Many web designers say that as far reaching as the changes wrought by the Internet  have been, we are only scratching the surface of an interactive mass communication revolution.
The Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce is advancing that new paradigm of an interactive web another small step by starting an interactive membership blog.
“I”™m an old-timer, but this is great,” said Charles North, president and CEO of the chamber during the unveiling of the new blog in their Poughkeepsie offices June 28. He said the chamber was the first Hudson Valley chamber to have a website that started in 1992 and is now the first to create a members”™ blog.
“The whole idea of the blog is to add value,” said Bruce Newman of the Productivity Institute L.L.C. of Carmel, a social media company that created and uploaded the business blog. He said it is designed to help Chamber members and others find answers to business questions, or share personal stories, insights or musing with other members, as well as highlighting events and business and educational opportunities.
“The beauty of a blog is that it is very fast and very easy to enter in new content,” Newman said. “And it is that content by members that will make it a success.”
The blog is open to anyone who wants to read it and comments are encouraged, but will be mediated by chamber officials before appearing online.
Benjamin Krevolin, president of the Dutchess County Arts Council and a member of the chamber board, said the blog offered ways of adding offbeat but valuable insight to important local issues. He said that the council had contributed a blog entry “Taking the Plunge,” about how to buy art.
Dutchess County Tourism also has a blog entry and an array of categories is posted and awaiting content.
“Particularly for small businesses, this is a great way to communicate and gain from expertise,” said Elizabeth Celaya , community relations manager for Hudson River Housing, and chairwoman of the Middle Main Revitalization committee coordinating efforts at stoking Main Street area businesses.
The  blog site is at dcrcocblog.org   It can also be accessed through the chamber”™s main web site, at www.Dutchesscountyregionalchamber.org.
