Like most news outlets, we follow our social media feeds closely.
We like to know which stories people are commenting on and what they’re saying. For better or worse (probably worse), these comments have taken the place of old-fashioned “letters to the editor,” which once served as the main link between newspapers and readers.
Most comment sections, you may have noticed, skew negative, and, sure, we also get our share of pessimistic, unhelpful and even harmful comments. But I’m happy to report that we seem to receive fewer than other media companies, which likely reflects our community-based approach to news.
For instance, last month, we posted a picture of Tito Tep, the owner of Tep’s Fresh Seafood in the Broad Street Market. Our reporter noticed all the new greenery in the large planter in front of the market and inquired about it. It turned out that Tito, in coordination with Capital Region Water, had taken it upon himself to acquire and install the plants and flowers.
This post received the most comments, “likes,” and shares of nearly any post in recent memory. The comments were overwhelmingly positive and supportive. “Fabulous,” “amazing” and “awesome” just scratched the surface of the praise for Tito and his volunteer work. We’ve received similar reactions recently when sharing photos of residents planting trees, removing graffiti, doing cleanups, etc.
At TheBurg, we don’t shy away from the negative, but we also don’t shy away from the positive. You’ll see this reflected in our social feeds, and you’ll also see it reflected in our daily news coverage and our monthly print magazine. In this very issue, within these pages, you’ll discover many stories that reflect the wonderful, complex fabric of life here, as we endeavor to represent it as accurately and honestly as possible.
Lawrance Binda
Publisher/Editor
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