After almost a year of inactivity, The Georgetown Progressive, an online publication focused on liberal issues that hosts blog postings on current issues from members of student causes, is back and running with new content and an updated look.

The lapse in publication was due to the Web site’s low traffic, Alex Armstrong (COL ’09), managing director of The Georgetown Progressive, said. Armstrong attributes their initial difficulties to not enough emphasis on the site’s design.

“Last year we made the mistake that we focused too much on getting content, that we left the Web design unattended. … It was a start, but it wasn’t as professional as the new one,” Armstrong said.

The site has attracted more than 300 visitors on its first day.

Armstrong said the new design is based on the architecture and artwork of Healy Hall. “We have incorporated the dark wood and the lamp for the logo of the site. … We want it to look like Georgetown and to reflect the origins of the clubs,” he said.

The Web site hosts a variety of content, ranging from news and the ’08 election to commentary, entertainment and videos.

With the presidential election coming up in November, Armstrong hopes to draw student input and to use the site as an open forum that embraces different views.

The Georgetown Progressive is an alliance of progressive campus groups, including Eco-Action, Georgetown Solidarity Committee and H*yas for Choice, bringing about a progressive perspective through transcending ideologies from multiple perspectives, Armstrong said.

The Georgetown Progressive Coalition produced The Georgetown Progressive in 2007 to serve as the campus’s only publication on politics, policy and progressive activism. The Office of Student Affairs said it does not officially recognize the campus organization.

The College Democrats initially started the online publication, but the two organizations have always been autonomous bodies.

College Democrats Director of Communications Chris Dodge (SFS ’10) said the Web site helps every group by engaging the student population beyond activism in Red Square and encourages them to produce convincing pieces for a wider online readership.