At a time when virtually all of the news coming out of the newspaper industry is very bleak — the owners of the local Philadelphia papers are the latest to file for bankruptcy — here’s an inspiring story of local journalism and why it still matters:
When Chauncey Bailey, the editor of The Oakland Post, in California, was gunned down in broad daylight on a city street 18 months ago, it was not the end of his journalism. In some ways, it was a new beginning.
After his death, a group of reporters — some retired, some out of work — with support from foundations and the University of California, Berkeley, banded together to continue his investigation into a local business called Your Black Muslim Bakery and to look at any role the bakery may have played in Mr. Bailey’s murder and at the role of the police in its investigation.
The group, named The Chauncey Bailey Project, has had a deep impact on the city’s public life, revealing a jailhouse videotape that suggested a wider conspiracy in the murder and which the police seemingly ignored, and helping force the resignation of the Oakland police chief, Wayne Tucker.
Wire services can’t/won’t do this local investigative work. Bloggers won’t do it; they don’t have the time, financial incentives or support or attention span. TV journalists could do this type of work but are “culturally” disinclined to put in the effort these folks put in. NPR might do in-depth reporting but not on a local level.
This story illustrates why local journalism matters to communities and why journalism is a civic institution that must be preserved in some form to enable governments to function more transparently and legitimately.
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Related: WSJ says it’s time for newspapers to ask readers for fees; “Information wants to be expensive.”
Screenwerk 
February 23, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Very interesting, Greg, thanks so much for sharing. Financial incentives (jobs) are a decent replacement for passionate interest to perpetuate some of this activity, but fewer people seem to appreciate it and the effort involved, except in cases such as this story.
February 23, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Consumers may not appreciate the value/role of efforts like this but nonetheless it’s critical.
February 23, 2009 at 11:13 pm
Greg: That is a great piece and the 2 pieces of information go hand in hand. The Philly folks say they will keep operations as they are subject to restructuring debt….but across the nation newspapers are decimating reporting staff in order to maintain costs in this miserable environment.
It appears that were weren’t sufficient reporters in Oakland to pursue this story. How vital to the local public. Public safety and police malfeasance. It would seem that is as critical as any piece of local information.
I read a lot of print media. I actually read local newspapers representing the different political perspectives….now that is tough ;)….and also interesting. I enjoy reading the NY Times.
It would be a catastrophe for news journalism and investigative reporting to be lost.
Thanks for the blog piece.
February 23, 2009 at 11:46 pm
Totally agree. Like that non-profit set up to support investigative journalism it’s probably going to have to be outsourced. But I’m not sure that can be done in hundreds of markets nationally.
February 25, 2009 at 12:22 am
[…] it made some improvements. However gone would be much of the local “journalism” that I celebrated […]
February 25, 2009 at 4:52 am
Well said, Greg.
February 25, 2009 at 4:59 am
Thanks