On Aug 31, 2006, at 6:07 PM, theshortsalepro wrote:
<x-tad-bigger>I think Dan and his staff ought to be congratulated for</x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> creating a successful, local newspaper. I wish it had a </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> sports page. A weekly newspaper is essential to any </x-tad-bigger>
<x-tad-bigger> community and TCN is great PR for AP. </x-tad-bigger><x-tad-bigger> </x-tad-bigger>
I think you've nailed in on the head, but it's the opposite of what you believe. In my opinion, Tri-City is NOT a weekly newspaper at all but a PR paper. If you want to see what a real local paper could be like I suggest you take a look at the Trenton Downtowner. Both papers started around the same time in cities that were in redevelopment phases; however, the Downtown is willing to admit things that have gone wrong while Tri-City still makes it look like Asbury Park is nirvana.
What's worse is that it has created its own genre that I call "talk radio journalism". It's the idea that anything good to happen to the city is strictly due to the fact that Tri-City exists. That's flat out ridiculous in my opinion.
The paper is successful advertising wise, but I seriously doubt it would ever win any journalistic awards. As a competing publisher (in a different genre), I know people are going to think this opinion is based on competition but it's not. Tri-City does not cover the Asbury Park I see each day. It focuses on things that a PR rag would. It's a shame because Asbury Park could really use an independent paper not afraid to tell it like it is.
-Gary Wien
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