A report from the front lines: Yesterday I posted this in GD:

[hedgehog]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7396910

I contacted the four major MSM outlets in Buffalo: The News, and the NBC, CBS and ABC affiliates before 9AM. (It didn't occur to me to contact FOX68).

sample e-mail:

Why aren't you covering this story:

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/01/04/NY_Woman_Stabbed_Outside_of_Club/

Shame!




Before 11AM, I received e-mails and phone calls asking for more info, and I pointed the reporters to Nicole Bauer who was directly involved in the incident and in getting the story out. Since then, the story has gotten more attention. I am proud if anything I did played a part in getting this story to the front page.

I have some important comments to make:

1. It's possible that this story was ignored because there aren't enough reporters out there and they simply didn't have the time to dig into the facts. They may have thought this was a run-of-the-mill drunken altercation and been unaware it was gay bashing.

2. It's possible some reporters thought that the victim would prefer not being identified as lesbian. This gets into the broader argument about outing people.

3. The reporters who contacted me were very upset at my implication that the story was buried because it involved gay bashing. The war is still on, but no polite middle class person wants to be known as a homophobe. That's one battle won.

So, the takeaway on this is don't assume: don't assume that the members of the MSM have all the info you have, and don't assume that they won't put the info out there if notified.