One of the more interesting aspects of the information age is the instant access to so much information. News, reviews, opinions, photos, video reports. Anything you want on current events is merely a click or two away.
Except for the instant part. It seems that some local news organizations can’t figure out how to keep their news updated.
At this moment I’m watching a streaming headline run across the top of KHON2′s news web site. Yes, they’re a television station, so I should cut them some slack regarding the poor state of their local news efforts.
“Bill Clinton says race, gender will decide South Carolina contest…” Not exactly new news, huh?
Locally, three out of four of the top Local Sports stories are about UH football coach Greg McMackin. That’s not exactly new news, either.
The top local story on the site’s home page was about an Aiea High School graduation. The headline story was about local Obama supporters who gathered in Kakaako for Super Tuesday results.
What I notice about most local television and radio stations, and both local daily newspapers in Honolulu, is that they’re not interested in providing too much information online. The Honolulu Advertiser does a better job with updates through the day than the Star-Bulletin. Both are better with frequent updates than local broadcast outlets.
KHON2, the local home of news reader Joe Moore, is the worst offender among major broadcast media outlets. Why? The television stations want you to watch their news on TV, not read it on the web site. They make more money if you watch the news.
The newspapers work the same way, paying mostly lip service to online updates, always promoting the full newspaper as the only way to news details. Of course, the full newspaper costs money, and the ads you read bring money to the newspaper’s owners.
Local news media have been somewhat slow to adopt new technology because it is difficult to figure out how to make a dollar. They’re not alone.
Have you wondered why there’s no local news using new high definition television? High definition television means the wrinkles on local broadcasters simply won’t go away.
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