18 replies to this topic

[JBB]

Evan Smith, founder of the Texas Tribune, is advising a local group on providing an alternative news source to the Star Telegram (I think the idea is that the Tribune would start up a local bureau). The Business Press ran a piece on the effort that made multiple mentions of the S-T's abandonment of much of its local coverage (I think their quality has suffered from a lack of local editorial control, especially in their online presence).

http://www.fortworth...310f3dca57.html

A Star Telegram reporter didn't take too kindly to the accusations and posted a rebuttal to Twitter, even going so far as to pat the paper on the back for their recent Panther Island coverage.

https://twitter.com/...791705740410882

[johnfwd]

Out of curiosity I googled "Fort Worth newspapers" and ran across this website.

 

http://www.abyznewsl...m/unitetxfw.htm

 

I agree with your post (#1) observation that this is a reaction to the Star-Telegram's seeming diminution of local coverage.  Certainly, Fort Worth is not lacking in geographically located written news media, as the above website shows.  The concern is that the locally based written journals on or off line, as well as the two television stations and the various radio stations located in FW (including the radio station  at Sundance Square Plaza) are not focusing primarily on Fort Worth.  Our past discussions in this Forum have suggested the news media have a Dallas bias or a broad brush coverage a la "North Texas."  From a retail advertising perspective, I have long been critical of the fact that ads by Dallas area retailers and wholesalers seem to dominate the airwaves.

 

In my view, public perception both locally and around the country is largely shaped by the news media.  Which is why most everyone non-local has the view that "what's good for Dallas is good for Fort Worth."

[Austin55]

The ST had really been slashed down in recent years and it's reputation tanked with it, but there's several new journalists who have been doing some really impressive stuff.

[renamerusk]

Evan Smith, founder of the Texas Tribune, is advising a local group on providing an alternative news source to the Star Telegram (I think the idea is that the Tribune would start up a local bureau). The Business Press ran a piece on the effort that made multiple mentions of the S-T's abandonment of much of its local coverage...

 

 This is an issue that was posted earlier this week in "Image of Fort Worth" (Post #669) followed with some comments. It will be easier to follow and make additional comments in this thread.

 

I will delete my original post in the following days.

[JBB]

I forgot about that probably because that thread goes into a pretty wide array of topics. I figured this was worthy of a discussion separate from a lot of the other local news threads.

The ST had really been slashed down in recent years and it's reputation tanked with it, but there's several new journalists who have been doing some really impressive stuff.

No doubt and I didn't credit that when I posted the link to the Twitter thread. My beef with the Star Telegram is their awful online presence and presentation. The mix of local vs. non-local stories on their home page is often poor and inconsistent with click bait headlines showing up on a regular basis. Old stories and article links are left on the home page for days or weeks even when they're outdated. At times, they'll post an outdated story and an updated story on the same topic side by side. The best recent example involved the child on life support at Cooks. The top headline and article on the homepage was an article about the ongoing court battle and it stayed there for a few days after the child had passed away. An updated article on the child's death was posted right next to it in a sidebar. On the surface, it feels like their website content is edited and managed haphazardly on the corporate level by someone across the country with no local connection. That is what can lead some to the conclusion that they've abandoned local coverage.

[johnfwd]

I think much of what you're describing is true of most on-line local news media websites.  And regrettably, the non-local mix with whatever is left local, appears to be an innate characteristic of content on the Internet.  Discussion along these lines was featured at a recent journalism event hosted by the Fort Worth Business Press.  One of that event's topics was a look at the new online Star-Telegram and its non-local bent--much of it paralleling the concerns you have stated in your post (#5).

[Dylan]

The president of the Fort Worth Business Press is launching a new nonprofit news outlet: The Fort Worth Press.

