Cincy media cry, "Don't go downtown!" (Cincinnati, Dayton: crime, home)

[goyguy]

The Channel 5 report of a "shooting near Lumenocity" is only the latest example of how the 'nati MSM are all about scaring folks away from Over-the-Rhine and downtown. The location they defined as "near" was actually three blocks south and at least four blocks west of Washington Park - probably too far for anyone to have parked for the event, heavily attended though it was.
Before that, people were jumped outside a parking lot on 9th Street "near Taste of Cincinnati." Eh...it was within fairly easy walking distance, but not exactly close by.
And before THAT was the homicide which occurred "near Bockfest." In reality the incident took place several blocks beyond the DMZ of Over-the-Rhine (Liberty St) and again posed no threat to the suburban, east-side, and tourist throngs.

It all smacks of pandering to the paranoid west-siders and sprawl dwellers, who the Enquirer and the TV stations have apparently identified as a significant slice of their viewers or readership. (They're probably at least right about that.) Despite the endless string of bad things happening in Avondale, one is never presented a news account which quickly mentions how close to the zoo the latest incident was. Eden Park is also not dragged in to reports of criminal behavior in Walnut Hills. Farther from town, a bank robbery in Kenwood or Montgomery doesn't hit the news below a headline screaming its proximity to the mall sprawl there. Nor is a West Chester gas station "near IKEA" held up. And so on.

What can be done about this blatant selective fear-mongering?

[Wilson513]

Actually, the exact opposite is true. Cincinnati TV rarely reports crime in OTR and almost never in the CBD. One not only has to be shot in OTR to make the news, one must have a relative or witness who is willing to go on camera. In the CBD, there are robberies and assaults, including sexual assaults at most every event where young black men are in attendance (no racism here, only the observation that these are the only demographic that is associated with street crime in Cincinnati. Its not old black men or young white men or ladies in wheelchairs. 100% of the time, street crime is perpetrated by young black men. So when they are drawn to the CBD for any reason, there is street crime a-plenty). And, these are rarely reported.

Lumenocity was blanketed by police like Netenyau was visiting Palestine. So don't expect much from this weekend.

As a long time fan of police radio listening, I can assure you that 90% of the crime in the CBD never sees the light of day.

[unusualfire]

^I don't know what you mean, but the last murder downtown was by a white man killing a security guard.

[CarryOn]

I do think quite a bit of sensationalism on the part of local media plays into this. "...blocks from Lumenocity" - what, six or eight blocks? I know that area, I work near there, and I wouldn't really connect that to Lumenocity or thinking 12,000+ people standing around Washington Park were in danger of a stray bullet from West End.

I think it's just a way to drive ratings/sell news. We hear about these big events (Lumenocity, Bockfest, Taste of Cincy, what have you) for weeks leading up to them, and if there's a way to associate any nefarious activity with it, the media will jump on it. I'm sure I'm going to hear it on the local news tonight, "A shooting, just blocks from where thousands gathered for one of Cincinnati's premier events!" - all meant to drive home this idea that I must stay tuned for the rest of the story (sorry, Mr. Harvey), and if the side-effect is that it plants this seed in outliers' minds that Cincy is a bloodbath, so be it. Ratings, ratings, ratings.

Geez, I remember during the Boston bombing, the local news interviewed a local family vacationing...in Baltimore! I suppose that was as close to Boston as they could find a local connection at the moment, and Our Breathless News Anchor (Reader) interviewed the family over the phone, inserting as much tension and drama as possible. It was pathetic, frankly; creating suspense and interest since, really, what's a family in Baltimore got to do with Boston? "Oh, you're marginally closer to Boston than we are here, so what's your take on this whole thing? What are you hearing?" About the same thing you're all hearing back in Cincy, since I'm in Baltimore, and not in Boston. Geez-louise! It's why there's no love lost between me and the local news. Ratings first, accuracy second.

We were at Lumenocity last night, didn't feel the least bit threatened, even went for a walk around several blocks during one portion. Now I have to steel myself for the inevitable phone call I'm going to get from my alarmist sister later, "OMG, are you all right?! I heard there was a gang shooting or something right where you were! You should just stop going down there! It isn't safe!"

[kjbrill]

Well what do you know two contrasting views posted by two of our more frequent contributors to the forum. One lives in Cincy and has a business office downtown. The other lives in Cambridge, Ma. I wonder who I think has their finger closer on the pulse of this subject.

I quit reading the Enquirer several years ago when they started asking me for a fee to access their online web site. Refused it then and refuse it now.
Find out I can do without the Enquirer. Of course that means I cannot converse with others relative to what they see there. Small price to pay.

I currently have the web page of a local TV News station as my home page. Now they are asking for a monthly fee so I can get enhanced news stories. Nope, won't do, and they are about to be removed as my home page.

What is the matter with these outfits? Can they no longer sell enough advertising revenue to pay the bills? Apparently so since they now want customer subscriptions.

I have been trying to avoid commenting on Cincy specific topics. But media is Greater Cincinnati area wide.

Relative to a bank robbery in Kenwood being posted above a banner saying it is close to the mega-mall, or a gas station robbery in West Chester being next door to IKEA, when people consider those things to be important they will be reported that way.

A shooting near an event attended by thousands of people and which was advertised as one of Cincinnati's shining stars, yes I feel the reporting was appropriate. Is there some criteria which says one evening cannot pass in Cincinnati without a shooting?

The Lumenocity is reportedly a great event. Let's hope this night's performance won't have a blemish on it.

[SWOH]

Local TV news in general is not much more than a blood-sucking leech in the communities in which they operate. It's rare to have a news operation with class any more.


From my times in Cincy, I remember a general perception that the CBS affiliate was the most level-headed overall and the NBC was the least. In Dayton, our NBC affiliate is probably the most level, our CBS affiliate has the highest ratings, and our ABC affiliate is laughable at best and a disgrace to American society at its worst.

[ArtVandalay84]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

The Lumenocity is reportedly a great event. Let's hope this night's performance won't have a blemish on it.

A blemish on it due to an unrelated crime in a different part of town?

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by ArtVandalay84

A blemish on it due to an unrelated crime in a different part of town?

Yes, if Cincinnati cannot go a night without a shooting it is a sorry state of affairs period.

[DaveGl]

Originally Posted by OHKID

Local TV news in general is not much more than a blood-sucking leech in the communities in which they operate. It's rare to have a news operation with class any more....

I miss the days of Don Wayne and Al Schottelkote. Too many shallow, primping, prima donnas posing as newscasters these days.

[ArtVandalay84]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

Yes, if Cincinnati cannot go a night without a shooting it is a sorry state of affairs period.

Again, this shooting was unrelated to Luminocity and was in another part of town. Therefore this is not a blemish on Luminocity.