Comments on: Message to dying newspapers: localities are NOT communities http://adrianmonck.com/2009/02/newspapers-localities-communities/ a blog about news and stuff Thu, 10 May 2012 16:11:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Lionel B. Kirsh http://adrianmonck.com/2009/02/newspapers-localities-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-2634 Lionel B. Kirsh Tue, 10 Mar 2009 05:53:13 +0000 http://adrianmonck.com/?p=2980#comment-2634 I'm American; and in my worst moments I think maybe we're reaching a deep trough in our representative democracy which might take a generation or two to climb out of. Whatever the continent or paper, even the Greater Yarmouth Mercury or the Kotchford Knob Courier there is always plenty of cause for the local cub reporter to parse and transmit the impact of national legislation, policy, or economic problems locally. Many of the papers in America are saddled with idle and reactive baby boomer managers who we can only pray will be forced to pasture before long. But part of the problem is the indignant arrogance of much of the public towards local journalism, and a tendency criticize the papers for pushing an agenda or trying to sell copies. Part of journalism is "framing the news" and providing facts for people(in London and Yarmouth) who would otherwise have to imagine their own newspaper each morning. More than anything, I hope the public hopes to keep some kind of current information besides the movie and bus timetables. When it is done well, it can almost feel worth the effort of providing timely and important news when a discerning citizen. "there’s little incentive for most people to be well-informed on public policy topics, beyond the social transaction value (and that dictates a lot of news-framing which uses fear or disgust to provoke interest and reaction)." If I think I follow your point about "social transaction value" correctly (and I'm not sure I do), A) people only read about public policy to dine out on it or to look moderately intelligent? or B)News organizations choose news (crime, scandal, etc.) that invokes panic and catering to people's more salacious tastes? Sometimes it gets exhausting for journalists to look at all self-styled commentary about themselves and try to learn something from it. Inside Looking Out I’m American; and in my worst moments I think maybe we’re reaching a deep trough in our representative democracy which might take a generation or two to climb out of.
Whatever the continent or paper, even the Greater Yarmouth Mercury or the Kotchford Knob Courier there is always plenty of cause for the local cub reporter to parse and transmit the impact of national legislation, policy, or economic problems locally.
Many of the papers in America are saddled with idle and reactive baby boomer managers who we can only pray will be forced to pasture before long.
But part of the problem is the indignant arrogance of much of the public towards local journalism, and a tendency criticize the papers for pushing an agenda or trying to sell copies. Part of journalism is “framing the news” and providing facts for people(in London and Yarmouth) who would otherwise have to imagine their own newspaper each morning.
More than anything, I hope the public hopes to keep some kind of current information besides the movie and bus timetables.
When it is done well, it can almost feel worth the effort of providing timely and important news when a discerning citizen.
“there’s little incentive for most people to be well-informed on public policy topics, beyond the social transaction value (and that dictates a lot of news-framing which uses fear or disgust to provoke interest and reaction).“
If I think I follow your point about “social transaction value” correctly (and I’m not sure I do), A) people only read about public policy to dine out on it or to look moderately intelligent? or B)News organizations choose news (crime, scandal, etc.) that invokes panic and catering to people’s more salacious tastes?
Sometimes it gets exhausting for journalists to look at all self-styled commentary about themselves and try to learn something from it.
Inside Looking Out

]]> By: Adrian Monck http://adrianmonck.com/2009/02/newspapers-localities-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-2558 Adrian Monck Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:35:52 +0000 http://adrianmonck.com/?p=2980#comment-2558 Thanks for the comment James. As someone Yarmouth born (well, Cobholm actually), I fear the A47 will be terrible from Acle long after the internet has come and gone... Thanks for the comment James.

As someone Yarmouth born (well, Cobholm actually), I fear the A47 will be terrible from Acle long after the internet has come and gone…

]]> By: James Goffin http://adrianmonck.com/2009/02/newspapers-localities-communities/comment-page-1/#comment-2557 James Goffin Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:25:04 +0000 http://adrianmonck.com/?p=2980#comment-2557 Your premise is wrong: your friend might not have found much of a gay community in Belfast, but that doesn't mean he wasn't part of a sporting community or a music scene. People can belong to many overlapping communities and that includes localities. As the proud winner of a <em>Great Yarmouth Mercury</em> pen for writing pieces for its School Reporter page many years ago, I'll agree that rehashing a press release on olive oil isn't the title's finest hour but other stories on the site include a bank raid and a piece on the borough council's housing situation. These <i>are</i> stories that affect a local community - as is its long-running campaign to improve the A47, the main road into the town. Gay or straight, you are affected if the place you live has poor transport links; your locality is a community because you have communal interests. (On a side point, as I work for the Mercury's publishers I can tell you that our current web system orders stories by date rather than importance, so the olive oil tale wasn't really the 'top' story just the last one published. We know that's not good enough, and we're fixing it.) Your premise is wrong: your friend might not have found much of a gay community in Belfast, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t part of a sporting community or a music scene.

People can belong to many overlapping communities and that includes localities.

As the proud winner of a Great Yarmouth Mercury pen for writing pieces for its School Reporter page many years ago, I’ll agree that rehashing a press release on olive oil isn’t the title’s finest hour but other stories on the site include a bank raid and a piece on the borough council’s housing situation.

These are stories that affect a local community — as is its long-running campaign to improve the A47, the main road into the town. Gay or straight, you are affected if the place you live has poor transport links; your locality is a community because you have communal interests.

(On a side point, as I work for the Mercury’s publishers I can tell you that our current web system orders stories by date rather than importance, so the olive oil tale wasn’t really the ‘top’ story just the last one published. We know that’s not good enough, and we’re fixing it.)

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