Editor's Note: NSB Mayor Adam Barringer writes exclusively for NSBNews.net, New Smyrna Beach's daily Internet newspaper
The Internet has passed print newspapers as a source of political news for American readers, especially the most politically engaged. Therefore, I have accepted an invitation by NSBNEWS.Net to write a blog,
with a goal of informing the community on local government issues.
In most cases I'll offer a refreshing alternative to what is written by our local journal reporters.
"What Drives News Reporters" is a chapter written by Pam Lontos, in which she educates the reader on news reporting and states, "The best story written in newspapers is placed on the front page of the paper or second best, the front page of the local section."
So what makes a story compelling enough to make the front page?
According to Lontos, the No.1 aspect of a compelling story has not changed since the days the founders wrote the First Amendment: Conflict.
"Conflict can be disagreement, competing values, charges or accusations. Juicy stories contain involvement of money and corruption. Other factors listed that make an even more compelling story include timeliness, closeness to home, severity of the conflict, and size of the impact once the story plays out" (Lontos, P., 2008).
It is in my opinion that most stories written about our city in the local journal contains some type of conflict as interjected by reporters who want that front page story so they can either maintain a job, make a mark or advance a career.
This blog will offer insight as well as accurate information, in most cases offering an alternative to what is written by reporters with a personal agenda. To learn more about Mayor Adam Barringer, visit http://www.leadershipvolusia.org.