Comella named editor of Digital Edition

Donna Comella has been named editor of the Courier-Gazette Digital Edition. A staff writer for the C-G since 1987, she has also served as editor for the seasonal publications, Summer Living and Christmas Traditions. All are published in Newark by Ad Group, wc, inc.

Last year, Structured Technologies, Inc. of Rochester created "Our Hometown' - an Internet service that focused on suburban and rural towns and villages. The company had established the network of towns, but needed someone to €fill in the blanks. Then in November 1996, the Courier and Structured Technologies launched a joint-venture to publish local news on the Internet.

Since that time, Comella has coordinated the Digital Edition and content for several towns other than Newark. Quickly, the C-G expanded to include customized news for Lyons, Sodus, Clyde, and launched an Internet edition of The Marion Enterprise. The C-G also began to provide photographs, organization/church listings, links to other sites, events, and created a special site for college students.

"It's been exciting to watch this unfold," said Comella. "When we began sending photos and hometown news across the World Wide Web, we weren't sure who would be watching. But the response has been overwhelming."

"We've had e-mail from all over the world. Readers have not only supported us by watching and reading, but have sent photos, stories, viewpoints, suggestions. A great many people have turned this into a community project and I'm grateful for their help."

With an eye on expanding to Williamson, Savannah, Rose and Wolcott, the Digital Edition continues to change and grow.

"We'll keep adding new pictures, new graphics - re-build and re-tool to keep it fresh. People on the Internet want their information to be concise, they want it to look great, and they want it quickly. We're no longer bound by the constraints of a weekly deadline or black and white photos, but now we really have to keep on our toes."

A Lyons resident, Comella lives on Phelps Street with her husband, Sal Branciforte, and their grown son.

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