs say the dueling Ks will be back in days —

We hope on Monday to reopen the blogging by Democrat Kyle Kutuchief and Republican Ben Keeler. There are no guarantees we won’t hit more bumps, but we’re determined to give it a try.

Now here, it gets interesting:

Their mission is to comment on politics important to Ohioans – from their distinct partisan positions. However, if they are playing an active role in a campaign – such as working for a candidate or running for office – they cannot use our resources in an attempt to persuade voters, and they cannot be paid. Pay and commentary may resume once that active role in the campaign ceases.

Indeed, this is a limitation of freedom of speech. Kutuchief and Keeler know that they have a choice – maintain their own sites where they have complete freedom – or experiment with us in creating a central location for Ohio politics and elections that promotes public discourse while staying within the spirit of the law.

In the next several months there will be plenty of fodder for these two friends who sit on opposite sides of the aisle, even if they have to avoid comment on a couple particular races.

So, let’s have at it.

The sentence I bolded would make it appear that the dueling Ks have been asked to abandon their own blogs (why else would it be an “or” situation?). Unless I’m missing something, if that’s true, it seems wholly unnecessary.

Also, at the risk of opening an old wound, but on the plus side for ABJ and the dueling Ks, I think what we’re seeing here is a willingness to work through the issues that unfortunately wasn’t present at Wide Open. I’ll leave it to others to allocate the blame on that.

MORE, Jan. 28 — Kyle at Chief Source elaborates. Good luck to all. I’ve blogrolled Chief Source and The Point (to avoid the need for a search warrant, the links are in “Other Localities and State Lists.” :–>). Also, here’s Ben’s original announcement of the relationship.

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Topline Update 1, 1:45 p.m.: Comment 1 below chides me by essentially saying that it’s not over yet. I’ll concede the possibility.

However, history gives me a reason to be skeptical. Jean Dubail’s final post at Wide Open (”Wide Open takes a holiday”) said that “we’re going to call an indefinite halt to the project and step back to regroup.” The “regroup” has been to post on what’s going on in the Ohio blogosphere. It’s reasonably well done (but I couldn’t find it just now starting from here). But it’s in-house, and I suspect the Plain Dealer will keep it that way for the foreseeable future.

For Ben and Kyle’s sake, I’d like to be wrong, but I wouldn’t bet the ranch on a comeback for The Point, or at least Ben and Kyle blogging there.

Topline Update 2, 3:15 p.m.: Bill Sloat reports that he spoke with Doug Oplinger, the ABJ’s managing editor, and that, per Sloat, “no decision has been made to kill the new blog off.”

Nor to continue it with its current pair of bloggers, I might add.

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My reax: Ridiculous and outrageous. Again.

I could go on and on, but what’s the point? Even with full disclosure, “they” don’t get it. “They” are Old Media types and the politicians who can’t handle competitive voices.

I would hope that the ABJ will give Ben and Kyle a final post. I’ll be surprised if it happens.

Alex Arshinkoff should fall on his sword and stop embarrassing Ohio Republicans.

Enough.

Others (will be added to as they are found and as time is available):

• Psychobilly Democrat
• NixGuy
• Pho, with an echo — “The ABJ was right to be concerned, but why then weren’t they concerned before the launch?” As politicized as everything is any more, that logic could all too easily be extended beyond party offices to memberships on boards and other forms of community involvement (churches, activist groups, etc.; “Oh, he’s a member of the Chamber of Commerce, you’re giving Big Business an undeserved platform.”).
• (This space reserved for WLST) Ah, here’s Jill (”Jeez-us…. Are they kidding?”). Get well quickly.
• (This space reserved for Ohio Daily Blog)
• Matt at Weapons of Mass Discussion — “….. when I hear that a GOP County Chairman whined to a 527 media outlet for having the audacity to hire a conservative blogger that opposses said county chairman, I have to think that it is time to send that county chairman packing.” A-bleeping-men.
• Jerid at BSB — “Can’t say this is too surprising.”
• Boring Made Dull — “At some point, if the MSM is going to engage bloggers, it needs to understand that it’s primarily engaging op-ed writers.”
• Ed Esposito — “Consider this political free speech math: you can’t add to the debate by subtracting voices.”

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Related:
- Nov. 17, 2007 — The Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Dick Feagler Explains Why Blogs Exist, and Are Important
- Nov. 6 — My Last Boring Plain Dealer-Wide Open Follow-up Post
- Oct. 31 — My $.02
- Oct. 31 — The Jeff Coryell-PD-Wide Open Thing
- Oct. 31 — Since ‘Everybody’ Is Wondering (and Before Y’all Die of Boredom Looking)