MediaBistro’s East Coast Bias

Just as ESPN thrusts the Yankees and Red Sox down our throats season after season, so too does MediaBistro have an East Coast bias. MediaBistro, a site dedicated to journalism and other media news and information, has a regular feature called j-school confidential. It’s supposed to chronicle the journey of j-school through a variety of voices. But, believe it or not, the travails of a Columbia or NYU J-student doesn’t always connect with those of us who aren’t toiling away in huge media markets. Sure, they have one girl from Ohio U who writes for this feature, but the vast majority of writers are from schools in New York.

Why am I so bugged about this? Well, first off, most of the content is totally uninteresting. Secondly, when they began this feature and were calling for writers, I sent a note saying how much I’d like to participate. One great (?) thing about my school is that it lacks institutional snobbery. I think those of us in small markets, who are taking the bull by the horns, could actually give some insight as to what happens at j-school. Knowledge and success isn’t limited to New York.

But I seriously doubt we’ll see J-School Confidential branch out to include us rubes out in sticks.