Mike and I drivel on about Arianna Huffington's blog, The Huffington Post, which is proof that you shouldn't quit your day job no matter what sycophants tell you.

Also of note, BMI starts a Podcast (see previous post). Mike explains how it could be a sign of things to come.

Move over Casey, performing rights organization BMI takes it directly to the consumer with a new Podcast featuring up and coming stars:

BMI Senior Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations Phil Graham announced today that the company is launching a podcast series to bring promising new songwriter/artists to the attention of key industry executives including record company A&R staffers and creative executives at music publishing companies. The BMI podcast, entitled "See It Hear First(TM)," will also be available on BMI.com(R) beginning Monday, May 9.

"The podcast is a natural evolution of our long tradition of promotional CDs and our nationwide series of live showcases promoting new songwriter/artists," said Graham. "Our close collaboration with creative executives at record companies and music publishers has shown a lot of excitement for this new format because of its immediacy and its portability. In addition, the availability of the podcast on BMI.com, which reaches almost a million visitors each month, should be an excellent way of letting new talent reach its audience."

Simultaneously, BMI Licensing Vice President Richard Conlon, who oversees the company's new media area, announced that BMI had been licensing podcasters for nearly a year covering the public performance rights to the BMI repertoire. BMI's licensing website has been expanded to provide a clear path for podcasters to get more information on licensing music for their programs and to obtain BMI licenses 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Podcasters including Coverville.com and Keener13.com have already signed on to the BMI agreement. BMI plans on rolling out additional licensing programs for this new medium as it grows.

I can see where Craigslist feels it has the base in place to take a run at Citizen Journalism. I cannot envision the company and its vast legions of loyal followers being a serious force…well..at least at this point.

In order for early Citizen Journalism project to become successful, they will need seasoned newspaper people involved. This is not to say newspapers will make a serious attempt to move into this space, but folks from the newspaper ranks will be key employees in the better (and eventually successful) Citizen Journalism projects. Only a true “newspaper person” can understand the zen of what it takes to put a product out every day or even every week. Without newspaper talent (editors, designers, etc...) in place, these early Citizen Journalism sites will be disorganized and a mishmash of clips with strange layouts.

It’s why I like what Backfence is doing. Mark Potts is a newspaper guy. He knows what it takes to do this.