The Yanks are coming

Two developments in the world of hyperlocal blogging this week which appear to be moving in opposite directions.
Firstly after just over a year, the Guardian is closing it's experimental hyperlocal sites in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Leeds.
Seems they can't make any money.
What a surprise.
However at the same time the latest moth to the hyperlocal flame has started recruiting editorial staff.
The Huffington Post will start publishing in the UK this summer and is looking for , amongst other posts, an editor to edit and manage contributions from bloggers and hyperlocals ( Don't all rush - it's for graduates only).
Arianna Huffington, having succeeded in selling her U.S site to AOL last year for $315 million - with no compensation going to the army of unpaid bloggers and contributors - fancies pulling off the same stunt in the UK although it seems a multi-million dollar law suit has just been filed in New York on behalf of her thousands of unpaid contributors.
Well, I'm sure the Huffington Post will earn a lot more out of advertising than Eastleigh News ever will - but you know what?
I'll bet you the ecpm and ctr is not that far apart and I doubt if it will be enough to sustain an army of execs in company cars.
The UK already has an established Hyperlocal network - who value their independence.
I can't see them rushing to give away it for free - just for the prestige of having posted on her site.
Ironically the Guardian has already cornered that part of the market with their 'comment is free' section.