Who Says Blogs Can't Influence Big Media?
Mark Babineck of the Associated Press recently spoke to me about an article he was writing for the Associated Press.
He had run across my blog references to the "Danger Train" and found it amusing.
Apparently, I didn't give him any good quotable material, because yours truly isn't featured in the final story, but he does use the Danger Train reference, and he does kindly mention this blog at the end of his AP wire article.
Here's a snippet:
Once called the "train to nowhere," Houston's new rail line between downtown and the Astrodome is earning a few new nicknames - "Danger Train," the "Wham Bam Tram" and "A Streetcar Named Disaster."
More than 50 collisions have occurred along the 7.5-route since it opened in November, prompting residents to keep a running tally on Web sites and transportation experts to suggest raising the line above street level.
Rail promoters promised the sleek gray trains would take cars off the road, "they've just done it one car at a time," said John Gaver, who started the Wham-Bam-Tram counter, a Web site that chronicles each crash.
Babineck surely would have found it on his own, but I can say I turned him onto John Gaver's site as we were chatting on the phone.
Good for Mr. Gaver getting a little attention for what is now, with the Comical's recent editorial decision not to cover crashes, the most comprehensive coverage in the city. And a tip of the hat to Mr. Babineck, who's a darn good writer in my opinion.
And for those who like to remind us that blogging isn't journalism and like to present this idiocy as an example of blogging -- well, big media's picking up this story from bloggers tells a bit of a different tale.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 08/07/04 10:30 | Houston | Technorati
Previous Entry | Home | Next Entry
Comments
The Chronicle does itself no favors by creating a policy to ignore Metro crashes. Many Houstonians are very interested and local TV news will continue to report each crash. If anyone wants further info on the Danger Train, then resourceful people will find blogs that WILL cover every single Metro incident whether it be a suicide or an unaware pedestrian. Whether it's caused by not-working-lights, speeding Metro train drivers, or confused tourists.
Way to be irrelevant, Chronicle!
Posted by Anne @ 11:01 on 08/07/04
The Chron not only does itself no favors, it does Houstonians no favors as well. How many people will think the reason they've stopped reading about accidents is because they've stopped occurring, not because the Chron has decided simply to stop covering them? Might that result in drivers having reason to be less cautious around the menace?
Do we really need motorists to have reason to be less cautious around the menace?
Posted by callie @ 12:05 on 08/07/04
Actually, that's an excellent point Callie. They are so silly at the Comical that they don't realize by NOT reporting these accidents, they aren't going to make them disappear, and there's a very good chance that as awareness of the danger declines, the accidents may actually increase.
The Comical editors are brilliant, aren't they?
I still say someone should forward Magness's CB post to Romenesko or Connelly. I bet they'd like the substance of it.
Posted by Kevin @ 12:11 on 08/07/04
It's just amazing. Houston's leading information source...while probably lamenting its drop in readership and subscriptions...decides on its own volition to STOP being the leading information source about rail accidents. It boggles.
Posted by callie @ 12:53 on 08/07/04
Metro's planning on asking for more $$$ soon, so they need their good buddies to slow down the bad PR, aka 'reporting the news'.
Posted by Sherri @ 03:38 on 08/08/04
Boy, it sure is nice that I found this Blog on the LRT. The Chron (as its called by the natives) won't let me access the news on the LRT anymore. Anyway, whats up with Shirley DiLibero? I'm from New Jersey (A retired NJT Bus Operator) where she gave us the "RiverLine LRT" to nowhere. This system has also been plagued with problems; she started it and then left. The Fed's wouldn't fund it. Now Jerseyites are saddled with a Trillion Dollar Bill. Let me know what's with Shirley, will you? Thanks
Posted by James E. Colby @ 05:37 on 08/08/04
Add Comments
While it is not required, creating an account for commenting provides a number of benefits (such as comment editing and bypassing the captcha challenge). You may log in to your account here.
No flames or impolite behavior. Any questions, see the site policies. Older posts are moderated (because of spammers), so if your post does not appear immediately, that could be why.
HTML will be stripped. URLs will be transformed into hyperlinks.
[b]text[/b] will produce bold text. [i]text[/i] will produce italicized text.
Comments for this post must be approved before being published. Thank you!
BLOG
» Create Account
» Log In
DISCLAIMER
Content and design copyright © 1997-2008, Kevin Whited.
Posts represent the views of Kevin Whited (and occasional guest bloggers) only, and do not necessarily reflect the views of employers, family, friends, or significant others.