Local sometimes gives way to national, world news
The Gazette is more than six months into its added emphasis on “local matters,” and I think most people have adjusted. We still get occasional complaints from people who don’t like national and world news in the second section, but not many. And I hear regularly from readers who appreciate the greater volume and improved play of local stories.
When I introduced the changes in October, I said the front page would most often be all local. And it has been. But I also said we would look for opportunities to feature important national and world stories out front when the news warranted and the opportunity presented itself. I think we have followed through for the most part.
In particular, several people early on noted that 2008 is an election year and that little news would be more important than the developments leading up to the nominations of presidential candidates. I said we would probably bring that news to the front page many times as events unfolded.
Today was a good example. The Democrats held important primaries in North Carolina and Indiana on Tuesday, and Barack Obama’s resounding win in North Carolina and strong showing in Indiana may have sounded the death knell for Hillary Clinton’s candidacy. This is a watershed time in the Democratic race, and we reflected that with a forward-looking piece on the front page and another story inside.
We’ll continue to put such important developments on the front page as we head toward the big showdown in November.
At the same time, I wonder if we’ve done enough on Page 1A on the cyclone in Myanmar. The story was developing Monday as we went to press, and we didn’t comprehend the scope of the devastation. We ran a story inside. We followed Tuesday with a front-page story, but we moved Myanmar back inside today because we wanted two local stories to accompany the election analysis on 1A.
Myanmar is not our story. People can get details, videos, photos and much more in hundreds of other places. Yet the death toll could pass 100,000. Should we do more, and should we make it more prominent? Or should we leave the extensive coverage to others who can do it better and save our space for the news that only we can provide?
No easy answers. No absolute right and wrong.
We are local first and foremost, but I suspect Myanmar will make the front page at least a few more times as this incredibly tragic story develops.
May 10, 2008 at 11:28 p.m.
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I will second kio's comments.
May 9, 2008 at 1:06 p.m.
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I would like the Gazette to have a section or sub section about national issues, and point out how they effect Janesville. That would be educational, and work best with today attention span. The Gazette should be a driving force of information. Otherwise keep up the good work.
May 9, 2008 at 2:23 a.m.
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I think the Gazette's focus on local news is a very sound business model. With all respect to the paper, I would never read a national, world news, or business story in the Gazette. There is simply much more in depth reporting in the WSJ, and various blog sites (The drudge report is a great site for breaking national/world news..Real Clear politics, and politico, are great for politics). I think the Gazette does best with area stories, and the vast majority of it's readers want to know what is going on in Janesville, and it's surrounding communities more then anything. In today's "information age" all national and world news is easily accessible on the net with little effort.
May 8, 2008 at 7:48 p.m.
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Report what happens in Beloit because we never find out (except we that have police scanners)
the Beloit Daily Snooze never prints anything worth while .keep up the good work Janesville Gazette.
May 8, 2008 at 4:59 p.m.
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Maybe they have good circulation in
Walworth County. Just guessing.
May 8, 2008 at 2:14 p.m.
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I would be happy with more Rock Co. news..Beloit,Edgerton,Evansville etc.I have never understood why we have so much news from Walworth Co,Elkhorn,Delavan etc.
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