What Happened To Local Journalism?

[Chris 2,162]

4 minutes ago, MsKreed said:

I’m not sure how many “local” reporters the paper has even had in recent years.

Last I knew, one - Jeff Murray. This article by Mountain Home Magazine from 2020 borders on depressing: The Last Reporter

[JustAGuy 12]

Interesting topic. People probably don't watch the news anymore. I don't think my generation does and I highly doubt Gen Z does. The only people I know are older boomers and their parents(if they are still alive) with social media who needs a real news broadcast anymore? All big stories are broken on tweeter. 

I think the news has always been a sham though. These are all affiliates of a FOX, CBS, ABC or NBC. Then you have broadcast groups like say Nexstar. The news is all related and there are so few media companies out there. I don't recall the number off the top of my head but I believe 6 corporations own about 90%(or even higher)of the media in this country. Could you get more local news? Maybe I am not old enough to compare with say the 70s, 80s or even the 90s to now. But I would suspect the internet has a lot to do with it. All you have to do is see how active the WENY and WETM social media pages are in a given day. I only end up on the news if I was watching a program before and didn't change the channel quickly enough. It may stay on if a cute anchor appears lol. But all I mostly see negativity on the news. Shootings, stabbings, arrests. Blah blah blah. It's the same old. It's rare when they have anything good. Sometimes in the beginning they will talk about a cool event going down but honestly that's about it. But if the event has already happened which us usually the case doesn't necessarily do me much good. Lol

[JustAGuy 12]

On 6/7/2023 at 10:27 AM, MsKreed said:

They're paywall for the digital version is pretty affordable.....except it lacks much real content just like the print version. 

 

Sadly, this isn’t terribly surprising to me....considering the Star-Gazette is almost exclusively National and State news that is gathered at least a day before. Or generic "regional" lifestyle (tourism and home/garden, etc) stories that might contain mildly interesting “magazine” type content – but no hard news about anything happening here. I bet the Binghamton and Ithaca Gannett papers have 98% of the same content. 

For local content, it rarely carries much more than obituaries and sports scores.  

And the majority of “news” articles for this area seem to be just a few transitional segue sentences stringing together reprints of Press Releases and public statements (as with the recent Arena/IDA news and the County Exec’s emergency order, etc).

Past archives (available at Steel Memorial Library and on newspapers.com) show multi-faceted in-depth reporting that was a result of “man on the beat” chasing down facts and sources. I’m not sure how many “local” reporters the paper has even had in recent years.

It's not shocking the paper is a dead thing. It would be one thing if the online content was flowing but even when you could view for free it was so lagging in updates. I'm shocked anybody pays for the online version but who is paying for the physical content now? I mean....the building in Elmira is closed. No idea how any local news would be getting pumped out on there anyway. 

[JustAGuy 12]

I feel like the news has just become propaganda no matter what type of news you're watching. Now they tell you what you should think without basically being straight up blunt about it. There is no more thinking for yourself and they all beat home the same drivel. Even sports news now feels controversial. There is no escape. I have them whining on sportscaster about race and gender and all that stuff. Back during covid times you had to believe in the BS or you were an asshole. Even as they kept turning the stories and coming up with new causes that would make you scratch your Mellon. Things definitely get staged and the news has a lot of fear porn. I wouldn't even be surprised if all these shootings and stabbings they claim happen locally didn't all actually occur. I have a hard time believing that "no quiet days" of violent activity don't exist. It's not like we are a populous of millions. 

[TTL News 308]

On a related note, "Editorial Cartoonists' Firings Point To Steady Decline Of Opinion Pages In Newspapers"

Quote

 

McClatchy, which owns 30 U.S. newspapers, said it would no longer publish editorial cartoons. “We made this decision based on changing reader habits and our relentless focus on providing the communities we serve with local news and information they can’t get elsewhere,” the chain said in a statement.

There’s a rich history of editorial cartooning, including Thomas Nast’s vivid takedowns of corrupt New York City politicians in the late 1800s and Herbert Block’s drawings of a sinister-looking Richard Nixon in The Washington Post.

At the start of the 20th century, there were about 2,000 editorial cartoonists employed at newspapers, according to a report by the Herbert Block Foundation. Now, Ohman estimates there are fewer than 20.

The last full-time editorial cartoonist to win a Pulitzer was Jim Morin of the Miami Herald in 2017. Since then, owing to the diminishing number of employed cartoonists, the Pulitzers have broadened the category in which they compete and renamed it “Illustrated Reporting and Commentary.”

