My local paper ignored the Prop 8 rally here yesterday

[proud2BlibKansan]

I am just appalled. They had over 500 people attend, which is HUGE for this city. By comparison, our anti war rallies in the same park as the Prop 8 rally are a great success if we draw 50 people. Normally we have maybe 20. So 500 is just incredible. Local politicians were there as well, including an openly gay state senator.

The rally was covered by a local blogger, who often criticizes our newspaper. http://tonyskansascity.com/

Shame on the Kansas City Star. Some librul media, eh?

[kevinbgoode]

1. Not a good idea for the newspaper to skip that event

particularly when there were local officials there.

This is part of what sometimes upsets me about how the gay community does (or doesn't) handle the media. Too many times during these constitutional amendment "debates," we mostly saw only the Right's point of view in the newspapers - they'd flood them with letters and op-ed pieces and we'd get very few of our own (and varied) voices in response. That is one of the challenges of being the oppressed minority - to get their voices heard in a media which (in the name of alleged "balance and fairness") always allows the oppressor more space and wider license to attack us. We HAVE to start standing up and pushing our position just as hard as the Right - AND not be afraid of going after our opponent's credibility. The issue in these discussions is not just about OUR rights - it is about the right of others to impose their "religious" beliefs on us through constitutional law.

So I think you can make a phone call to the newspaper's city editor (or managing editor) and complain about their lack of coverage. As a large paper, they missed out on not only covering an event which was put together in less than a week - but they failed to report on a larger story - which is how, through online activism, YOUNG people managed to put together a coordinated nationwide protest in a few days. That is unprecedented.

If you feel comfortable with your ability to write a good op-ed piece, go ahead and tell them you want to write about the event - and the issue - AND the online activism. The more of us who get comfortable writing and complaining to the media, the more of us who will find a way to get access and counter the overly-covered view from the other side.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. I will definitely be calling

Working on an email now.

[melm00se]

2. traditional print

media is under an incredible financial strain with precipitously dropping ad revenues. Most of them have responded by trimming their reporting staff and relying on wire reports for much of what they print. The lower staffing levels force assignment editors to make decisions as to what/who they are going to dispatch reporters to cover.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. This paper just laid off 50 this week

And several hundred a few months ago.

[melm00se]

7. ours has been

laying off/buying out newsroom folks for months now and just this week outsourced their paper distribution to their carriers to Penske.

[summer borealis]

6. And they are gripped by fear of pissing off ...

even 1 of their few advertisers. Dead-tree media is dead and gone.
Oh, but there's plenty of reporters to cover the BIG football game!!!

[melm00se]

8. do you have a suggestion for them?

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. Cover local events

Seems like their readers would be more interested in local stories.

[melm00se]

10. that costs money and

from the advertising trends, they don't have enough

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Then they shouldn't call themselves a local paper

[Irishonly]

3. Terrible

I was shocked the Daily Bulletin covered the protest in Pomona. I hope they cover the one in Claremont on the 2nd.

The librul media is a myth and an outright lie.

[suede1]

12. Just like they ignored a lot of anti-war protests. To show how liberal they are.