Hearne: Start Dancing, Joe Miller / KC Downtowner Back as Blog

“Hey, I’m back up,” Miller says….

Turns out KC Downtowner’s day and a-half disappearing act was something of a fluke.

“I can write real good and I can design pretty good,” Miller says. “But I can code just good enough to save my life.”

Miller says the Downtowner’s former Web site was subscriber-unfriendly, and thinks the new blog format will cure that ill.

‘It’s a clean look and easier to subscribe to with more content variety,” Miller says of the new blog.

Part of the problem heretofore: “We didn’t have the content through the week,” Miller says. “There’s still stuff going on through the week but it’s mostly been just my (one) column.”

To that end, Miller will post a Friday Sound Check item (complete with YouTube) to tip readers on don’t miss bands coming to the Cowtown.He will also write a menu and art feature to broaden the site’s appeal more beyond hard news and local politics. Another writer will post a fitness column. And “inexpensive” ads will be available.

In the wide world of sports, KC Downtowner may not attract millions of eyey balls, but that’s not the mission, Miller says.

Translation: the Downtowner sees itself as a niche publication for a very specific area.

“One of the industry trends is hyper-local journalism,” Miller says. “And we’re just looking for a niche (area) where there is a lot of economic activity. The bulk of the content is my column obviously. You know, I’ve seen a lot of things and have a distinct perception. And I’m going to bust some news. So people downtown are going to check out the site. I mean, if you’re into politics you’re going to read (the Pitch’s) David Martin, you’re going to read me, you’re going to read (the Star’s) Yael and you’re going to read Tony. I don’t think I’m in competition with anybody. I really think this (new site) is going to make a difference – check us out in three months and see.”

Now that the Downtowner is back, any words of comfort for local political activist Steve Glorious who Miller recently spanked the daylights out of? Like, take off the black armband, the Downtowner’s back!

“Yeah, tell him he can start dancing in the streets again,” Miller says. “It was a glitch.”