Local news sources are constantly trying to localize national or international stories. This involves asking questions like: How does this affect our community? What local connections are there? How does this affect our wallets locally?The opposite move is to highlight a local story that has become somewhat national.
KCRG's Sunday piece on a Dubuque photographer serves as an excellent example.
Mark Hirsch garnered worldwide attention via social media when he created a book from 365 days worth of iPhone photos of the same tree in his neighborhood.
And so begins the "local celebrity."
This type of story is successful for two reasons:
1. Bragging rights. Especially in small town Iowa, there is interest in the local celebrity. When people outside our community are interested in someone or something within it, we want to know about it. It's something community members can get behind and boast about. Connecting people to someone who feels like "one of us" cultivates local pride. And if you're the one to deliver the news, you get to be included in that positive feeling.
2. Feel good. Every newscast needs a feel-good piece to balance out harder hitters like statistics and murders. This format fits the bill perfectly. The positive vibe comes from it being worry-free and visually appealing. What's not to love about finding beauty in the simple things that surround our daily lives? KCRG managed a light and encouraging piece for Sunday broadcast.
This will most likely be the story people talk about at work on Monday morning.
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