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NewsBF proving itself an important news source |
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November 20, 2017 |
By editor Mike Weland
If you wonder about the effectiveness of News
Bonners Ferry as a source of news, the North
Hill manhunt of Sunday evening might hold some
answers. Unlike traditional news media, such as
radio, television and newspaper, most of which,
incidentally, also have websites, NewsBF is
geared to take advantage of the internet to get
accurate breaking news out as a situation
develops, in real time, allowing the reader to
take action in time to make a difference.
Our first coverage of the incident went online
on our Facebook page at 3:40 p.m. Sunday,
minutes after the suspect bolted from an ISP
traffic stop on the North Hill. We posted
updates on that thread until I was able to
contact Boundary County Sheriff Dave Kramer and
get information warranting a second thread on
the incident at 7:05 p.m.
Both threads stayed updated until the suspect
was taken to jail.
Almost immediately after that first post went
up, readers began tagging friends and family
living in the affected area. Over 7,000 people
were reached by that post, and 50 shared it on
their own Facebook pages. Questions about the
incident were asked and answered.
The second post had a reach of 15,374 readers
not long after the suspect was taken into
custody at 8:18 p.m., and 151 people shared the
thread, increasing its reach exponentially.
And even as this event was unfolding, other news
was happening in our community, and being
reported.
"You are truly an asset to our community!" one
reader posted after the suspect was in custody.
"I felt much safer after reading your posts and
locking all the doors ... and very relieved to
know he had been apprehended. Thank you for all
you do!"
An Idaho State Police photo was apparently
released shortly before the incident came to a
successful conclusion, but, as is
disappointingly common, it was released to
traditional media, based more on the habit of
years than on the more effective coverage
available when a new news media comes into
being. It's not the fault of law enforcement;
they're too busy responding to emergencies to
take time to look at Facebook.
Since its inception in 2011, NewsBF has provided
fast, accurate and ongoing news coverage through
snowstorms, floods and many other events that
did more than tell what happened; we provided
solid information of use to our readers, in time
to make a difference. In so doing, we helped
save property and lives.
If we, this upstart new local news media,
continue to faithfully do our job, emergency
responders and public officials who are the best
and most important source of accurate local news
will come to see the value of what we provide
and will remember to take us into account when
they have important information to pass along.
Until then, maybe you, our readers, can share
with them your comments on how we do ... and how
much more we will be able to do when we're
included as part of their news stream!
Oh, I am planning to write a follow up on last
night's incident. I'm just waiting on my calls to
be returned. |
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