By Pete Stidman
acj.org

Keeping up with the ever-changing landscape of the web has been difficult for small, independent news organizations, not to mention the trepidation some editors feel from watching the bigger dailies go through their troubled transitions. But papers in the South End and Jamaica Plain are apparently studying the trials and errors of others and moving forward. Both recently put their content online, along with some nifty new features.

Although JamaicaPlainGazette.com is still technically in beta mode according to Gazette editor Sandra Storey, it has already received some compliments from readers. The Gazette has had its events and teasers for the top stories online for years, but the new site is a giant leap forward.

SouthEndNews.com is the first presence of the weekly South End News on the web. SEN editors did not return phone calls for this article.

Both sites give readers open access to their archives, but haven’t added many back issues. SEN goes back to April, 2006, and the Gazette to October. Storey said she wants to add back issues all the way back to the Gazette’s 1991 birth date, but hasn’t yet found the time.

As some dailies, and even some local corporate-owned weeklies move beyond simply delivering the news towards greater interactivity with their readers, SEN and the Gazette are taking baby steps. SEN takes letters to the editor online via a form readers can fill out, and the Gazette has plans to follow suit. But the Gazette goes a step further, giving readers the ability to comment on every story. This fact that was noted with some excitement in the blogger community.

Editors who fear potential libel suits based on comments can rest easy, by the way. A recent court case has ruled that web publishers are not liable for comments.

Getting wise to the need for greater interactivity on the web comes not a moment too soon, as websites run by community members to fill the need for greater communication are popping up like mushrooms with the rain. Storey said the Gazette plans to add more interactive features as well as improve the look of its website before promoting it in the print edition.

Dave Taber, ACJ board member, contributed to this article.