In 2012, I started up a blog called The DMV Report, which focused on news from the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia areas. This blog was an assignment for my online journalism class at the University of Maryland. I analyzed how websites reported on news from the DMV, used social media, and designed their sites.
The DMV Report will serve as a sort of aggregation and analysis of websites that cover news from D.C., Maryland and Virginia. This includes crime, local features, weather, breaking news and more. The analysis will include the type of news covered, how social media and multimedia is used, website design and more.
Online presence for more regionally-focused news has grown drastically over the last 10 or so years. Most local newspapers, television and radio stations and magazines have online versions of their printed or otherwise publicized products. This online counterpart often has a place to stream stories and audio and view videos that have often been played on air or television. The websites also feature articles only for the Web.
There are often social interactions on these websites, such as forums, social media, discussion boards and more to get viewers and readers more involved. In terms of social media, most large media organizations have Twitter handles, Facebook pages and sometimes YouTube channels and more — some don’t have all of these and some have none. Some hyperlocal news organizations use more social media than larger media organizations.
In terms of big changes, hyperlocal news started around 2005, a time when local news organizations were still creating websites or working on gaining an audience for them.
Some sites I’ll be focusing on are:
- WTOP
WTOP, at 103.5 FM, is a Washington radio station that covers local news, traffic, weather, sports and entertainment. Hubbard Broadcasting owns WTOP. WTOP originally started September 25, 1926 in Brooklyn, New York as station WTRC.
- The Examiner
The Washington Examiner covers politics, entertainment, sports and local news. The newspaper is owned by Philip Anschutz, a billionaire. He purchased Journal Newspapers Inc., the newspaper’s parent company, in October 2004. The paper changed its name to The Washington Examiner on February 1, 2005.
- The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an aggregate news website that includes blogs covering many topics, from entertainment, to politics, to feminism. It was launched in 2005 and founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, Andrew Breitbart and Jonah Peretti. In 2011, AOL acquired the Huffington Post for $315 million.
The Huffington Post is particularly interesting because it is challenging what traditional news is, what should be covered and in what format and what blogs are and can be.
- Patch.com
Patch.com is a hyperlocal news outlet for community-specific news. There are Patch websites for many areas, including College Park, Maryland. Patch encourages people in the community to engage with the website, offer story ideas and content.
Patch websites are run by local editors who live in the regions they cover. Patch.com is owned by AOL. There is an executive team in New York. Jon Brod is the CEO and co-founder of Patch.
- ABC 7
ABC 7, or WJLA-TV, is a television station in Washington, D.C. that covers local news, weather, traffic, crime, national news, world news, sports, politics and entertainment.
Channel 7 is the ABC affiliated television station in Washington, D.C. Channel 7 is the principal station of Allbritton Communications Company, which also operates NewsChannel 8. It is the third television station in D.C. and began broadcasting on October 3, 1947.
- 9 News Now
9 News Now or wusa9.com is a Washington, D.C. television station that covers local news, weather, features and sports.
WUSA 9 is now owned by Gannett, Inc. The television station began its first broadcast under the CBS network on January 16, 1949.
I will be writing about other sites as well. Local news is always happening, being covered and new online techniques are being used, so check back for posts about how these news organizations cover news from the DMV.
Information from local news websites and Keithhopper.com, who works on digital product strategy and development for NPR.