While written editorials can sometimes be ponderous and intimidate readers, the impact of a well-done cartoon is instantaneous, Pett said.

 

 

[Chris 2,162]

The Op-Ed section of any newspaper should be a no brainer. You have an editorial and then the people provide the remainder of the content for that section. 

Political and editorial cartoons have a historical significance and impact, and should be preserved. 

[Chris 2,162]

Maybe it's just me, but taking a Facebook post that a county legislator's wife makes about his illness and turning it into a news report seems pretty cheap to me. 

[KarenK 383]

2 minutes ago, Chris said:

Maybe it's just me, but taking a Facebook post that a county legislator's wife makes about his illness and turning it into a news report seems pretty cheap to me. 

I thought the very same thing when I saw it last night.  Tacky.

[Chris 2,162]

Ok so it's not just me then. 

Personally, I wouldn't consider it a news story at all, out of respect for the person's privacy. But if I were to do so, I would at least contact the family, ask if it was okay or if they preferred privacy. I mean, I get it, it was posted to a Facebook page. That just doesn't automatically mean it's fodder for the news. 

[Chris 2,162]

Aaaaaand they doubled down on it and “updated” with the updated Facebook post.

FFS…

[KarenK 383]

11 hours ago, Chris said:

Aaaaaand they doubled down on it and “updated” with the updated Facebook post.

FFS…

Well, Kathi is posting the same post on her page, his page and his public legislative page so I give it's theirs for the taking.

[Chris 2,162]

I guess, it just seems lazy and somehow wrong to me. 

[MsKreed 1,179]

5 hours ago, KarenK said:

Well, Kathi is posting the same post on her page, his page and his public legislative page so I give it's theirs for the taking.

Seems like the trend lately on the national level also.

When there's a significant event (or death) with celebs and public figures, their official social media page is the primary source.  Then "news" outlets treat it like a press release official statement and usually add background bio info like what the person is known for, past history, notable career highlights, etc..... to make it "their own".  

I do agree that it's lazy of the local "journalists" to not add anything beyond the FB post.  They could pretend they know something else about him -- how long he's been in office, what boards or legislation or community service he's known for. 

Former Republican Chair? Serving in his 4th term? Been giving away Fair and Arena tickets for over a decade?

Nope, : just what his FB profile states: "15th District Chemung County Legislator".

Edited August 5, 2023 by MsKreed

[Adam 373]

unless im mistaken, i believe WETM has blocked me from their page.

only thing i can think of is they were a little sensitive to my copy & paste comment" regarding Rodney Strange info.

[KarenK 383]

7 minutes ago, Adam said:

unless im mistaken, i believe WETM has blocked me from their page.

only thing i can think of is they were a little sensitive to my copy & paste comment" regarding Rodney Strange info.

Never heard of a news station blocking anyone.  I'm not sure they even can and there's nothing you said on there even 1/2 as bad as some other things that turn up

 

[Chris 2,162]

On 8/10/2023 at 10:01 PM, KarenK said:

I'm not sure they even can

Pretty sure they're able to. 

[KarenK 383]

8 minutes ago, Chris said:

Pretty sure they're able to. 

Weird being a public news page.  CC Firewire didn't like something I said one day (they got butt hurt basically over a minor criticism) and turned off my ability to comment on posts.  I wasn't blocked though, just couldn't comment.  

[Chris 2,162]

3 hours ago, KarenK said:

Weird being a public news page.

A public page is still just a page. I can block people on ours as well, although I simply hide their comments so no one else sees them but they think the comment is still there.

[Chris 2,162]

I see Ithaca.com is no longer reporting much news from Candor and Spencer Van-Etten areas now as well. Another "news desert". 

[LocalSportsGuy 43]

On 10/19/2023 at 10:16 AM, Chris said:

I see Ithaca.com is no longer reporting much news from Candor and Spencer Van-Etten areas now as well. Another "news desert". 

Honestly the only way for these "news desert" to get any coverage is if someone like a Figure Lakes 1 or HomeTown News or whatever that one in PA is comes to that area. There sadly won't be anyone covering news from the big outlets anymore. 

[Chris 2,162]

6 hours ago, LocalSportsGuy said:

Honestly the only way for these "news desert" to get any coverage is if someone like a Figure Lakes 1 or HomeTown News or whatever that one in PA is comes to that area. There sadly won't be anyone covering news from the big outlets anymore. 

