Hyperlocal vs International News
These labels don't mean what we think they mean. What matters is relevance.
Tuesday, December 27th, 2022
Dear Freedom Friends & Future Subscribers to Vashon Loop’s Substack!
Lately, I’ve heard these terms bandied about, as if they mean something they do not. The unspoken assumption is that “International News” has broad appeal or relevance, while “Hyperlocal News” has limited appeal and relevance, typically assumed to be based upon location.
Like many commonly held ideas, one need only think on this for a few minutes to immediately see the deep and varied flaws.
Consider the plight of twelve young soccer players and their coach who were trapped deep within a Thai cave system during early Monsoon rains. This story was of great international interest. It is quite possible that billions of people were aware of and concerned for these children and the divers who risked their lives to save them.
Appealing? Yes. The story is even more incredible, when you learn the details, and I highly recommend Ron Howard’s newly released movie, Thirteen Lives (2022).
But, is it relevant? Great question! Because it’s the relevance that shifts, as one gets closer to or farther from the story and those directly impacted. It’s the relevance that is actually “hyperlocal” or “international.”
Why do I bring this up? Because, our modern society is sliding quite rapidly into a very dark hole, as we become accustomed to forming our world view based upon content that is curated for us by complete strangers who have often nefarious (or at the very least, selfish) reasons for choosing what we do (and do not) pay attention to or hear about.
If you’re living your life on autopilot, you may find yourself assuming that a carefully dressed News Anchor reading the same words off of a teleprompter that hundreds of other News Anchors are reading off of teleprompters in their countries, cities or regions, is inherently more worthy of your time and attention than a fellow American, sitting at home, writing an article for her “hyperlocal” community paper, wearing only her pajamas and slippers.
But is it? The News Anchor is just an actor that works for a corporation run by directors and board members you and I don’t know from Adam. Yet, we assume, because of the “wealth and power” behind these very well-produced “news performances,” that the stories are worthy of our time and attention.
Appealing, they may be. Relevant? Rarely.
I’m writing about this because my newspaper, The Vashon Loop, could be labeled “hyperlocal,” but when you look at the articles we publish, it becomes obvious that our content is “relevant” to billions of people. From book reviews to gardening advice, recipes to public interest pieces, opinion articles and scientific examinations, The Vashon Loop clearly demonstrates that the question of “hyperlocal vs international” has little to do with the reach of the publication and everything to do with the overall, human relevance of the story.
This story, published in The Vashon Loop, is an excellent and ironic example of exactly what I’m talking about, as we see a sensationalized international story that captured global attention for years through the intimate and personal lens of family and an island community that took a stand on an issue that was relevant in a very “hyperlocal” way, despite playing out half a world away.
“It Takes a Village” – In Action
“It was the truly international murder case that captivated the world.” This is how People Magazine described the media circus surrounding the 2007 murder of British student Meredith Kercher in the home she shared with Amanda Knox in Perugia, Italy. Across the globe, millions watched, wondered, gossiped, and guessed at what truly happened on that tragic night. But for many Vashon Islanders, the ordeal was far more personal.
In October 2011, Bill Knox, a longtime Vashon resident and grandfather to Amanda Knox, shared with “The Vashon Beachcomber” his reaction to an Italian jury finding Amanda innocent. Saying he was ecstatic, and claiming, “I’m not a real sentimental type,” he nonetheless admitted, “… I found tears running down my cheek.” During the brief phone interview, the doorbell rang, as yet another bouquet of flowers arrived, filling their home with the ambiance of success, relief and joy.
During this extended ordeal, many Islanders (and non-Islanders) chose to step forward, lend a hand, organize fundraisers, and otherwise hold this family up, when they might have otherwise fallen. One of them was Karen Pruett, and this month she released the paperback version of her book, “Trial By Liar” on Amazon (available on Kindle since 2021).
According to the author, this book “Highlights mass media’s appalling lack of fact-checking while showcasing beneficial crowdsourcing, of which Islanders were a part. From the aisles of Vashon’s grocery stores, to several Italian courtrooms, this research was driven by questions asked by the Knox family and friends on Vashon Island, as well as Meredith Kercher’s family in London.”
The following is an excerpt, printed with Karen’s permission. It reminds us that, in the darkest of moments, we can still find the light, if we seek it with uncompromising focus, will and faith.
“5:00 PST – I happened to be on a ferry at the Vashon Island dock and my car was front and center on the boat, a rare occurrence. I saw a huge plane flying over the city and suddenly realized it was the British Airways jet with Amanda and her family on board. It glided over West Seattle and dropped below the tree tops out of sight as it landed at SeaTac airport. Amanda was home at last!”
Visit our website, and make a note in your calendar to become a paid subscriber to our new Vashon Loop Substack on Sunday, January 1st: https://vashonloop.com/wordpress/index.php/2022/12/07/it-takes-a-village-in-action/