Public Benefit

It seems all of the local news agencies have been falling short in one of the key areas of local news… public benefit.

Headlines this week include Carjacking Murder, Tragic death of a 14 year old girl… etc.

O.K. good B+ for everyone.

I am convinced that people want something they can use, not just a story to tug at the heart.

Where can I get something?…. What is the government going to take from me next?… Can you tell me something that isn’t obvious about the crappy condition of Interstate 10 traffic? Give me something that affects me!

I think the “big guys” in television can learn a lesson from the “small guys” in radio.

KJAS and KOGT are good examples.

Both stations wouldn’t have a prayer except they capitalize on giving listeners information they can use in their daily lives.

They can afford to do this on a more localized level… and actually, they have to.

People in Orange knew that 16th street was going to get torn up weeks before it happened… because KOGT talked about it and gave a time table and the reason for the construction work.

No one else touched the story… it was too “small” for them.

Small? Really? Do you know how many people this affects every day?

I guarantee the thousands of people who drive 16th street are more concerned about the timeframe for this work to be done than they are about a carjacking.

The carjacking is someone else’s problem… 16th street is my problem… etc.