We have been tough on The Herald, and the header of our blog reflected it. We've changed.Eyeonmiami doesn't correlate with the mainstream media's determination of "balance" of content and perspectives. We dispute that their notion of balance. We also understand that the newspapers are in terrible financial shape.
No publishers in Miami will fall on their sword for stories that stir up their advertiser base.
When we started our blog, it was out of frustration (couldn't tell, could you?) that readers are not getting depth in coverage of local news by The Miami Herald to form their own views about change: change in the City of Miami, the municipalities, and especially in Miami-Dade County where an unreformable majority rules through a permanent incumbency.
Our argument is with editors and executives. The Herald is full of writers whose work we value, respect, and need.
A good example of what we mean is in coverage of the battle to protect the Urban Development Boundary. We have written about this from all angles; some, like the Growth Machine's role in destroying our quality of life, have not been reported by The Herald at all.
The Herald did report on the UDB in the final days leading up to the vote last week by the county commission. The editorial board wrote a strong column advising against a commission vote to approve three applications (one was withdrawn-- the other two, approved by a majority that could may overturn a mayoral veto unless ONE VOTE changes to denial.) The coda--an editorial opinion--was on view today in the cartoon by Jim Morin. Here is the point:
It is all well and good and the story is not over... but... it's not just about the terrible traffic and infrastructure pressures on the edge.
One angle missed by The Herald: the politics of hopelessness and cynicism as represented by African American county commissioners who represent poor, inner city districts.
The votes to approve moving the UDB depended on the support of three African American votes: Audrey Edmonson, Barbara Jordan, and Dorrin Rolle. (Dennis Moss, over a long period of time, has demonstrated his understanding of what is at stake, but not in a leadership role.)
The passage of the UDB applications and votes from inner city, county commissioners are integral to the domination of local politics by a failed model of growth: suburban sprawl. The same interests who fill The Miami Herald with advertisements.
Eyeonmiami has been hard on the terrible leadership by Miami's political elite and the unreformable county commission majority.
Along those lines, we note that the Herald story on the redevelopment of Scott Carver on Sunday failed to include mention that not a single elected official was at Gwen Cherry Park yesterday. African American county commissioners who were in office while the Miami Dade Housing Agency was looted were nowhere to be seen.
Many readers come to Eyeonmiami because we make connections that need to be highlighted. But enough: we don't mean to beat up on The Miami Herald always.
Please note the change to our blog's header. Thanks for tuning in, and keep coming back.
6 comments:
Glad you mentioned it Header looks like it always does. :)
Eye on Miami, you are indispensable. Don't ever stop.
Even the New Times, chain is a big disappointment. Just like in San Francisco and everywhere else it is located, it is cynical without being analytical or questioning its big real estate supporters.
BTW, who at the Herald pitched a fit?
Nobody, they just have been doing a better job lately. Even Michael Lewis at Miami Today has been doing a better job. Maybe everyone is mad as hell and not going to take it anymore!
Maybe Rundle's office needs a kick in the pants.
Come on: if the Herald is doing a better job, I'll eat my newspaper--the Sun Sentinel.
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