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If you're saying "the media isn't showing this!" here are a couple things you should know:
1-Your local news outlet is "the media" and is likely there. (I see many posts decrying the media ignoring peaceful protests that are using photos/videos from these journalists.)
1-Your local news outlet is "the media" and is likely there. (I see many posts decrying the media ignoring peaceful protests that are using photos/videos from these journalists.)
2-The nature of events can change quickly. We update our stories. If a peaceful protest turns violent, it's our job to document that, too. And it's our duty to update the story with all of the information.
3-That updating of information happens in a LOT of stories, whether it's related to protests, city hall coverage or even entertainment. On my team, when the Coachella lineup drops, that story is updated multiple times in a day as we get more information and talk to more sources.
4-There far fewer journalists out there than there used to be. We rely on people to share with us what they're seeing. If you say the media isn't covering X, let us know. Most local news sites have a "contact us" page. Here's what the PE's looks like: https://www.pe.com/contact-us/
5-You can also reach us on social media. A tip for searching on social media is to look for the name of the local news outlet. Many of us have it in our bios or we're tweeting about the news in your area on here. And our sites/papers all have FB pages.
6-Local journalists don't disappear after the smoke clears. We live here, too. We are very much invested in the communities we cover. We want to tell your stories today, tomorrow, two weeks from now, two years from now. (Proud Riverside resident here. I love this city.)
7-We want to get it right. Yes, sometimes we get it wrong, we're only human. But trust me, it's far more important for us to get the correct information out there. Reach out to the reporter if you see something incorrect (all of our stories have email addresses with the byline).
8-And for us to be able to keep telling the stories in the community, we need your support. I know it's hard for folks right now, but if you value what we do and you're able, consider subscribing. https://checkout.pe.com/SubscriptionmultiproductPW
9-If you want to know more about how we do our jobs and what that entails, like how decide what to cover or writing headlines or curating things on the website, feel free to ask here or email me at vfranko at scng dot com. I love this job and helping folks get why it's important.
10-Here's a George Michael gif, because I am a fan and his voice always makes me smile and right now we all need some light. Thanks for reading!
