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What's newsworthy?
Posted Thursday, January 1, 2009, at 11:01 PM<< Previous | Read comments | Respond | Email link | Next >>
As an editor, I spend a lot of time reading comments that readers post on our Web site.
I've written pretty much everything in the 13 years I've been in this business. I've written hard news, business news, medical news. I've covered government, courts and cops and everything in between. But my favorite thing to write, and the thing I think I'm the best at and have received the most recognition for is features. Not only do I love to write feature stories, I also really enjoy reading them. My New Year's resolution is to carve more time out in my work schedule to find and develop really great feature stories. I guess I am a bit taken aback that many times, readers on our Web site take us to task for feature stories, claiming they are "not news." You're right. They're not. A newspaper has many jobs. Yes, we need to report the news, and we do that. I am over at the court house no less than half a dozen times a week picking up reports and checking things out. We listen to the scanner. We attend meetings. But it's also our job to tell the story of our community through stories about the people who live, work and play here. Is every story going to be a hard-hitting look at some major issue? No. But that's OK, because it balances things out. Feature stories are an integral part of any newspaper. The metro papers run them. Weekly papers run them. All papers run them. They are meant to be a fun escape from "real" news ... the stories that can bring readers and writers alike down. News isn't always good, and even though it's important and needs to be told, it can really weigh on a person's psyche. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I don't think every story we print has to scream with "real news" significance. I realize when I write stories some people consider "fluff" that it's not real news. Like all of you, we do what we can to bring some joy into our lives and make our jobs more fun. And we always hope that you'll come along for the ride and enjoy it with us. Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
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You did a 'feature' on Reelsville, once. Rather than mention that the restoration of Bridge 159 as a 'pedestrian walkway' in a town that hasn't a sidewalk to its name at a cost to local taxpayers of over $800,000 not only seems somewhat unrealistic but financially irresponsible as well, you instead mentioned a few historical 'facts' and linked a few pictures that were of some houses in Manhattan, thus proving to most of us that it was a feature of very little research or effort. Personally, I would like to see a local newspaper more involved in local issues, such as how a state-level bureaucrat can wield the authority to mandate that a county restore a bridge despite the protests of county officials and taxpayers, and what effect such a project will have on those in proximity to it. I suppose you would call these 'investigative features.' Such features would better serve our community by identifying certain instances of government waste and/or mismanagement. By providing an in-depth investigative review of how such events occur in a public forum, you would keep the public spotlight on them and perhaps even influence the outcome.
You state that you report the news, but I do believe there was a robbery of a business in Greencastle yesterday. I scoured the paper today to see if I could find anything on it and I did not. I would think that could be a big story that might actually help the police department out.
I think feature stories would bring up the moral of the county. I am tired of reading all about the negative problems we have in Putnam County, the State of Indiana, as well as the problems of Government and around the U.S. We need to hear about some up beat stories. We need more heroes and people to look up to because of their story.
It would be nice if you could actually report correct information!!! There are so many mistakes in your reports and articles!!! If your going to quote someone-make sure it's correct that or get a new editor!