Comments on: The Homicide Report Blog. Part 2. The Browne solution.

By: EL CHAVO!

EL CHAVO! — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:34:39 +0000

I bet if La Opinion did a muerto blog or column they’d be able to add a whole different dimension to the idea. And they shouldn’t feel bad about “borrowing” ideas, I’ve found out it’s the norm for media outlets or boring blogs to rely on other sources for ideas.

By: browne

browne — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:40:38 +0000

Random Hero,

“I just want to tell stories and be able to make a living at the same time.” you.

That’s a pretty kick ass goal and there is nothing egotistical about being proud of your work.

Browne

By: random hero

random hero — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:42:51 +0000

“I think the best way to show that you are valuable is by creating your own vehicle and driving the hell out of it and then people will come to you and then you can dictate the terms.” Browne

Right on !!!!! I totally agree with you on this topic because I kinda see in it my colleagues at school. They all want to write a story that’s going to be their ticket into some major publication because that’s the “goal.” They don’t care about their community or where they come from, they just want to make something of themselves according to the standards set by everyone else who came before us. I myself live by what you said and in a small way, so does this blog. I’m driving the shit out of my vehicle and it’s actually getting me somewhere. Without looking egotistical, I do work, work I am proud of because if I don’t do it, who will ? Personally, my goal isn’t to make it to the L.A. Times or LA Weekly or any other major publication. I just want to tell stories and be able to make a living at the same time. Once you start working for “the man” you’ll have to compromise and sacrifice in order to do what you need to do. A lesson I’ve learned first hand here at school and dealing with office politics.

By: browne

browne — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:11:49 +0000

I think the problem is at times, not taking away from the great coverage those rags do provide, but at times the people who are really into writing (the younger people, there are still some golden oldies writing some good stuff for the ethnic papers) want to write for a “mainstream” paper, so we get a few good stories from people and then off to the LA Times (or LA Weekly, LA City Beat or Daily News, though I have to say the Daily News is getting better, I used to hate that paper.) I think there needs to be another definition of success. I mean in LA isn’t Latino mainstream?

And even if you aren’t part of the mainstream. The 10% of the African-American population in LA is a valuable audience, if the LA Times doesn’t want to cover it then so freakin what, but with our papers we have to dig a little deeper and not let special interests dictate what we write about and who we write about, this is how the LA Times ended up in the position it is in, so we really shouldn’t be looking at that paper as the model of how to cover LA.

I think the best way to show that you are valuable is by creating your own vehicle and driving the hell out of it and then people will come to you and then you can dictate the terms.

By: AlDesmadre

AlDesmadre — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:13:13 +0000

Besides La Opinion and Hoy, there are the local Latino throwaways; Impacto, the Comet, The Sun, The Tribune, I think that Wyvernwood had a Chronical? Then there’s the Catholic religion paper Vida Nueva.
It seems like if you don’t read English here, you’re pretty much limited to the above choices for printed news.
There are some folks here like my Dad, who would go to specialty news stands and buy periodicals from Mexico to keep up with that type of social/political coverage. My Dad and I still occasionally share issues of Excelsior, Siempre, La Jornada, & Los Caricaturistas.

By: Browne

Browne — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:19:28 +0000

I will ditto that concern with the LA Sentinel. I am personally confused why they have turned down my many offers of assistance…lol..ok that’s a little personal, but there is so much real news that could be getting covered. The LA Sentinel seems to be doing ok, but the Wave is pretty much getting by on one writer doing it all and alot, she’s pretty awesome Betty Pleasant. The LA Sentinel seems to have writers of note Earl Hutchinson, Jasmyne Cannick contribute alot and the the LA Sentinel does ok, but I don’t know it some times reminds me of The LA Times Baldwin Hill edition with lots of churches and it seems really old timey slanted.

The people want real news, they will read it. The people aren’t delicate flowers that will wilt if someone says “boo!!” No one reads these papers but us, so I don’t know what is the deal with putting out the good china every single issue.

By: AlDesmadre

AlDesmadre — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:56:50 +0000

I’ve always found it disappointing that this city’s main Hispanic papers (La Opinion, Hoy) are filled mostly with, in my opinion, Yellow Journalism Chisme style stories, (even the global news) broken up with ads for fortune tellers, entertainment and soccer coverage with a few pieces of actual news thrown in. I understand the give-your-audience-what-they-want concept, but I’ve always felt that the Spanish speaking community here deserves so much more. Community coverage aside, the hunger for morbid & lurid news is universal and realistically, that’s a part of the appeal of a Homicide Report.
anyway, as for local community covered Homicide Reports, on a national level, I’ve always wished there could be a USA version of ALARMA! If there was an ALARMA! on a city level, I’d be thrilled beyond words.