In my first blog I wrote about how things have changed at the station since I was here last. Then, if we did a story we might get a phone call about it. A letter might find it’s way into my mailbox. Sometimes I would do a story and not hear the praise or complaints (usually complaints) about it for a week. Now, it’s no longer just about getting stories on the air. Priority is getting it on our website. Stories are often posted on KBTX.COM long before a newscast. In fact the stories are often updated several times before they hit air. As a result our feeback is instant. People respond to our stories by way of comments and emails. When it comes to these comments there has been a recent trend developing on line that I don’t personally care for. I’m not sure of the intent, but it permeates almost every story we post online. I approve many of the comments you see. So, understand the ones you see are the tame ones. Many don’t see the light of day. So, my index finger and the delete button have become well acquainted. Almost every story we’ve done in recent weeks has a comment tied to it about how much better or worse Bryan is than College Station or the other way around. Case and point. This weekend (6/29/08) we had a story about a mother going to a gas station in Bryan and noticing nudie magazines and pornographic DVD’s in plain site for her child to see. She wants to wage a one woman war on the indecency. If you read the comments, this immediately becomes a story, not about a mother concerned about what her child or any other child happens to see, but a story about how this gas station was in Bryan and not College Station.
Here are a few examples: “If there was not demand for the magazine then it would not be sold in your part of Bryan. Therefore someone must want to purchase them. With the amount of perverts and thugs around Bryan, it is only natural to see these magazines around thugs and ghettos.”
Or how about this one “In response to all who speak about Bryan being bad. Take a look around you, College Station isn’t perfect not is Bryan. Crime is everywhere.”
And one more “Funny how CS residents think Bryan is a slum. Isn’t the only strip club in Brazos County in CS? And a XXX store right on Texas near the main entrance of Texas A&M”
Now, here’s how bad all of this has become. There was a story on Monday (6/30/08) about an A&M student who bailed out of her car right before a train hit it. OMG! Like something out of the movies. So instead of commenting about the story, here’s the first comment that was posted. “ Okay who is the first on the Bryan VS College Station war today. Thank you for the comic relieif on this hot summer day. I know I can count on you guys for laughter. Please by all means let em rip.”
Now look! We all know there are differences between the two cities. Just like there are differences within one city. But this is past the point of ridiculous. It has even spilled over to the forums on TexAgs. Is there any wonder the city of Bryan has filed legal actions against the city of College Station? Can’t we all just get along? No, because if that were to happen there would be no news. I welcome your thoughts. These are my mine and no way reflective of how or what we cover in the news. Again, my thoughts, good, bad, right or wrong, Then and Now.
