... TiltonProgress.com?" ©2018 TheMediaDesk.com for
The Desk has been asked that question, and variations on that question, and emailed versions of it, and had it "PM"ed (private messaged) on the various social platforms by all sorts of people. Some of whom it was profiling, or attempting to, others that were there and listened in, and by people who have wandered across the site or its 'social media' presences, and so on.
who?
We'll answer this one in two parts.
And, for the record, the Desk has had to explain to more than one person it has talked to the difference between a 'page' or similar item on a "social media" and a registered, fully qualified, stand alone, Web Site.
Second, 'who is being profiled'. That's the easy one: Tilton area Businesses and Organizations. And no, it isn't all just retail locations. Sure, most of the early ones have been retails sites, but not all, and some of the ones we're trying to get lines up are other sorts of establishments.
what?
As we suppose that the question refers to the profiles themselves, the Desk decided early on to ask the same seven questions of everybody as a groundwork for profiling whatever it is that is being profiled. Yes, we can and have tailored the questions somewhat to fit the occasion, but the gist of the question being asked is the same.
Oh, and then there are the famous "junk" pictures. But those aren't included in the profiles, only being posted later to the 'social sites', without naming whose junk it is, to maintain interest from that side. And, in fact, some of those shots may never see the light of day. But that's the way it goes.
when?
Thereby comes the rub.
where?
Well, the website is: http://tiltonprogress.com (you don't need the "www"!), and the 'social' pages are listed at the bottom of this article.
But that probably isn't what that 'where' meant.
By default, we start in Tilton itself.
why?
Now it gets interesting.
The Village of Tilton ("God Love It") has a Web presence, yes they do. And they, as a municipality and its various parts have spots on the larger of the 'social sites', several pages and/or groups, and they use them. Yes. And they're getting better at it. And people see it, and 'like' it, and so on. Sure. No problem. Enjoy.
It is also worth mentioning that the Village of Tilton ("God Love It") is in favor of this effort, but is in no other way involved with it.
how?
... ... "all it is is seven quick and easy questions and a couple of pictures"... ...
Links to other sites and information below:
The Village Of Tilton, official website (will open in new window/tab):
http://www.tiltonil.com/
of course: http://tiltonprogress.com
and, the one that started it all, in 1998... https://www.themediadesk.com/
And, as mentioned above, the Desk's Non-Fiction and Mystery Series articles http://themediadesk.com/nonfiction.htm
Those "social sites" we mentioned are: (all will open in new window/tab)
Tilton Progress has two outlets on Facebook:
the page is: https://www.facebook.com/TiltonProgress/
Tilton Progress is on Google's G+: https://plus.google.com and there is now a G+ group for Vermilion County, Illinois, make sure you look for that as well.
Tilton Progress is also on Nextdoor.com although you have to be a member to see the posts.
To contact TiltonProgress please send an email to either:
And, as we've said it before elsewhere on the site, we'll say it again here and now:
NOTICE:
The URL of this website is: http://tiltonprogress.com
-30-
" ... why are you doing, ...
TiltonProgress.com
So now, after a couple of months of it, we thought perhaps it best to simply get it out of the way, and write it up, and cover a few other such inquiries, including the idea that somehow this thing should "make a profit", and then point whoever asks it next this way.
And, as the Desk is still something of a Journalist, (the key word there being 'something') we'll go with the old standard 5W's and see where we end up.
oh, yeah, this writer has been talking about itself in the third person for so long it is now second nature. You'll be all right, trust us, after all, we are a professional.
First, this 'who', the one doing the profiles and taking the pictures and all that.
This writer is 'The Media Desk'. The owner and operator of one of the longest running, single proprietorship, journalistic websites on the Web. In fact, the Desk was the Desk before the Web was the Web. But that is a story for another time. see link below
Recently, 2013 in fact, the Desk retired from its "day job" and moved halfway across the country back to where it started doing what is does in the seventies. Now, 2017, it has undertaken a side project in conjunction with themediadesk.com website to promote the area and the businesses and other entities that call this part of the world home. As it already owns/runs/admins a couple of other websites, what's one more?
We also take a few photos of whatever it is. Usually, the 'front' of the establishment, including the "sign on the highway", as what the customer or client sees when they arrive. Perhaps a couple of 'inside shots' of the place to show it off. On occasion, we've even gotten some of the staff, or perhaps some of the work being done to add interest to the profile.
