Fox 5 News is really tap dancing on my last nerve. It was bad enough when they posted an article about 7 people shot in Southeast - when it happened in Northeast but they have totally overlooked that CHOTR was in fact the first one to report publicly that Councilmember Barry was filming a reality show. Don't get me wrong - DCist did call and confirm the story but if this blog hadn't posted the story in the first place no one would have known about it and Fox 5 lifted directly from my post. Why does this tick me off? Because for me I think that the blogs - especailly the River East blogs - stepped in to fill a huge gap left by mainstream media when it came to River East news. Local media outlets like Fox 5 who very rarely cover Ward 8 news unless it involves crime or Marion Barry shenanigans. It's almost as if they don't think there are other interesting things happening in Ward 8 - like the fact that we have stepped up and begun reporting our own news. I can think of 30 other very interesting stories surrounding Ward 8 that would make great stories - but they wouldn't fit the mold of what local news has gotten used to reporting about Ward 8 and I guess that wouldn't make them 'news-worthy' stories. Don't believe it? We have been talking about the shenanigans surrounding Advisory Neighborhood Commission 8C for almost two years and asking for an investigation into where these tens of thousands of dollars for 'office rent' have been going and not once has any media outlet looked into the story - despite numerous requests to do so.
Anyhoo...just my 2 cents.
5 Comments:
Fox 5 HAS TO DO BETTER! They really do not seem to see the real story of Ward 8 as news worthy. They may not care about Ward 8 today but in about two more years they're gonna know who the hell we are!
The lopsided coverage is so sad. I really like this blog because it covers the news in this area. It is a much needed resource. I will be writing to Fox 5 to complain about this.
Thanks Tortilla! We really must demand more!
Deb way to go breaking the news once again.
in that I am a few years older than you, as my son is, i appreciate your sense of urgency and frustration with the powers to be, but I still appreciate your passion for your community even more.
you and the other REEL folks are truly making a difference and the odds are very good the FOX folks will be wanting your cellphone number in the future to discuss story ideas.
and you all are right, in another 2-3 years RiverEast will be the big story in DC.
J
@J - Thank you for reading Congress Heights on the Rise. I am definetly passionate and the best thing about writing the blog is hearing from other passionate community members such as yourself. There really is a powerful movement in Ward 8 and River East right now with people getting involved, asking questions and demanding more. We should all be proud and keep pushing ahead.
In terms of the news they are going to have to get it together one way or the other because we won't accept anything less. Considering how behind the times and frankly out of touch much of the local media is in regards to River East news they should probably hire someone specifically from River East to bring them up to speed. It amazes me that in 2009 you have news stations referring to all of Ward 8 as "Anacostia". I don't know if it is laziness or ignorance but it's just plain wrong and they need to begin to report accuratly, properly and in a more balanced way.
-The Advoc8te
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