Category Archives: Citizen Journalism

Vermonters appreciate updates from their elected representatives

Posted on Monday, August 15, 2016 by No comments yet

“I want to express my appreciation to Rep. Robin Chestnut-Tangerman for posting legislative updates on Front Porch Forum, and for his obvious commitment to his work on our behalf. It also seems clear that you (Robin) really enjoy what you are doing and your passion shows. I feel well represented by you, and thank you for keeping us all informed.”
• Paul & Margaret, Tinmouth FPF

Click local! When will “local first” arrive on digital shores?

Posted on Monday, April 11, 2016 by No comments yet

I couldn’t agree more with former Vermonter, Dan Gillmor’s recent piece…

Journalists: Stop complaining about Facebook, and do something about it

Dan focuses on Facebook’s growing dominance as a news distributor…

How should we respond? From my perspective, two primary schools of thought have emerged. One is to embrace that dominance, albeit with some unease, and fully participate in Facebook’s ecosystem. Another is to persuade Facebook to take seriously its growing responsibility to help get quality journalism in front of as many people as possible.

Both of those approaches assume that Facebook is too big, too powerful to resist that we have no alternative but to capitulate to its dominance. But if that is true, the consequences will be disastrous. We will be living in the ecosystem of a company that has repeatedly demonstrated its untrustworthiness, an enterprise that would become the primary newsstand for journalism and would be free to pick the winners via special deals with media people and tweaks of its opaque algorithms. If this is the future, we are truly screwed.

I say: no. Let’s not give up so easily. Instead, let’s resist and find a way out of this trap… (click to read the full article)

And… to add to Dan’s call… let’s go beyond journalism.  Let’s click local for retail, for discussion, for classifieds, for reviews, for sports, for entertainment, for networking and more.  Many communities have local efforts underway, and they struggle to capture people’s attention as so many of us habitually scroll through our Facebook feeds, go to Amazon, Yelp, etc.  Why not try local efforts?  While the internet and mobile devices still hold the promise of decentralization of power, we now know that the digital juggernaut is also acting as a giant concentrator of wealth into a small number of pockets.  Thousands of local taxi companies replaced by Uber and Lyft.  Thousands of local bookstores replaced by Amazon.

To quote Dan one more time…

I say: no. Let’s not give up so easily. Instead, let’s resist and find a way out of this trap.

Local TV news… fear-mongering or reporting on crime? (Burlington burglaries)

Posted on Monday, March 14, 2016 by No comments yet

One day and 3,000 miles apart, two local TV newscasts took diametrically opposed approaches covering crime and local online forums.

KGET20160310KGET-17 in Bakersfield, CA asked multiple times in their story (Neighborhood safety apps and websites, are they actually safe?) if services such as Front Porch Forum, NextDoor, EveryBlock and AmericanTowns are safe to use.  While a local police sergeant advised caution about what a user shares — which is good, common sense, advice — his point that the Bakersfield Police Dept. has “only seen the programs used in a positive way” was buried in the closing sentence.

WPTZ20160311Meanwhile, in an unrelated story the next day in Burlington, VT (Police see city-wide spike in burglaries), WPTZ-5 reported that the local police chief had just posted on Front Porch Forum — to which more than 75% of local households subscribe — about a string of burglaries.  The Chief provided details and told his FPF readers that “the department is using plainclothes, unmarked and patrol units to track down those responsible.”

We’re pleased that law enforcement in Vermont finds value in Front Porch Forum, and that local media here mine FPF for story leads.  FPF is part of a healthy local media ecosystem and we’re glad to play our role.

Threatening IRS phone scam reported in Essex Junction, Vermont

Posted on Thursday, May 21, 2015 by No comments yet

Recent discussion on Front Porch Forum in Essex Junction…

“Received today a voice mail ,supposedly , from the Crime Investigation Unit of the IRS threatening vague immediate action unless I or my lawyer called them back immediately. I didn’t fall for it. Wrote down phone # from CID & call back #. Wondered if anyone else has received this call. Don’t know who to report this to. Essex PD or State Atty. General? Any ideas?”
• Robert

“Yes, we received a similar call with the person claiming they were from the Treasury Dept (didn’t say IRS specifically). And we’d be in “big trouble” if we didn’t take it seriously and the cops will come to our house shortly (at which we had a good laugh).”
• Eve

“This is a pretty far reaching scam. My parents in Michigan received the same call a couple of months ago. Good job managing the panic reflex. My mom had already given them her SSN before her “something’s not right here” radar went off. Thanks for sharing on the Forum. The more people that hear about it – the less likely their chances of victimizing someone.”
• Jessica

“Yes, other people have been receiving these IRS phone calls. The State Attorney has had warnings in the news alot lately.”
• Robin

Business owner offers $5,000 reward on FPF for info about fire

Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2015 by No comments yet

The Stowe Reporter used the Morrisville Front Porch Forum recently to learn…

A Morristown man is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for a fire that destroyed his business last year.  But state fire investigators say the blaze wasn’t suspicious and there is no active investigation.

Most traditional media outlets in Vermont use their local FPFs for leads to stories that they investigate and report on.  We’re glad to play this role… and others.  Further, we appreciate when proper attribution is included in the piece, e.g….

He posted a notice on Front Porch Forum last week, offering a $5,000 reward in hope that someone would contact state police with information.

Stowe and the surround communities are fortunate to have the Reporter and the Record digging into local stories.