The profile is accurately described as "seven easy questions and a couple of pictures", and the average time investment by the business's representative has been about ten minutes total.
For a Feature, it does get a bit more involved, the interview is extended, and we even have the capability of doing audio and video files on the website for that. We haven't done it yet, but it is available.
The Desk is donating its time to the cause. Most interviews are done 'on the fly', when we stop by a place and catch the owner or manager and they have time to talk, as we said, for about ten minutes. Some profiles have been by a more or less loosely arranged appointment, to wit: "come back Tuesday afternoon".
In the course of doing over twenty profiles, and attempting to do perhaps a dozen more, the Desk has only been 'run out of' one place. The owner evidently thinks the Web is evil and any mention of his business on the Internet is going to invite The Antichrist, Russian hackers, or maybe the Sicilian Mafia, maybe all of the above, in to set up shop in his back room.
But to be honest, the Desk has also been put on hold, in person, for over half an hour, while the 'manager' of one business kept saying "oh, I'll be right back to do it". And that was on the Desk's third time going to the place to do it. Earlier, they said they were all for it, they just couldn't do it right then. Fine, no problem, we understand. And then that? Three strikes, maybe four or even five for a "Small Business" as most of the profiles are, but after that.... "have a nice life". There's over sixty businesses in Tilton itself and howevermany more in the immediate area (south of the Interstate), we've got plenty to do.
The good news for that situation was that the business in question had a bottomless coffee pot and a good selection of old magazines and free wifi to check the scores of the ball games.
Another has said repeatedly that they are interested in being included, but, oddly, haven't filled out the questionnaire we left, and when we go back, they act all happy to see us, but.... It's getting old. Perhaps one more stop by, then, yeah. Another business, a local construction company, has always been too busy for us even to have a chance to explain what we're doing. But come to think of it, if a 'construction company' is busy, that's probably a very good thing on its own, right?
Bottom line. We give everybody a fair shot to do it. Going back several times if needed, as long as they play nice. But, we're doing them a favor, their inclusion on the website is free, photo editing and all promotion on three different social sites (see below) is done For Free. If you want to act like that... "have a nice life".
From there we move south of Interstate 74.
"how far south?", well, we've done one in Hegeler and have been in touch with others even south of there. If your place in is Georgetown or even Chrisman, and you want to be included.... send an email in, we'll see if we can set it up.
There have been some inquiries from businesses north of the highway in "D"-town, and a few have been mentioned. Plus, the idea of an 'auxiliary' page has been floated. But for right now, we're still focusing south of that line.
Stand by, there may be news that way in the coming months.
As was mentioned, the Desk has been on the Web a long time, and counting Telnet and other things, such as dial up BBSs in the early nineteen nineties, the Desk has been online in one form or another for twenty-five years. Counting weekly newspapers, union newsletters, oddball radio shows, and whatever else, the Desk has been in, and out, of 'media' for forty. This is what it does.
Whether or not it is good at it, or even whether anybody is even paying attention to whatever it does is beyond the scope of this essay. Right? Of course 'right'. Moving on-
But, again, this is what The Desk does. Accumulating, processing, and disseminating information. Sometimes as text only articles, non-fiction pieces (including the Desk's Mystery Series on the main site, link below), research bits, and, for the site we're talking about now: Photo Essays built around an established format.
It sees things nobody else sees, and then it takes pictures of it. And writes 'stuff' about it. And posts it here and there. And then links to it from someplace else. And so on.
And that is what TiltonProgess.com is. And that is all it is.
The group is https://www.facebook.com/groups/1787801107960009/
TiltonProgress(at)gmail(dot)com
-or-
email(at)tiltonprogress(dot)com
email scrambled to hopefully discourage spammer robots
This Website and related content is NOT sponsored or approved by the Village of Tilton. The village's official webpage is: http://www.tiltonil.com/.
All material on the site is owned and maintained by themediadesk.com unless otherwise stated.
All Material on this website, including audio files, are copyrighted by the Desk as of the date of posting unless otherwise indicated.
See Intellectual Property and Copyright Statement (paragraphs 3, 5, 7, 10, and 23 (photos)) on http://www.themediadesk.com/files/copy.htm
http://www.themediadesk.com/files/copy.htm