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SONOMA, I-T unveils content-rich website

 

SONOMA, the website dedicated to all things Sonoma, "... is live on your dial at sonomanews.com and sonomamag.com," Bill Lynch, Editor-in-Chief of The Sonoma Index-Tribune, announced this week.

The local, family-owned-and-operated company, which begins its 132nd year in Sonoma Valley next month, moved its news website, Sonomanews.com onto a new content management system (CMS) offered by Godengo, a web company located in Emeryville that specializes in hosting magazine websites.

"We wanted a CMS that allowed us to publish and show off the incredibly rich content we have produced and continue to create on all subjects related to Sonoma Valley and Wine Country. SONOMA magazine stands on is own as one of the finest lifestyle magazines for any community anywhere. SONOMA the website is SONOMA magazine squared. It gives us multiple channels on which to publish more articles, photos, videos and features, and make them more timely than any periodical could ever do," Lynch added.

Lynch pointed out that even before the switch to the new CMS, the I-T's website was recognized as one of the best community newspaper websites in the state and nation.

"Our writers, photographers, columnists, graphic artists and sales staff are second to none in the Wine Country. Our newspaper is among the best community newspapers in the state, and I'd put SONOMA Magazine up against any community magazine anywhere. SONOMA the website is a beautiful way to blend all those good things and give them new and greater life," he said

The site is a work in progress and there will be continuous changes, improvements, and additions, he added.

The biggest noticeable changes, compared to the old site, include special web "channels" exclusively devoted to food and wine, arts and entertainment and lifestyle and history. Peter and Sarah Berkeley, owners of Belle Creative, have signed on as contributing editors, and there are a host of local writers on board to provide additional Sonoma and Wine Country content.

The contributor list includes regular I-T columnists such as Kathleen Hill, Gerald Hill, Daedalus Howell, James M. Berry, Sylvia Crawford and food writer Therese Nugent, along with new writers including, David Karraker, Tony and Danielle Westfall, Gary Saperstein, Kate Eilersten, David Cook, Nancy King and Karen Collins. New real estate and finance columnists have also been added, including Chris Oscar, Gerret Snedaker, Jill Silvas, Lillian Meyers, Gayle Arrowood and Deb Carlen.

One of the other major additions is a complete and very deep library of Wine Country recipes compiled over many years by the Index-Tribune as contributed by local cooks and food writers.

As part of its increased emphasis on Wine Country food, the I-T has also formed an alliance with David Sickert and Mike Minigan of A Million Cooks, a locally based podcasting and video-casting company, who will also help enrich the site's content by producing special food and wine programming for that channel.

The community calendar has been expanded and enhanced so that events and activities unique to a specific topic, such as entertainment events, are displayed on the calendar residing on the Arts and Entertainment channel.

The use of local videos has also been greatly expanded with the new CMS.

The SONOMA Arts and Entertainment channel features this week a number of film "trailers" for movies that will be in the upcoming Sonoma Film Festival. Belle Creative has also produced new videos on wine and food that are also live on the site.

"We intend to be the 'All Things Sonoma' resource. SONOMA the website, is the place to visit every day, because there will be something new and interesting about our community and the wine country there every day," Lynch concluded.