Okay, Maybe I Do Have Something
How about this news regarding Philip Anschutz's little San Francisco newspaper:
Today's Ex has fewer typos, cleaner copy, even a snappy, almost elegant, new design. Other than the fact that the paper's Web site is frequently not updated until the afternoon, there's little evidence that this is, by regular newspaper standards, a very bare-bones operation. Most people are shocked to learn that the paper has been getting by with only six reporters.
Adriel Hampton, who's been at the Ex since its early Fang days – and who just announced he's leaving to take a City Hall job – has consistently provided serious and timely political coverage. He has gotten stories the Chron missed and has also been attuned to trends the larger paper failed to notice, like former supervisor Matt Gonzalez's rising popularity before he announced his mayoral run. Other Ex writers have bolstered the paper's reputation with on-the-ground local coverage that captures community sentiment in a way the Chronicle rarely does. Ex reporter Bonnie Eslinger has kept pace with the Chron's schools coverage and at times has beaten the giant daily – for example, with the January story that school district bond money was unaccounted for.
During the week of Feb. 14 alone, the Examiner scooped the Chronicle on at least three significant local stories: the possibility of a downtown congestion toll in San Francisco, discussion of a transbay cable that would bring more electricity to the city, and proposed legislation to limit evictions. The Chron reported on the possible toll the following day but failed to mention either of the other issues.
But the Chronicle – which severely curtailed coverage of city news once Hearst Corp. took it over in 2000 – suddenly seems to be taking notice. On March 4 the paper launched a remade Friday section that focuses exclusively on city and neighborhood news. Although the first two weeks were pretty dull, it's a direct acknowledgment that even the Chron realizes it has some real daily competition.
SIX reporters are scooping the bigger Hearst newspaper? Outstanding.
And they're doing it with LOCAL news, not with insipid editorializing aimed at the Pacifica crowd or some hack like Rick Casey writing local "news" stories that only further the editor's political agenda. People CARE about local news. They can get the other garbage anywhere.
Gee, I wonder if anyone at our local Hearst newspaper is paying any attention.
They better be. Because Anschutz has enough money to knock some heads in about any market he decides to enter, and this market is fairly CRYING for a conservative-leaning daily.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 03/21/05 22:53 | Media Matters | Technorati
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Comments
Just a *competent* daily, regardless of ideology, would do wonders.
Posted by R. Alex @ 23:18 on 03/21/05
No doubt!
But a right-of-center daily that featured hyperlocal coverage and smart local editorials along with the best syndicated conservative columns would be a slam dunk in this market.
Posted by Kevin @ 07:43 on 03/22/05
On a sorta related note, there was recently an incident at the reservation just north of Pocatello where they've taken to "exiling" criminals. It's an interesting story, but the local paper ran inexplicably an article from Boise's paper that interviewed Pocatello residents.
It reminded me of your frequent criticisms of the Chronicle.
Posted by R. Alex @ 14:48 on 03/22/05
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