Aisling's Celebrification of Self

Our local consolidated media outlet, Aisling Broadcasting in Boone, shares more than a few common traits with big media.

For one, they both love to report on the media--but not in the way you might imagine. We've noticed an uptick in the celebrification of Aisling's postings on their website, goblueridge.net.

But they're not writing about Bradgelina (like big media does), at Aisling they're writing about themselves. Yes, the news readers at Aisling, along with the folks who fill up the day with idle on-air chitty-chat/infotainment (not to mention the sales staff), are now being presented as newsworthy in and of themselves. Aisling would have us believe that these people are interesting--and by gum YOU need to be interested in them, too.

Step back for a second and realize what is happening: by reporting on themselves, the people at Aisling are becoming "the story"--instead of the people and the community they are supposed to be reporting on (or serving, perhaps?).

So, the public loses when the local media spends time, energy, and money reporting on themselves. One has to wonder--how many news stories did Aisling miss altogether in their zeal to self-promote?