What do people want from the media

People want the media to inform, entertain, amuse and they want it all instantly. A Herculean task for the industry—especially since a lot of folks want it free.

But above all, readers want to trust the source. You expect the New York Times or Wall Street Journal to thoroughly vet a story so you know what you are reading is reliable. Folks hate to be deceived.

And in journalism, even with iconic newspapers, it happens. Reporter Janet Cooke’s, infamous profile of “Jimmy, an eight year old third-generation heroin addict” that originally won a Pulitzer Prize for the Washington Post but was then rescinded because it was all fiction.

The Washington Post did something hardly any major newspaper does: they apologized; and in a mea culpa report by their ombudsman of what had gone wrong concluded it was due to a “failure to check confidential sources and the risks of putting sensationalism above editorial judgment. “

I disagree with Mr. Crosbie’s declaration that the local news story is dead, which flies in the face of Tip O’Neil’s famous assertion “All politics is local.”

Yesterday a run away balloon that everyone at first thought had a 6 year old stow away child on board riveted the nation.

If not for that hair raising component of a child potentially at great risk it could easily have been just a local news or blogger upload about an “interesting” family who happens to keep a large flying saucer balloon tethered in their backyard and who also recently appeared on the national TV show “wife swap”.

Here in bucolic Amherst, I posted on Monday morning about a “ghost bike” (a bicycle painted all white and placed at the scene of a car/bike accident where they cyclist died) vandalized by ax wielding assailants.

The local newspaper picked it up the next day (even used a photo from my blog) and then within 24 hours both local TV news stations covered the story as well.

And on a slow news day that is the kind of tragic/weird story that could hit the AP wire (they covered the original accident/death a month ago, a hit-and-run still to this day unsolved).

I agree with Crosbie that in today’s 24/7 world of instant information the average reader initially craves (to, sort of, quote Sgt Joe Friday) “just the facts”; but then 59 seconds later, they are ready for a well-written, well –researched, human interest story--all the better if it actually occurs in their neighborhood.

The Power and Class of New England

George Parks demonstrating Power and Class.
Chancellor Holub, who knows a good thing when he sees it.
Former Drummer Boy (actually tuba), State Senator Stan Rosenberg

So in addition to the $52 million Recreation Center 'Death Star' about to open any day now, this afternoon Umass also broke ground on a $5.7 million Minuteman Marching Band Building, appropriately called the "George N. Parks Band Building."

After more than 30 years of service to Umass--and still going strong--nobody deserves more praise and thanks than band leader George Parks. Over 500 folks turned out this afternoon to enjoy the festivities, a historic turnout for a groundbreaking remarked Chancellor Holub.

You can always go, downtown!

10:30 AM
Busy day today as Central Fire Station has an Open House (Pancake Breakfast tomorrow at North Station). The Fall Foliage Walk was just getting started (raising money for A Better Chance) and they were already lining up at McMurphy's Bar. Guess Amherst PD will be busy later tonight.

No great loss

So for the first time in a generation the UN flag in front of the People's Republic of Amherst Town Hall is missing. I have an inquiry out, but it is after all late afternoon Friday so I will probably not get an immediate response.

Death Star delayed

So I was kind of wondering when the venerable Umass Daily Collegian would get around to correcting their front page article, above the fold, with photo from two weeks ago trumpeting the opening that day of the $52 million Recreation Center, what I have dubbed 'The Death Star’.

And I dub is so--as lawyers are fond of saying--with all due respect. As a Umass graduate (with a degree in Exercise Science/Sport Management) I completely agree the University should provide a state of the art fitness facility for staff and students and it will make them more competitive with other colleges and universities for attracting students (who are, after all, paying customers.)

As the owner of a private, taxpaying health fitness facility in town for over 27 years I normally do not like the idea of a competing facility opening up—especially one so L-A-R-G-E. But this, I’m soooooo looking forward to. Because it will hurt/kill others before it kills me.

Kind of like in war hoping for a plague outbreak, knowing you have a built in immunity that the enemy does not.

Boo!

Killing a Ghost Bike

Ch 3 TV picks up the story

UPDATE: Tuesday 6:00 AM
Today's Gazette (using top photo above with permission) states a driver contacted police at 5:31 PM on Saturday after observing two men attacking the bike with axes. Hard to believe two Nitwits could be so callous (also kind of early in the evening to be drunk.)
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ORIGINAL post: Monday 10:00 AM
The Ghost Bike on Montague Road, up for only three weeks, marking the spot where 21-year-old Blake Goodman was killed by a hit-and-run driver was heavily vandalized this past weekend.

And the pernicious perp who did it must have been a Lizzie Borden fan as it appears the bike was whacked 40 times or more with an ax.

Springfield Republican updates:


September 21