Don't think people are reading our 'free' 24/7 Internet newspaper? Think again!

Biggest record of visitors / Headline SurferAt 11:47:20 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 26, Headline Surfer (HeadlineSurfer.com, NSBNewes.net, VolusiaNews.net) recorded the single largest number of online visitors at the same time to our 24/7 Internet newspaper -- 1,076 visitors -- as shown on the snapshot we took of our editor's grid. The 1 to the right of that number reflects the editor sign on. So what was the big story driving this? It was our coverage of the passing of astronaut Neal Armstrong.

Within a couple of minutes, as more and more people were clicking the headline to the story, either directly or through the search engines and news directories, our server was blown. It took most of the day to repair. 

Here is the link to that story: http://nsbnews.net/content/409924-state-rep-dorothy-hukill-reflects-neil-armstrongs-moonwalk-catalyst-own-career-and-co

The above is a prelude to my column this morning: 

121 users online simultaneously / Headline SurferNEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Don't think anyone is reading us? Well, think again! At 5:14 this morning, we had 121 people on Headline Surfer at the same time. Until a few days ago, we'd typically have 8-10 on same time his early in the morning accessing our 24/7 Internet newspaper. 

I have been walking a proverbial tightrope for the past several days, hoping and praying our online crashes will end with adjustments we've had to make to our servers. Believe it or not, that's a good thing. 

So what gives? I don't know. I just think it's ironic that with the local print newspapers locking down online access through paid subscriptions, our website has seen dramatic surges in visitors. The Daytona Beach News-Journal went to paid online subscriptions on Oct. 1. The Daytona paper has followed in the footsteps of the Orlando Sentinel, which locked down its online access as well through paid membership. 

The only way to get free access online through these newspapers is to subscribe to the print home delivery service. Headline Surfer is no threat to the mainstream media, though we are very competitive and aggressive, even if the media outlet consists of one paid award-winning journalist. There's only so much that can be accomplished.

In addition to keeping up with breaking news, posting news of record and producing investigative stories, we also produce two weekly online shows: "The Roundtable" and the Sunday Conversation." Because we are very limited in our budget, we have to make tough choices in what we cover. Still, we're out there in the community.

Thankfully, my wife, Serafina, helps me with uploading of the daily grind -- NSB police report, the county Jail docket (felony and misdemeanors), circuit lawsuits, etc. Plus she shoots mosts of our videos (more than 1,000 in our catalogue) and produces every one of them from scratch. I also have a dozen or so community bloggers who contribute columns and sometimes even photos.

Besides the news, we also have to generate our own advertising, which keeps Headline Surfer moving forward and how we provide for our own family's income. We also do the marketing ourselves, having built up a large network on Facebook with more than 10,000 contacts, the largest by far in Volusia County, public or private.

We care very much about New Smyrna Beach, where we live and work and the county as a whole. Since our April 7, 2008 launch as NSBNews.net with the umbrella trademark, "Headline Surfer" added in March, we have exceeded our own expectations.

New Smyrna Beach is our turf now, whether print media or any other media for that matter, likes it or not. And we're certainly on top of the 2012 elections. It's amazing how we're the only news media holding public candidate debates -- real debates where the public is allowed to ask questions. We held eight during the primary. In fact, we were first.

We've held three so far in the general election in Oak Hill, again first. We've got the only public Hukill-Bruno state senate debate set for Oct 21, at the Brannon Center here in New Smyrna Beach and three more debates Oct. 22 in Port Orange. Then we'll have at least one more - in Daytona Beach for mayor, once we can get a venue.

As a matter of fact, we are the only Volusia County media outlet holding public candidate debates during this general election, period.

We were first in breaking the news about the hiring of a new director for the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority and we have an exclusive interview with the hire, Tim Hamby, which we'll be publishing this morning. In the next day or two, we'll have an explosive investigative story ready for publication as well.

We were first in reporting the tragic news of the drowning of a local man overnight and we have extensive video coverage from Friday night's Cudas football game.

As we move closer to our fifth anniversary on April 7, we hope to continue growing our advertising and providing the community service that is needed to generate interest in what's happening around us.

Again, thank you for your loyal support and remember: We are free. You'll find our stories at the top of the search engines and in the Google News Directories. Providing you with news is our way of being a part of all that is good here in New Smyrna Beach, across Volusia County and beyond.