PUBLIC MARKS with tag localtv

Via journalism.co.uk, we come across a local TV anchor and photog who chuck the fame and fortune, the exposure and paycheck of jobs on the local TV news to create their own local online shows for Madison, WI, at StoryBridge.tv. They want to do stories that “validate” — their word — people doing good things locally. Based on their beta stories, I wish they also chuck more of their local-TV ways and make shows that are a little rougher, less polished, more authentic. I also hope they put their videos up on YouTube et al and make them embeddable so they can be part of the local conversation. And I hope they’ll also do stories that are useful, not just TV-heartwarming. Now having given those caveats, I’m enthusiastic about what they’re doing. They will surely avoid the fires and press releases and weather mania that inhabit most local TV nows — because they can’t afford it. And so they will go out and do real stories, showing their old newsroom what’s possible. There’s no reason any individual or team in any town couldn’t do this; the tools and distribution are all there. They’re also doing innovative things, starting, for example, a nonprofit arm that will allow locals to support series that may not have commercial appeal.