The main attraction at Thursday night’s Society for Clinton Hill meeting was a Panel discussion by local bloggers. Panelists included Robin Lester and Van Slater of the Clinton Hill Blog, Jonathan Butler of Brownstoner and Andy Newman and Annaliese Griffin of the NYT Local Blog. The panelist gave quick review of when and how they got started, how they interact and sustain their audiences, and how they respond to rude and malicious comments. They also took questions, at times explaining to some audience members what a blog is.

Robin Lester started the Clinton Hill Blog in 2006 to fill the blogging void in her Clinton Hill neighborhood. She first wrote about her experiences and observations, and with the help of the community, the site has evolved into somewhat of a news and information site. She has sustained the blog on a part-time basis by making sure that she posts articles each day.

Van Slater was a journalist for 12 years before being laid off from an unnamed publishing company. As a means of continuing the profession he love, he started a tennis blog. He then decided to start writing about his dining experiences at local restaurants. Name for his daughter, he started his “Lunchtime With Tillie” section on the Clinton Hill Blog in June 2009.

Jonathan Butler started the Brownstoner in 2004 with an off the shelf blogging tool. He started documenting the renovation of houses as a way to get to know Brooklyn. Over the years, Brownstoner has grown to the point where he was able to quit his job and work on the site full-time.  He is in the process of expanding to Philadelphia.

A New York Times experiment into “community Journalism,” Andy Newman launched The NYT Local Blog in March 2009. In addition to the local Fort Greene and Clinton Hill Blog the Times have local sites in Maplewood, South Orange, and Millburn, N.J. The Fort Greene/Clinton Hill blog recently entered into a partnership with the CUNY Journalism School. Consequently the realm was handed over to Annaliese Griffin from Andy Newman.