Just start taking the bus because of high gas prices?

http://meghnac.wordpress.com/

Her blog is here: http://meghnac.wordpress.com/

Cynic -

The line about priests taking the T was a joke, by the way. But, as for spirituality, I'd say that it's more relevant than your description of "cutesy abstract public radio realm" describes. Those were simply initial queries to see what people out there think. And, call me a hopeless optimist, but as a public radio station, I still believe we do have an obligation to understand what the public thinks.

But I take your point, and actually agree. The basics are underreported. You can get a certain degree of that from the newspapers, and even WBZ, if you want continuous headline news. But WBUR is just a different animal that provides a different product in this media market.

That's not to say we can't or don't do hard news. In fact, that's where I see the greatest potential for a happy marriage between WBUR and New Media. It plays right into what you wrote:

"People want stronger, more diverse local coverage of hard news (from more than one voice). All the features in the world can't replace that."

Keys there are stronger, and more diverse. Why not take the strengths of WBUR, which could be described by those words (though we DO need to be even MORE diverse), and wed them with a hyperlocal focus?

Don't confuse my general questions on the blog with WBUR's genuine, and ongoing, attempts to sharpen its focus and develop its online side.

I'm just a compulsive questioner, and compuslive experimenter. I'd rather try a million things that fail, then stick with one staid thing that's comfortable. But don't worry, most folks here aren't as distractable as I am.

- Meghna