Author: Royce Hall
Published: April 02, 1998
Last Updated: January 31, 2000
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By Royce Hall
ASNE Reporter

In just over a year, four of the nation's communities have had much more than 15 minutes of fame.
For the editors of the newspapers that serve these communities, having a national story break in their own backyards has produced mixed emotions.
Having reporters who call these streets home, and who can call on sources who have been cultivated over the years, can bring about the thrill of the hunt. But the pressure becomes intense as these smaller papers compete with the big-league media outlets.
What happens when the national media catch wind of a big story and descend on one of these small cities?
Some editors say preconceptions, stereotypes and inaccuracies are found throughout the coverage by major newspapers and television networks. Other editors say having their community in the national spotlight has been positive, bringing aid in times of need and allowing a voice, which normally would be overshadowed, to be heard by the rest of the country.
From the murder of JonBenet Ramsey in Boulder, Colo., to the torrential flooding in Grand Forks, N.D., newspaper editors said major news events like these have either put their city on the map or made them wish they weren't on the map at all.

A flood of coverage in Grand Forks

When approximately 100 inches of snow melted and eventually flooded the small community of Grand Forks, N.D., a year ago, the national media did the same.
Mike Maidenberg, publisher of the Grand Forks Herald, said that when the story broke, the coverage was relatively precise.
"The images that were coming out of Grand Forks were so overwhelming that it was pretty hard for anybody to miss it," he said. "The reporting at the time of the disaster was fairly accurate."
Mike Jacobs, editor of the 39,000 daily circulation Herald, agreed.
"I think in general, they did very well," he said. "There were some stupid mistakes and some serious mistakes, but the national media did well."
Jacobs said the mistakes and inaccuracies became more frequent as the months after the flood wore on.
He said one minor mistake occurred when a network reported that the Red River of the North, which runs north toward Canada, ran south into the U.S., implying that there would be more water damage for Grand Forks.
Jacobs said newspapers and television stations had other minor flaws in their coverage such as when they inaccurately reported the number of people who had to be evacuated from the city. And as time wore on, stories came out saying thousands of people were leaving the city permanently.
"People in the city knew that wasn't the case at all," Jacobs said. "If you lose 20 percent of your population, you're going to notice."
Jacobs recalled a story in The Wall Street Journal that he said falsely characterized the city's downtown as just a collection of pornography stores and abandoned buildings.
"Some reporters came into Grand Forks with their stories already decided," he said. "Her [the reporter's] angle was that downtowns are dead, and here's a town that's never going to recover."
Jacobs said that life is returning to normal. As for the paper, which was flooded out, it is getting ready to move into its new building.


Big Drops of the storm

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