Local news can still be about spectacle
If I owned a local paper, every citizen in my town would appear in some photo annually. Clips from my paper would festoon every refrigerator door. (Fry, "What Makes Local News Really Local?")
Of course. While working for Channel 4, I couldn't even begin to count the number of times people at small events like local festivals and neighborhood meetings asked me what time the story would be airing. If people know that they played some role in the news story, they will be sure to watch/read it, even if they aren't named in the article or accompanying photographs (or video).
While this does get people interested in the news, however, I think that most times it's for the wrong reasons--they're interested simply because they want to point themselves out and say, "Look, I'm on TV!", not because they're deeply invested in the story. It's the same notion of celebrity or notoriety, but on a smaller scale. Sure, it'll increase your audience, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're accomplishing the goals of good journalism. Don't get me wrong, I'm not belittling the value of these small stories--rather, I'm trying to be realistic about the reasons why they captivate the public.
Comments
I agree totally about the value of putting the local jokers on television. I had a hard time swallowing the idea of putting people on television and in news papers for the sake of making a local connection.
Posted by: Leslie Rodriguez | February 11, 2008 10:48 PM
I understand the small thrill of seeing yourself in the paper. My Hermione costume at the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix premier got me, my sister, and our friend an entire article and a picture on the front of section B.
Of course, we were all Harry Potter experts and gave the reporter legitmate critique of the movie that she used in her article. 'twas no fluff piece.
Posted by: Daniella Choynowski | February 3, 2008 8:22 PM