Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: I want to start a News Website

news.ycombinator.com

1–10 of 32 posts

Ask HN: I want to start a News Website

#1
Hey there. I have a question: I want to start a news website, how do I do it?

I can code (front end and backend), and I can study topics, learn them, and make them easy to understand for other people.

The problem, however, is that I'm 17. I know that this project probably won't get off the ground simply because of that fact, but I'd love to hear any tips / opinions people have about it. Thanks.

Re: Ask HN: I want to start a News Website

#4

Can you write? Are you going to scrape other people's information? What kind of information are you interested in publishing?

I think I can write, but I certainly don't know if I can in the form of reporting.

The kind of information I'm interested in publishing is non-biased facts. I doubt a news site could function purely on this, but if I could design one I would put a lot of emphasis on bullet points.

Re: Ask HN: I want to start a News Website

#7
post #6
post #5

Why not just use Wordpress with a few add-ons and a theme that looks like a news site?

Because I have ideas I feel could shake the news industry up, even if it's just for a small niche of people. I don't really want to be a "me too" site.

What does that mean? Are you looking to serve news up in an unconventional way?

Re: Ask HN: I want to start a News Website

#8
post #6
post #5

Why not just use Wordpress with a few add-ons and a theme that looks like a news site?

Because I have ideas I feel could shake the news industry up, even if it's just for a small niche of people. I don't really want to be a "me too" site.

Your choice of tools (including blog vs custom code, PHP vs Rails, etc) doesn't determine whether or not you'll create a "me too" site.

One could shake up the industry with something that leverages blog software. Another could write an amazing piece of news-displaying technology and not make a dent.

Re: Ask HN: I want to start a News Website

#9
post #7
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because I have ideas I feel could shake the news industry up, even if it's just for a small niche of people. I don't really want to be a "me too" site.

What does that mean? Are you looking to serve news up in an unconventional way?

Yes. I want to use a news source that is built mainly around bullet points, short sweet facts. A news source that provides resources for it's users to do it's own research, but not overwhelm them.

I can't find this. So I am considering building it.

Re: Ask HN: I want to start a News Website

#10
post #9
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What does that mean? Are you looking to serve news up in an unconventional way?

Yes. I want to use a news source that is built mainly around bullet points, short sweet facts. A news source that provides resources for it's users to do it's own research, but not overwhelm them. I can't find this. So I am considering building it.

Build it on top of wordpress, for sure. You could accomplish something not-so-pretty in a day with Wordpress as your foundation. Maybe even faster if you use v3.0 beta.

Orrr in a few weeks if you go at it alone.

Post reply on HN