Who's in Charge Here Anyway?

When you're the new "media outlet" in town, you spend a lot of time explaining what you do and exactly who you are.

Some people have called Patch a "blog." They've asked me if there is a print version of the website (fair question). They've also simply confused me with other long-established media outlets, which I credit for faithfully serving the community before Patch arrived.

I don't mind the confusion; after all we've only been live since October 8 of last year. And with a name like Patch, some may be confused by what we actually are.

Allow me to explain. My job title is editor of Catonsville Patch. Above me is a regional editor, who oversees a team of Patch editors, who are clustered geographically. My regional editor, Danna Walker, is my direct boss and supervises the work I do as well as edits many of my stories.

Catonsville Patch is part of the network of Patch.com, which has more than 700 sites nationwide. Our headquarters are in New York.

The core of the Patch business model is the role of the editor to oversee a site. Not only do I write stories, but I edit others' stories as well. I'm also out in the community reporting and promoting the site to different community groups. You could say I do it all.

But I also employ a team of freelance writers and photographers, nearly all of whom live and work in Catonsville. I worked to recruit these people, interview them and bring them into the Patch fold.

One particular thing I'm proud of with Catonsville Patch is that just about everyone I utilize also lives here (just like me). The people who work on the site are just as passionate about issues in the community as you are. Their work is often tremendous and I rely on them every day to help produce a quality site.

Many of these people do work in a creative field elsewhere, or are simply a Catonsville resident with a passion for hosting discussions or forums. So you may see their writing or their work elsewhere. They are not full-time employees, but they do get paid for the work they do on the site.

So if you are out and about in the community and encounter someone who says they write for Patch, it may be one of these people listed right here.  I count on them to represent me in the community and sometimes be my eyes and ears.

If you are a writer, photographer or videographer who would like to be a part of the Patch community, please e-mail me at penny.riordan@patch.com.