The Lure of Local News

I love to read the news. Here's the caveat, though - I'm not well-informed, to say the least. Each morning at work, I peruse the news outlets for articles about autism; I'm very well-informed when it comes to autism. Other than that, I primarily read (skim) CNN.com, Newsday, The New York Post and sections of the New York Times.

I'm a sucker for a sensationalist headline - anything that grabs my attention or has the potential to appear in Reuters "Oddly Enough" section. Pretty much, if it's peculiar or ridiculous enough, I've read it. On the other hand, if it has to do with politics, world issues or anything notable, I probably haven't read it.

Even more interesting is that I went to school for journalism. I can plead ignorance with one saving grace - my concentration is in advertising. Guess what? I really hate commercials. Possibly even more than significant world news.

In my opinion, the best news stories can be found on CNN.com in its "US" section. On the bottom left, the site catalogs stories from around the country, culled from local publications. I also should point out that I have a soft spot in my heart for the mostly atrocious quality of local journalism. Local TV journalism is actually the best - go get an ill-fitting suit and some anchorwoman hair. You now have a license to mispronounce names of politicians, countries and diseases while attempting to appear completely legit.

Yesterday, this was my favorite article. Do you think the writer was just praying his editors would let him keep that headline? Either way, awesome.

Today's winner is not chosen for journalistic prowess, but rather for content. Take the time to appreciate the details in this story (i.e. rental car) because they're all really important. I'd personally like to give this guy some type of award. Bravo.