As a CVB site, it loses its focus a bit when it aims its first pass-through link to "Visitors and Residents". But then, it has bitten off something bigger than a CVB site should; it's "Access San Jose", including info that residents can use to better enjoy their community. That's admirable, and if the community doesn't have another entity to praise itself and sell itself to the local citizenry, I guess I can understand the one-stop uber-site. Otherwise, they ought to let the city speak to its residents on one site, and the tourism people speak to potential visitors on another site, while the CVB sells hotel rooms and convention services on yet another (true and dedicated) CVB site.
I'll harp on this all across the continent.
Matt, would you agree that there are far more sites that allow experts to speak to the plebs, than allow the people to speak to those who are there to serve them. Maybe they are combined -- maybe separated -- but they seem to go one-way rather than two. If you agree -- how can that change so that diminished voices with great ideas might be heard more at the heart of society and heeded more in our heirarchies today? Thoughts?
MATT"S REPLY: That's a pretty heavy, philosophical rumination to be appended to a small critique of a CVB website. But the fact that it's here is the answer to your question. Diminished voice, great idea, planted in a forum with a huge potential audience. Just keep writing and publishing. And don't despair.
Posted by: Ellen Weber | March 29, 2006 12:02 PM | Permalink to Comment