Vent: The whole 'controversy' over the new library mural in Springfield was cooked up by one guy's blog

Our local paper ran a front page story about 'heated debate' on the new art, but they only quoted three people. Two were for it, and the one against it runs a blog that gets money from clicks on angry posts. I checked the city council meeting minutes from last Tuesday, and not one person spoke against it. How does a non-issue like this even become news? Has anyone else seen their local media blow up a story based on basically nothing?

3 comments

3 Comments

aaron88012d ago

The Springfield Herald laid off half their reporting staff last year. Honestly, they probably just scanned a few local blogs for easy story ideas to fill the front page. Tbh, it's cheaper than sending a reporter to actually talk to people at the community center or a school board meeting. Ngl, I've seen the same thing happen with stories about potholes on my street. They make it sound like a big fight when it's just one guy complaining online.

anthonynelson12d ago

The Herald actually has two reporters left covering the whole city beat. They do show up to meetings, but they're spread so thin they have to pick up tips from everywhere, including online. It creates this weird mix where some stories have real depth and others feel thin because they're chasing everything. The pothole story might have started online, but they probably did call the public works department for a comment, which takes time. The real issue is there just aren't enough people to follow up properly on half the things they write about now.

derek_lee12d ago

I used to agree with you until I saw how thin their staff is now.