A little over two years ago AOL bought a web site called Patch. Patch is a media company that specializes in on-line community issues. There are about 100 Patch sites in Connecticut.
About a year-and-a-half ago, the editor of Newtown Patch stumbled across the blog site you are now reading. She then viewed my personal web site (georgeswebpage.com).
As a result of this I was asked to contribute at first a twice weekly column and then a once weekly column.
Not long after that, I was at a picnic which was attended by the editor of Monroe Patch. He learned that I grew up in Monroe and asked me to make a weekly contribution regarding the 'old' days in Monroe.
Both of these columns are paid columns so my status is technically a freelancer.
Patch, like Huffington Post, also has bloggers who are not paid.
As the months progressed, AOL was hoping to make Patch profitable or at least self sufficient. But progress has been slow so this week the Patch upper management cut the budget of local units.
As a result, the Monroe Patch editor had to eliminate my column. The good news is I'm still writing for Newtown Patch--for now.
AOL is in a bit of trouble. Fewer and fewer people think of it as the go-to web site when they first log on. Its purchase of Huffington Post drained away resources and Patch has yet to be profitable.
Some people in upper management have been leaving and the company is in turmoil so it's anyone's guess how much longer I'll be able to hang on as a freelance writer.
In the meantime if you haven't already, check out a Patch site about or near your community. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
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