New Detroit daily?

[ordinary]

Am I having deja vu? I could have sworn I saw something about this on the forum about a year ago. If there were a new paper available I would definitely buy it as long as it wasn't too much of a rag.

It will be a sad day when there are no more printed newspapers. I blame people such as my kids. They will probably never buy a paper. Also sad because I probably won't be able to go to the bathroom anymore. I just can't see sitting there with a laptop!

[Detroitnerd]

I love how publications that call themselves "REAL DETROIT" or "DETROIT DAILY PRESS" are not based in Detroit proper.

[RealityCheck]

High-flyin' rhetoric at their Facebook page, which kenp linked to this AM.

An unparalleled calibre of talent from The Free Press, The Detroit News, Oakland Press, and other news sources, are on board to give metro Detroiters the daily newspaper they're clamoring for. An unparalleled calibre of talent from The Free Press, The Detroit News, Oakland Press, and other news sources, are on board to give metro Detroiters the daily newspaper they're clamoring for. . . . The Detroit Daily Press has its finger on the pulse of the tri-county area.

Really? That's what they're going with?

* Unparalleled anywhere in the known universe of journalism, or just the English-speaking world?

* Calibre spelled that way as a nod to Canadian neighbours or our British roots?

* Metro folks are clamoring for a new daily paper? In print? These are people who've quit the chain dailies, but clamor for local indie journalism . . . or non-readers who don't yet realize this is what they're clamoring for?

* And what's up Doc with this pulse-taking - - we getting a newspaper or another health plan? Deliver news; hold the cliches.

Amateurish start.

[1KielsonDrive]

High-flyin' rhetoric at their Facebook page, which kenp linked to this AM.Really? That's what they're going with?

* Unparalleled anywhere in the known universe of journalism, or just the english-speaking world?

* Calibre spelled that way as a nod to Canadian neighbours or our British roots?

* Metro folks are clamoring for a new daily paper? In print? These are people who've quite the chain dailies, but clamor for local indie journalism . . . or non-readers who don't yet realize this is what they're clamoring for?

* And what's up Doc with this pulse-taking - - we getting a newspaper or another health plan? Deliver news; hold the cliches.

Amateurish start.

Wha'd you expect? Parralleled? Uninterested? Pulse robbing? It's called marketing. Or, in a parallel universe, lieing.

[RealityCheck]

Wha'd you expect?

Actually, Jack Webb put it well as Sgt. Joe Friday on Dragnet:

All we want are the facts . . .
All I know are the facts . . .

[[Yes, I dropped the "ma'am" part, Sir.)

Point is, getting hard-sell marketing hype/boasts/spin/shilling from a not-yet-published newspaper doesn't exactly inspire confidence that we'll get a serious, professionally edited, trustworthy addition to Detroit journalism .

The News, Freep and Metro Times market themselves without crass, midway-like barking reminiscent of "The Greatest Show on Earth." Come to think, maybe the Stern Bros. believe there's a sucker born every minute.

[kenp]

I tried to open the Crains article but you need a login. I could care less about their marketing on Facebook, its good to finally hear about this again. The bottom line is we will all find out what this paper has to offer when it comes out, then decide if we want to subscribe.
Any additional information would be great.

[BShea]

Announcement on Friday. I'll be covering it, so check crainsdetroit.com for updates then.

[HarperNottingham]

Got my hands on their commemorative first issue today. Twas on the thin side, of course, but that's just a sneak peek. Looks like all the bones are in place. Now to add some meat to those bones. A little disheartening to see Rob Parker's worn-out byline in there. Tired old sports drivel from yet another sports clown. Looking forward to see how the Daily Press pans out over the next few months.

[pffft]

Ah, the same Rob Parker who predicted the death of print journalism when he left the News?

[Det_ard]

Rob Parker? Great! Now if they can just steal Mitch Albom away that'll ensure I'll never buy their paper.

[crawford]

I love how publications that call themselves "REAL DETROIT" or "DETROIT DAILY PRESS" are not based in Detroit proper.

Maybe because most of what constitutes "Detroit" is no longer in the city limits?

What's more "real"? The middle class families of Macomb County, or the wasteland that is much of the East Side of Detroit?

[det313grrl]

"A newspaper is not just for reporting the news. It is to get people mad enough to do something about it."~Mark Twain
It would be great if we had such a newspaper.

[Detroitnerd]

Maybe because most of what constitutes "Detroit" is no longer in the city limits?

What's more "real"? The middle class families of Macomb County, or the wasteland that is much of the East Side of Detroit?

Well, if you're a newspaper, you usually set up your headquarters near what you'll be reporting on. That's why the Detroit dailies, heck, even Metro Times, are a few blocks from Detroit's municipal center. That physical presence makes it easier to report on city government, and to swing out to stories in the surrounding areas.

A newspaper like Real Detroit covers mostly the suburban bar scene, with occasional forays down Woodward. It makes sense why they're headquartered in Ferndale: That's central to what they cover. Same thing with Hour Magazine in Royal Oak: It covers suburban upscale dining, suburban homes, with plenty of luxury advertising for the wealthier folks out there.

The idea that a "Detroit" daily would set up shop in Royal Oak suggests to me a few possibilities.

1) These guys are not serious about covering downtown Detroit.

2) These guys are older suburbanites who don't care to commute very far from where they live.

3) These guys are hobbyists setting up shop in their basement or garage.

None of those conclusions is very flattering.

I'll be waiting to see what Shea comes up with by way of coverage before I leap to any conclusions, though. My initial skepticism remains, for now.

