In the last year, I have received many emails and phone calls from victims,community members and reporters, usually from the Bay area.
I have readers regionally and nationally and media that contact me for information on cases.
I was the only one to cover the Randy Cook case for months, the only one who is covering the Kailan Meserve case.
Since the coverage on the Timothy Littlefield case started getting coverage again in the last two years, it finally got coverage in the local media recently.
I broke the David Anderson case on human sex trafficking, wrote about a local group for survivors. The Times Standard was contacted by a survivor which resulted in one article.
Kayla Brown, the former Miss Hoopa, was another case I broke. Lost Coast Outpost is the only other media outlet to do any follow up.
Mad River Union has done a great job of covering trials of interest in the local area.
It's not about resources, its about the the media management not having vision to know what the public desires. They should allow reporters more input on what to cover. I am happy finally to see more court coverage.
However, I don't expect the rest of the media to focus on the courts because they provide a valuable service by covering all news, some do a better job of local news. I can read AP articles and national news anywhere.
I suggested to the rest of the media outlets that someone should focus on environmental news.
When someone like me has a niche, the rest of the media is correct to focus on other news. I only wish the media management would see the value of collaborating with someone like me to keep the public informed on cases of interest. It would also help out their coverage.
I like my independence. I don't answer to anyone and it allows me to cover cases that others maybe afraid to. Let's face it, it is a small community. Media needs advertising to exist.
I have been approached to expand but I will not do it unless I have my independence. The financial incentive is not worth sacrificing my integrity.
The featured attorneys and businesses on this site are people who give me the freedom to write what I want. Please support them.
I am not intimidated and I cover what I am passionate about, particularly cases involving women and children.
Covering courts is my passion and I know enough about the law and the court system to do original reporting. I don't need to talk to the lawyers, although it is helpful when you can.
Media, locally and nationally, has lost its independence due to finances. I would encourage the public to support media outlets, not just mine, that bring you information and news that provides you, the public, crucial information to make up your own mind.
KHSU and KHUM are two of my favorite news sources.
We have excellent local reporters in this town in all media outlets. The management in this town is lucky. Competition is good but if each media outlet focused on a niche, imagine the benefit to the community. Everyone would not be competing for the same small group of advertisers.
We have art, environment, politics, finances, the cannabis industry. Lot more to cover than just the courts.
Your're right, the local media do not have the resources, or the desire to put reporters into time consuming areas, like courts. Back in the day, the Times Standard and local radio stations would have folks at the courthouse, sitting in on trials, capturing the drama.. interviewing folks. Thank goodness you're keeping tabs. We just want more coverage from more outlets. Thadeus used to do a good job with the courts, considering his limitations at the T-S.
ReplyDeleteYes, Thad did a good job and still does, except in the previous coverage I have seen in the past 10 years, summaries without names of attorneys and incomplete details on coverage. TS and even Thad counted on just the DA's office for information. TS has good reporters now, yet they continue to send recently hired Steven Moore who has errors in his coverage, not just once. He has a quote in the Littlefield sentencing which is incorrect, he is incorrect again today because one alternate has been excused. That happens when one does not take notes, is not even a basic reporter, prances in and out of court without being there and looks up cases on the computer to fill in details. He told me himself that a TS reporter who is no longer there had an issue with him making a press release his story. Most of the local reporters are good, save this exception. Despite alerting his editor, TS continues to send such a unqualified person to cover courts and crimes. He sits around at the courthouse claiming "we don't have the luxury to cover courts". With 4 reporters?
ReplyDeleteNormally, I would not vent in public about someone I have disdain for but TS clearly is ignoring a staff member who has gone up, despite a gag order and tried to talk to witnesses, family members and members of the jury. Fortunately, they understand rules of court. This kind of behavior reflects on the press and could impact the rest of us and our ability to cover courts. The public deserves to know that TS does not give a damn about accuracy.
Thank you for your appreciation.
Incorrect coverage in the Bullock article today.
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