Why We Need Sites Like MetroJacksonville

[stjr]

I just visited three local news sites: T-U/Jax.com, First Coast News, and News4Jax.  Both Jax.com and News4Jax had 6 of 7 lead stories from the police blotter.  First Coast had 6 out of 10 from the police blotter. 

This lowest common denominator stuff is going to be the death of these local news outlets.  They all report the same non-distinguishing and mind-numbing stories of crimes, blood, and guts.

There is rarely anything mentally stimulating, challenging, or relevant to improving our quality of life in the local mainstream press.  Mostly token, if any, coverage of politics, government, education, culture, infrastructure, business, finance, environment, etc. that effects directly the largest numbers of people in our community and might contribute positively to making said community a better place and/or improve the lives of its residents.  And we wonder why we have a disinterested, disenfranchised, and poorly informed electorate, especially with respect to local and state issues and concerns.

I now get virtually all my national and world news from the internet and rarely visit the "local news" sources anymore unless Google News highlights a local story falling within the genre that I find mostly ignored (try doing a search in Google News using "Jacksonville" and it should do this pretty well).  A lot of times that "local" story is in another city's media outlet or a trade publication.

[Note: I remain a hard copy subscriber to the T-U in appreciation of the little more than the others they still do in this area and in hopes of keeping them alive long enough to come to their senses about what they could and should be.  I have no such feelings for our commercial T-V news.  WJCT(PBS)/Stereo 90(NPR) actually does the most commendable job with their public affairs programs, City council and school board broadcasts, community forums, and legislative reports from Tallahassee when the legislature is in session.  I am often amazed at how much significant news they reveal that is totally ignored by the rest of the local media.  Favorable mention also goes to the "alternative" media: Folio, Jax Business Journal, and the Financial Daily News who run circles around the mainstreamers with a fraction of their resources.]

Our state, city, and schools face some of the toughest finances since the depression and next to nothing makes the headlines about the real world consequences.  And where are the investigative and analytical stories that tie tax reductions or increases to how and what choices may, or need to be, made?  Or what trade offs of services may be used to balance the budget without tax adjustments?

Trying to be an engaged and informed citizen in this community is often like trying to drive with a blindfold on.

[Keith-N-Jax]

STJR you so right. I rarely watch the news and after the weather report I usually change the station. Nothing pleases the news more than to lead off with a police shooting or a murder. I really like this site because it keeps me informed on all of the going ons in the city of Jax. There are parks and history I am now aware of because of this site. Thanks MetroJacksonville. 

[BridgeTroll]

I really like this site because it keeps me informed on all of the going ons in the city of Jax. There are parks and history I am now aware of because of this site.

I agree 110%.  I am still finding hidden gems here...  This is an amazing resource for for anybody interested in Jacksonville.

[JeffreyS]

The debate because there isn't any talking over one another has really allowed me to see other peoples point of view. News, no big commercial outfit for me comes close.

[gatorback]

I agree 120%. I especially enjoy the discussion on atlantic hurricanes.