Old media, new media

[LA Dave]

I don't know how many of you have gone onto the Rapidian website (therapidian.org), but this hyperlocal citizen based journalist enterprise is very promising. It is focused on restaurants, clubs, music, arts and neighborhood happenings with a strong emphasis on younger readers.

Compare this with the Press, which seems to be written for the 60-something in Hudsonville who is, well, far from liberal. Were I living in GR, I would not even buy the paper. Of course, starting in February, the Press really stops being the Press, as it ends 122 years of daily publishing.

I think that the future of non-television media may well be with the organizations like the Rapidian. There are downsides -- using citizens to report can lead to axes being ground, leads being buried, stories being missed. On the other hand, the abject failure of the Press to respond to the vitality of the new Grand Rapids makes it less relevant.

What do UP readers do to find out what is going on in GR?

[elcelc]

The Rapidian (and GRNow and GRpulse) doesn't replace The Grand Rapids Press as much as it replaces The Paper. Is The Paper still around at coffee shops and record stores? I'm not even sure. These examples of new media are missing actual news content. Community schedules, upcoming gigs and restaurant ads are one thing, but it doesn't tell me anything else.

I don't think it's entirely an age issue either and hopefully a 20-something might want to know about a rash of burglaries in their neighborhood too.

The Patch () takes the hyperlocal approach one step further and has actual news stories. It's similar to the ones listed above but adds more substance. I hope this comes to the GR area.

You are right about the consequences of general public reporting though. It sometimes seems like "get it onto the internet" will replace "get it right". That's a libel suit in the making.

It will be interesting to see what the new Mlive becomes. Maybee lesser typos!

[GR_Urbanist]

"The Paper" disappeared long ago, thank goodness. It became some weird radical left rag that spent most of the time bashing Grand Rapids.

The Rapidian has it's moments, but it is no newspaper replacement. Some of the writers try to work in activism and bias which just cheapens the whole experience. It's more like an online version of GR Magazine.

Mlive is a pit. The Wyoming strip mall of news.

[LA Dave]

"The Paper" disappeared long ago, thank goodness. It became some weird radical left rag that spent most of the time bashing Grand Rapids.

The Rapidian has it's moments, but it is no newspaper replacement. Some of the writers try to work in activism and bias which just cheapens the whole experience. It's more like an online version of GR Magazine.

Mlive is a pit. The Wyoming strip mall of news.

"The Wyoming strip mall of news."

[dragt]

The beauty of the Rapidian is that it is exactly what we make of it. There is no barrier between you and reporting on what you care about. Writers are paired with mentors with journalistic experience and we as a community can reward good reporting with engagement if we choose. It also gives a voice to local non-profits which can feel like (or actually be) activism, but it's clearly marked as such just as a newspaper editorial would be.

I happen to work for the Rapidian but one of the reasons I took the job is because the potential of the site really gets be excited. Is all of that potential fully realized?? Definitely not, but I agree with Dave, as a resident of Urban GR I just don't see myself or my situation reflected in the GR Press.

The Rapidian is not trying to replace "the newspaper" but nor is it a for profit magazine either. It is what we (the citizens) choose to report on, if you don't like the mix of content then I hope you'll consider the possibility of becoming a reporter and fixing that There is lot's of help available if you don't consider yourself a writer.