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Media Thu Mar 11 2010
Congratulations to Progress Illinois
I count myself among the readers of Progress Illinois who goes there daily not just for the latest news but for an education, particularly around state government issues. PI's small, crack staff have shown great discipline in not only reporting the news but packaging news inside of a greater educational context, to give casual readers a background that makes the latest news more than just islands of facts but the logical outcome of processes and systems. So it was with great satisfaction that I learned that PI had been awarded the Studs Terkel Award by the Community Media Workshop. The awards ceremony was last night, and PI publisher Josh Kalven had some insightful things to say about the role of local and state political reporters:
That issue -- engagement -- is one I really want to emphasize. Every day, as I manage and write and edit at Progress Illinois, I think constantly about all those readers out there who are trying to make sense of the latest news cycle -- particularly in this crazy, opaque, often-disturbing political culture in which we reside. I'm referring to the type of folks of all ages who are uninitiated and uniformed when it comes to the local political narratives. And that lack of knowledge about the backstory leaves them alienated when faced with day-to-day reporting, which often assumes so much knowledge on the part of the reader. That alienation then breeds cynicism, which keeps them away from the rallies and away from the polling booth and away from conversations with their neighbors, keeps them from becoming engaged.
Congrats guys.
gordon / March 12, 2010 11:11 AM
hey Ramsin,
right you are. we'll post up some reflections and media from our event at our home page communitymediaworkshop.org later today.