I wanted to comment again on the Bordier's Bankruptcy. I agree with Doug Green that most gardening enthusiast don't have an interest in whether Bordier's or any other wholesale nursery closes. I also agree that, "The trade press might find it of interest if it’s a singleton item - or of national importance (or even of major regional importance) but if it’s one of many happening right now - it isn’t news or even a story an advertiser wants to support. (Would you want your advertising next to stories of business failures?) I had an editor I respect very much tell me once that it was my first amendment right to write anything I wanted but an advertiser had the same right to decide not to advertise next to it. Guilt by association." Think about what Doug just said. When you accept advertising dollars it becomes harder to bring up stories that might offend the advertisers. This is of course why the main stream media is having fit's. Most blogs are written by people who like what they do, and don't have anyone to answer to. I was recently asked if I had said anything on my blog that I might regret later. Not yet! Who am I? Just some guy living in the foothills of California that happens to own a nursery. Our store is a tiny speck in the whole horticultural scheme of things. Have I offended Scott's/MiracleGro? Hines Nursery? Trade Media? Nursery Consultants? Other Nurseries?
The was a huge number of visitors that used "Bordier's bankruptcy" as the search term coming to my blog. The spike in readership that was spawned by these searches indicated to me that there we're lot's of people interested in this. Most are fellow nurserypeople wondering where they will get their plants next year. Others are wholesale nurseries wondering what's happening with the competition. Some are media outlets. In the insulated world of horticultural business this is big news.
The tie that exists between advertisers and media is one reason I feel the advent of blogs is a breath of fresh air. You have to wade through a lot of bad ones, but you will soon find the ones you trust. It's through these blogs that we can hash out the problems and solutions that need to be addressed. Time moves quickly these day's. Reading about the Bordier's or Hines Bankruptcies two months later when the print addition comes out is too late. You need the news today.It's March, and you just found out one of your major suppliers might not call on you. Now you can make educated decisions that will effect your business like, "where am I going to get my plants now?"