Torontoist is getting a new lease on life.
The popular urban Hogtown blog seemed destined for the dustbin of cyberspace earlier this month when the site announced it would shut down on Jan. 1, 2009, because of a lack of financial support.
But Torontoist editor David Topping posted a message yesterday saying that after receiving an outpouring of support from readers, the site would not be shutting down but instead would continue operating in 2009. ...
To keep Torontoist's stories flowing, the 21-year-old Mr. Topping has offered to give up his salary so that he can keep paying his staff what they were making before rumours of the site's closing began to circulate.
But he admits it's little more than a Band-Aid solution and that the site will need a lasting solution either in the form of increased financial support from parent site Gothamist or an increase in local advertising revenue.
Here's a Dec. 16 interview Topping did with the Star.
Former Torontoist editor Joshua Errett, now with Now, slagged Topping in a Dec. 18 piece:
It comes down to a classic labour-management divide. Topping says he needed more resources to grow the Torontoist. Gothamist disagreed.
In a dispute with his publisher over the direction of the site, Topping refused to follow the template of fewer bloggers writing more. Over what he considered moves that jeopardized the site’s quality, he seems to have protested by quitting without naming a successor. Gothamist, losing money on Torontoist, took the easy way out by shutting it down.
If Topping believes he resigned on the grounds of integrity and is justified in not handing the reins to one of his more-than-willing staff, he is absolutely wrong. There are passionate and able writers in this city (and on the site masthead) who would gladly step in, regardless of what resources were available. I should know; I never received a cent running Torontoist.
Besides, Topping owes it to his readers and staff to ensure the site’s continuation, no matter what direction it takes. There is no alternative, especially considering that Toronto’s other group blog, BlogTO, is so bland it’s offensive.