Local Area Network
One of the media niches that holds great opportunity for blogs is local news coverage. In a metro area, the larger newspapers, television, and radio stations either can't (or won't) provide the in-depth coverage and follow up on these types of stories. The smaller community papers are limited by their publishing schedule (many only come out once a week), their desire not to ruffle feathers, resources, and, quite frankly, talent. The quality of the writing in the community weekly that I receive is a joke.
Two blogs that demonstrate the benefits of this laser-like focus on local issues have recently come to my attention:
On the BorderLine, which has been keeping tabs on the school board in Hudson, Wisconsin and their unwillingness to allow those who oppose their views (which can be succinctly summarized as "Mo Money') a chance to speak.
And...
Rambix and the Red Star, which has been all over the recent increase in crime in Minneapolis, particularly the Uptown area. While many of these crimes have been covered in the media, the stories are often lacking in detail and are not viewed as part of a larger trend. As Rambix notes, the Star Tribune a.k.a. the Red Star is a prime culprit:
Rambix noted these trends by paying attention to the back pages of the Red Star and linking together important stories that the Red Star appeared to be suppressing, burying, and relegating to the unseen parts of the paper. In other words, if you weren't looking for these stories, you weren't likely find them.
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