Today’s news: Unwired

May 27, 2007
By Billy Dennis

All links via the Journal Star:

  • The Journal Star has three, count ‘em, three articles on municipal wireless (here, here and here). The gist of all of ‘em is that it’s a bad idea. There wasn’t a lot of effort made to describe the economic and educational benefits, but a lot of paragraphs devoted to predictions of problems. If only the JS were as skeptical about ripping out working rail lines for developer-friendly walking/biking trails.
  • Steve Tarter’s take on the issue of hikes in royalty payments that just might kill off music programs on public radio and the Web. There’s legislation that would lower this increases and take into account that not every radio station in America is owned by a conglomerate. Kudos to Tarter for interviewing a spokesman from WGLT, the public radio station that plays the blues and jazz at 103.5 FM.
  • Reporter Ryan Ori has a very interesting personality profile of Alexis Khazzam, the millionaire businessman/developer who seems to have his fingers into everything going on in Peoria these days.
  • Remember that “armed standoff” in the 400 block of East Thrush that ended peacefully when the man walked out of the house? The JS is reporting today, Sunday, that he was arrested. The date of the arrest isn’t mentioned. He was taken into custody when he walked out at 5:20 p.m. and was being interviewed “late Friday,” which I take to mean “after deadline,” whenever that is. So basically, the Sunday Journal Star that was hand-delivered door-to-door today contains police news that’s MORE than 24 hours old. One of the many joys of dead tree journalism.

This website uses IntenseDebate comments, but they are not currently loaded because either your browser doesn't support JavaScript, or they didn't load fast enough.

3 Responses to “ Today’s news: Unwired ”

  1. C. J. Summers on May 27, 2007 at 7:17 pm

    So basically, the Sunday Journal Star that was hand-delivered door-to-door today contains police news that’s MORE than 24 hours old.

    Boy, I wish I had known about that arrest 24 hours earlier. If only I had known earlier I could have…. it would have meant…. it would have impacted me because….

    …

    Huh. I guess it really didn’t make any difference at all. It wasn’t exactly urgent information.

    I don’t believe any newspaper apologists have claimed that newspapers are the fastest way to distribute news since the radio was invented. I believe the argument in the 21st century is that (a) newspapers can and do cover issues in more depth and (b) provide a permanent record.

  2. Billy Dennis on May 27, 2007 at 7:44 pm

    True, no one is arguing that newspapers are fast. That would be foolish indeed.

    But describe to me, please, in detail what is about words appearing on paper that makes newspapers the only news media in whch news is covered in depth? Some of the most superficial reporting I’ve ever read has been in newspapers.

  3. Billy Dennis on May 27, 2007 at 7:45 pm

    Besides, the news is now 24/7. 12 hour old breaking police news just doesn’t cut it.