 

http://www.fortworth...80e472dada.html

[johnfwd]

I hope this local news outlet can be supported by foundations and other charitable institutions. Individual contributors, too?  It will also have advertising which is not unusual for a non-profit news organ.  Aside from the newspapers mentioned in the FWBP article, public broadcast journalism has long been a creature of public funding and has advertising.  I hope the local emphasis that appears waning at the Star-Telegram will be taken up anew by the Fort Worth Business Press.  Good luck to the new Fort Worth Business Press!

[John T Roberts]

It's not the new Fort Worth Business Press, it is taking our old defunct second paper's name, the Fort Worth Press.  It is supposed to be separate from the Business Press.

 

I wish them luck and I think this is something the city needs.  Since the Star-Telegram has waned, people have been depending on the local TV stations, all owned by out of town interests and social media and the web.  I like to think that people come to the Fort Worth Forum for development news, but there are other sources. 

[johnfwd]

Sorry, it was an unintentional miss-typing I didn't catch until after I posted it.  I'm so used to typing "Fort Worth Business Press" I didn't even think I was miss-naming the new news outlet.  I hope we'll have the opportunity to attach many future links here to "Fort Worth Press."

[hankjr]

As  a young lad I delivered the Fort Worth Press. We had good circulation in the '40's. 

[Doohickie]

From Bud Kennedy's FB page on Sunday: 

We wlll wake up Monday with three new news websites. The newest. TarrantChronicle, appears to be more partisan and activism-focused than the new Fort Worth Press news site (from the Business Press) or News Tribune Digital.

 

[johnfwd]

I clicked on both of these links and discovered both news organs using Facebook as their platform.  This is an interesting trend.  I guess it serves two purposes for the "social media journalism" (my label):  1) a cost-efficient means of news distribution; and 2) emergence with social media.

 

Establishing a group on FB is free, is it not?  And it's social media for community-based organizations.  For example, as a Tarrant County lawyer I'm a member of an FB group called (guess?) "Tarrant County Lawyers."  This allows for the local legal community (judges can't be members) to solicit and acquire employees like paralegals, to consult with each other on legal questions and concerns, and to share ideas. 

 

A Facebook local news community?  Anyone can be a member?  Facebook is a ready-made forum for readers and contributors.  I just hope that social media journalism maintains high standards of ethics and objectivity.

[elpingüino]

While Bud Kennedy's Facebook post linked to the new organizations' Facebook pages, their main platforms are their own websites.
Http://newstribunedigital.com
Http://www.tarrantchronicle.com

[johnfwd]

Didn't know.  Thanks.  This puts a different slant on my previous viewpoint.

[johnfwd]

This Associated Press article published in FWBP points out that the diminution of the investigative power of local journalism is a harbinger for lack of oversight of local government, at least by the practice of conducting news investigations.  As an erstwhile journalist of local newspapers in the Oklahoma City area I was part of a generation who pursued "exposes" that exacted civil and criminal penalties against mayors, city council members, county commissioners, and other local office holders for their suspected wrongdoing.  The immersion of local journalism in the World Wide Web is a major factor in its diminution as a force to hold local office holders accountable.

 

http://www.fortworth...e36a4420e6.html

[johnfwd]

Richard Connor, former publisher of the Star-Telegram, pens this column piece in FWBP about the fledgling Fort Worth Press and paints a pessimistic picture of the future of the Star-Telegram.

 

 

http://www.fortworth...0c24143707.html

[johnfwd]

Maybe some of us--at least I included--have been overly-critical of the Star-Telegram for not being as "local" as we'd like it to be.  Or maybe S-T has responded to criticism by improving its act.  Judging by today's front-page of its website version  https://www.star-telegram.com/ it appears the paper has done more than just return the name "Fort Worth" to its logo.  Of 45 total stories I counted 22 about something going on in Fort Worth (admittedly many are repeated links on the same page).  But it appears the paper is trying!

[JBB]

I've been pretty critical, but I agree there seems to be some effort to improve.  Luke Ranker, who appears to be covering local government matters, is an outstanding Twitter follow.  He's live-tweeted through some recent council meetings and it has been very informative.