What are journalists in the Phoenix area missing? (crime, mortgage)

[JennyMatthews]

I'm a broadcast journalism student here in Phoenix and am looking for issues and ideas off the beaten path--more than just the normal freeway accidents and politics and whatnot. And I've found that going out and talking to people about it is the best way to get interesting story ideas.

So what do you all think of how the local media covers the area--good or the bad? Anything you've come across that would make an interesting story?

[roundball]

NewTimes has some interesting stuff.

[AzDreamer]

How about checking out a Tea Party rally and then stop by a gathering of folks from the other side of the spectrum (also known as a riot). Interview the folks there, take pictures of their signs, estimate the tons of trash left behind or the damage done to private property. Try to educate your audience because that's not happening on the major networks.

[AZM]

Reporting on Illegal immigration is very one sided with the majority of the reporting focusing on people that make the most noise and do not support the law enforcement of the undocumented. Obviously many more citizens support the enforcement of the current laws and this is a direct reflection of current enhanced enforcement and new laws from our law makers. With all the crime associated with much of the people crossing that are from many origins change is happening on a much faster scale that previously seen in the past, but little is being reported on it. Much of the violence across the border also gets little recognition on American media in hope that it will not affect the Mexico tourist industry in which would negatively affect the economic south of the border. Most also believe these illegal border crossers are all from Mexico and while a large majority are many more come from many other locations other than Mexico but they use Mexico as an avenue to cross into the US. The negative economic impact and associated costs to the US for these issues are rarely ever reported in the media to the public, why???

[fauve]

How bout all the retirees picking up and leaving Phoenix to head south of the border to the land of cheap health care and taking their social security checks with them and leaving their credit card and mortgage debt behind? Only a few years ago, the story was about illegals entering this country. Now it's about our retirees taking their US tax dollars to Mexico! (Or Honduras, or Costa Rica, or Panama, or Nicaragua, etc.) I swear it's a reason behind all the border violence scare stories. Juarez has always had a ridiculous amount of violence.