Losing Akron's Identity

As the annual convention of broadcasters and journalists wrap up in Las Vegas a disturbing note from home -- Akron is losing another part of it's identity.

Now I admit this isn't of a scale such as Goodyear leaving, the University of Akron closing halls of learning, or even the Aeros setting up shop elsewhere -- those actions would impact thousands in their paychecks and leave vacant publicly-owned buildings.

Losing a TV newscast, in the greater scheme of things, doesn't mean the community watches property values plummet or neighbors thrown out of work.

But it does reflect the disturbing future of fewer news outlets bringing new voices to one of Ohio's biggest metropolitan areas. Akron and Canton now depend on a handful of newspapers and radio stations for coverage on the home front, sharing precious television time with every other suburb of Cleveland. This isn't the kind of thing the "Cleveland +" campaign folks and regionalism supporters like to talk about; showcasing northeast Ohio as one giant metro area, united. Instead we become one giant metro area, still made up of dozens of cities and towns and townships, each with their own unique identity but each somehow marginalized.

I count Eric Mansfield as a friend; the others at WKYC-TV's Akron-Canton news operation are trusted and valued colleagues, and all shared a vision of giving voice to the communities they know are more than just secondary zip codes under the umbrella of the 44's along the lakefront. Akron, Canton, Kent and other communities all have unique identities and traditions and losing that outlet takes away the opportunity for many voices to reflect that richer diversity. We wind up the poorer for it.

Not to bash the PD, Rep or the Beacon Journal or our operations here at AkronNewsNow.com and our group of radio stations, but the role the media plays in helping to hold the powerful accountable is lessened as we now compete for seconds of coverage on the most dominant form of mass communications. The media choices in this day and age are stunning, offering wider variety than ever before but opportunities to help set the table for debate by putting issues and leaders in context is important, and now one more opportunity is lost because the struggle was just too difficult and our communities not supportive enough.