[thefishwrap]

3) These guys are hobbyists setting up shop in their basement or garage.

No idea about the other points you made, but they have set up shop at the former home of the Daily Tribune newspaper on Third Street in downtown Royal Oak. The Tribune moved out of that building and into the Macomb Daily offices in Mt. Clemens late last year.

I'm intrigued to see what they produce. Although I wouldn't be surprised if it's a NY Post style paper for Detroit.

[Detroitnerd]

fishwrap: It's entirely possible that it's my complete pessimism at work.

[maxx]

"A newspaper is not just for reporting the news. It is to get people mad enough to do something about it."~Mark Twain
It would be great if we had such a newspaper.

From an era when newspapers were important at least to the people who wanted to know something. OTOH, maybe Hearst took this comment from Twain when he reported on the sinking of the Maine.

[BShea]

I don't think they suggested they're just covering Detroit. They said from the start they're covering Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. Maybe it makes sense then to be in RO? They've also said they'll targeting traditional readers who prefer a home-delivered newspaper daily. I'd guess their target audience lives in the 'burbs, but we'll know more tomorrow.

[casscorridor]

Maybe because most of what constitutes "Detroit" is no longer in the city limits?

What's more "real"? The middle class families of Macomb County, or the wasteland that is much of the East Side of Detroit?

No. They are not Detroit. East Side "wasteland" is the REAL Detroit. And Downtown And West Side and SW Side. NOT ferndale.

I'm sick of hearing about suburban places robing the Detroit name. Just like they robbed all the people and stores and investment. But even tho they have all that, they are still not Detroit.

"Read Detroit" is a sham. Who do they really think they are calling themselves not only Detroit, but REAL Detroit?!?! I have all a question... how many people of color are pictured or writen about in RD? Not many. Why dont they rename themselves Real White Suburban Detroit? Guess it doesnt ring, eh? Well maybe they should actually locate in Detroit and start covering the real Detroit they CHOOSE to ignore.

[Diehard]

"A newspaper is not just for reporting the news. It is to get people mad enough to do something about it."~Mark Twain
It would be great if we had such a newspaper.

Have you completely forgotten about the Freep and KwameGate?

How about today's front page story in the News about the blatant abuse of forfeiture laws by Metro Detroit police? If that doesn't get some people mad, I don't know what will.
http://detnews.com/article/20091112/...n-the-innocent

If the new daily can break important stories like that, more power to 'em. There's plenty of news here to keep them busy.

[Stosh]

I think that any newspaper in this region would succeed if they concentrated on LOCAL news, not just parroting national or international wire service reports. IT seems as if every paper around here wants to cover everything, and ends up covering nothing. National and international news is great, but you can get that a lot of different places. Cut that back to a half a section, then go all out on local.

What do you have to lose?

[Detroitnerd]

I think that any newspaper in this region would succeed if they concentrated on LOCAL news, not just parroting national or international wire service reports. IT seems as if every paper around here wants to cover everything, and ends up covering nothing. National and international news is great, but you can get that a lot of different places. Cut that back to a half a section, then go all out on local.

What do you have to lose?

I agree totally with that sentiment.

[thefishwrap]

I think that any newspaper in this region would succeed if they concentrated on LOCAL news, not just parroting national or international wire service reports. IT seems as if every paper around here wants to cover everything, and ends up covering nothing. National and international news is great, but you can get that a lot of different places. Cut that back to a half a section, then go all out on local.

What do you have to lose?

They don't focus on Detroit [[as both are in the 'burbs), but C&G News [[www.candgnews.com) and the Observer/Eccentric [[www.hometownlife.com) both fill this niche well.

For those ripping on Real Detroit Weekly -- have they ever claimed to be anything more than an entertainment rag? While the Metro Times is more newsy, I don't think Real Detroit does any sort of news whatsoever.

[Stosh]

They don't focus on Detroit [[as both are in the 'burbs), but C&G News [[www.candgnews.com) and the Observer/Eccentric [[www.hometownlife.com) both fill this niche well.

For those ripping on Real Detroit Weekly -- have they ever claimed to be anything more than an entertainment rag? While the Metro Times is more newsy, I don't think Real Detroit does any sort of news whatsoever.

I can't see how a bi weekly paper can be considered local news, maybe more like local history by the time you get it. C&G fills a niche, but only in relation to what amounts to an advertising cow. I WANT to hear about Detroit, as well as the burbs.

Real Detroit as news? Ha.
Metro Times? Not so much either.

I'm lookin forward to more options.

[thefishwrap]

Stosh: well both of those weekly chains provide local content free of national/international news, as you suggested earlier. If you live in the suburbs, you are not going to find information about what's happening in your neighborhood without those chains.

But you are right, the options for a Detroit+suburb paper is severely diminished. I guess that's what this new daily might try to be. I'm certainly intrigued on what they might produce.

[Stosh]

Stosh: well both of those weekly chains provide local content free of national/international news, as you suggested earlier. If you live in the suburbs, you are not going to find information about what's happening in your neighborhood without those chains.

But you are right, the options for a Detroit+suburb paper is severely diminished. I guess that's what this new daily might try to be. I'm certainly intrigued on what they might produce.

I don't get the OE where I am, I do get the C&G though. About 3 pages of local "local" news. Not a peep about elsewhere. And really, people living in Detroit don't get much info either, outside of City Hall BS.

News you can use... A slogan of some news station here. That should be the whole philosophy of any newspaper. I suppose it's subjective, but it's not too much to ask for a little current events in the "hood"? Current crime blotter? Local events publicized on a timely basis? Publicized at all?