forum on the media and Youngstown's image this tuesday

so in prep for the event, was asked to give some thoughts on the matter.

assignment youngstown: tuesday, february 10th 7:30pm in YSU's Kilcawley Center.

a panel discussion on the 2008 election reporting on the working class and Youngstown.

featuring the following guests:
- Jonathan Kaufman, The Wall Street Journal
- Connie Schultz, The Plain Dealer
- Marilyn Geewax, National Public Radio

co-sponsored by the Center for Working Class Studies, the YSU journalism department, and the Youngstown Vindicator.

free parking at the deck at Lincoln and 5th avenue. free to attend.

- - -

Here is one response. The audience is every person who reads this post across the world.

Youngstown is your canvas, a laboratory of ideas.

One of the various themes emerging from stories by the national media in recent years is that Youngstown is a place willing to respect, and even accept innovative concepts. Perhaps the best example is the city's mention in the annual Year in Ideas edition of the New York Times Magazine, as Youngstown's urban planning “experiment has not gone unnoticed.”

While good press alone does not impact the quality of life for those in the Mahoning Valley, it definitely sparks the interest of others to examine life here. Almost weekly, I receive emails from people unknown to me who wish to become more engaged in this community, or hope to learn more about the people living here. In fact, in the next two years an interesting series of books, graduate school theses, and media projects will be released – all examining Youngstown.

Youngstown needs to be a place where authors, laborers, students, visitors, and janitors all feel welcome. A big tent, with plenty of space for those who just want to exist, and those who want to excel. So this place can become your place, and your canvas to create whatever you want.

A critical reality of Youngstown, unlike other portrayals in the national media, is that this region is not a monolith. Our hispters often fix their own automobiles, our steelworkers often participate in the arts, our drag queens are often the smartest people in the room, and our friends are way more extraordinary than what is seen at first glance.

And unless the media captures this diversity, they are missing the story.

accent on youngstown's cup of love

our friends at Accent Media have posted on their blog and their website this 10 minute video of their first "Accent on Youngstown" production. Check it out:



From Scott at Accent Media:

"This is a chance to use our new studio and shooting space, to meet people we really want to meet and respect and are curious about, and give a little sumthin, sumthin, back to the community who has welcomed us to Downtown Youngstown.

If you have a segment idea, or would like to be featured yourself, drop me a note at:
sfullerton (at) accentmediaonline (dot) com"

I especially like the animations in the intro and throughout, and thought the music selection was great. The guests make me excited too about the people striving to make Youngstown a better place - and we should support their efforts.

All sorts of interesting tidbits pop up in the three interviews during the broadcast, one of them being the new dining room at Charles Staples' restaurant will have a New Orleans theme and will be adding some additional southern favorites to the menu.

My tastebuds are already blown away by the "cup of love" Charlie puts in his bbq sauce.

What's gonna happen when Charlie puts some of that love into the gumbo?

extending the conversation

Youngstown's printed-daily newspaper of record, The Vindicator has been recently pumping up their activities with more blogging pieces from their managment and reporters, as well as hiring some new faces at the newspaper's Valley24 entertainment site.

A new entry to Youngstown's blogsosphere is Todd Franko, the editor of the vindy, whose site "Your Newspaper" can be found here.

Franko dedicates one of his first posts to comments left on the Youngstown Moxie blog analyzing a vindy story about a gentleman from Poland (a Youngstown suburb) who was looking for female companionship.

Franko writes:

"Despite the less than glowing words from just about everyone, I think that being part of any dialogue is better than not being part of any discussion.

Your posts are heartfelt and sincere. Like many members of the blogging community, there are some good criticisms. But there are also some points where you might think differently if I explain just a bit. Or maybe you could care less after I explain and you'll see it through the glasses you choose to wear in this matter."

This is followed by the Youngstown Renaissance blog who reflects on a recent meeting with the editor here:

"I liked Franko, and I want to give him the benefit of the doubt that he's running a quality operation. Now, I know it's a big shop, and he won't change every little thing I might not like: "fugitive of the week", "scripture of the day", Cal Thomas, etc.

But I'd like to put out a challenge for us to make a case for important stories and themes and see if we can get traction. Instead of complaining amongst ourselves, let's make it count and bend Franko's ear. See something you don't like? Push back with facts. Don't see something that should be covered? Push it forward. Just don't keep silent. This may yet be another golden opportunity to say what you want Youngstown to be and see it happen. What have you got to lose?"

- - -

another golden opportunity to say what you want Youngstown to be and see it happen.

What have you got to lose?