Or some dumbass in Lowman who's been trying for more than 10 years. 😉

Those areas were two of my main focuses when Broader View Weekly folded and I decided to start a site, then known as "News From Town." I made numerous trips over there, contacted all of the folks who wrote for BVW, etc. and other than Carol Bossard and Linda Roorda, no one was interested... hell, I don't think they even responded. I did have Bennet B. on board for a while, who did an amazing job covering municipal meetings, but eventually he went to look for work that paid. Not that I blame him. 

It comes down to dollars, and I've never been able to get anyone to buy ads for the sites. I was assured by someone in the business my rates were more than fair, and even he didn't seem interested in working with me. Without those dollars, I can't pay people, which breaks my heart because I've had to tell some really talented people "Sorry, unless you want to volunteer..."

Interesting this thread should be resurrected some, the above has been on my mind as we go into Elmira Telegram's 10th year. And while it's not Dec. 23rd yet, I'm gonna air a couple grievances for Festivus a day or two early and more publicly. 

1. Lack of support from the community is a big problem I've had almost from Day 1. ( Note: You guys are the exception! ) There's some local leaders of sorts who bemoan the lack of news coverage in this area. Yet when I reach out to them for ideas, support of any kind, help getting eyeballs to the site, etc. the chirp of crickets becomes almost too loud to bear. I get a pat on the head, maybe an empty "atta boy", and then that's it. Frankly, I'm done trying to collaborate with or enlist their input. Talk is cheap, whiskey costs money.
2. Cash is king, and I'm tapped out. From the very beginning I've funded this endeavor out of pocket to the tune of at least $2,000 ( I could go back and count, but I'm fairly sure it's more, and I'm certain it'd be too depressing to see ) and that's perfectly okay, because I believed so strongly in what we were doing and figured it'd be that way for a while. I just didn't know it'd stay that way. Perhaps it's my fault and I'm a crappy salesman, but I've never been able to get anyone to buy ads for the sites. I was assured by someone in the business my rates were more than fair, and even he didn't seem interested in working with me. And the thing is, I can be out trying to sell advertising, or I can be here manning the desk, doing he day to day stuff on the back end, but I can't do both. Which sucks because without those dollars, I can't pay people and I've had to tell some really talented people "Sorry, unless you want to volunteer..." Now, I've been advised to and have looked at the "not for profit" route, and seriously considered it for a brief time. I should have done that years ago, because it's time consuming, and I'm getting to the stage where I don't believe it's worth the time. 
3. Social media is almost impossible to compete with. It's so pervasive in our society that the press releases I receive are old news before I open them. Many agencies have already posted them to their own Facebook page. I get it, you want people to know what you're doing and that's the most direct route. But it's awful for a news page trying to get eyeballs to a website. And I know someone is thinking, "Well do your own stories," which I've done and then spent money on boosting the link on Facebook to get more people to see it. But building off that point about selling ads vs working on the site, it's the same with writing stories. I can do one, or I can do the other, but I can't do both. Those times where I did, for example interviewing the principal of Finn Academy when they first opened, political candidate surveys, the Briggs Beer story, etc., it took hours of time before the story saw day light. Then once posted and boosted, a bare minimum of people actually saw the link and/or took the time to read it. 

I'm sure I could go on, but you get the picture. 

The fact is, when it comes to this site here that you're reading, it costs me nothing to keep going so barring a complete software meltdown due to becoming obsolete, it's not going anywhere. It's under a hosting package I use for business purposes and the domain is like, $15.00 a year. No big deal. As for "Elmira Telegram", I've said I'll keep it going as long as the license on the Wordpress theme is valid, which I think it August. At that time if things remain as they are, I'll close up shop there and see if maybe I can sell the domain with an established social media presence ( for all the good that does. ) 

And then when there's talk of "news deserts" around here, it won't be because someone didn't try. 

Sorry to unload on ya there, but like I said, it's been on my mind. 

 

[Chris 2,162]

( LOL ... Too much? )

[Ann 263]

On 12/21/2023 at 9:50 AM, Chris said:

( LOL ... Too much? )

No, just simple truth.

[LocalSportsGuy 43]

On 12/21/2023 at 9:50 AM, Chris said:

( LOL ... Too much? )

LOL no. I just got busy with family and that. Sorry I didn't mean to offend. 

[Chris 2,162]

3 hours ago, LocalSportsGuy said:

LOL no. I just got busy with family and that. Sorry I didn't mean to offend. 

Brother I am almost impossible to offend. I actually got a laugh out of it!