Media Watch
Streetsblog Basics
In Other News, Times of London Pilots Unprecedented Cyclist Safety Program
The Times of London has launched what Dani Simons aptly calls a "nearly mind-blowing" pro-cycling campaign. Inspired by a crash that seriously injured a Times reporter, "Cities Fit for Cycling" is the kind of multifaceted public safety program that is normally the province of non-profit advocacy, right down to the eight-point manifesto that covers everything from education and street improvements to truck design.
February 2, 2012
Dear Media Lemmings: Headphones Don’t Kill People, Drivers Do
There's a University of Maryland study making the rounds today that links pedestrian fatalities with the wearing of headphones -- a three-fold increase over the last seven years. Judging from the breathless headlines, the causation is clear. "Study Shows Sharp Rise in Accidents Involving Tuned-Out Pedestrians," reads the Chicago Tribune. "Fatal Distraction," says MSNBC. "Music to Die For," sneers the Post.
January 18, 2012
Note to NYC Press: Public Health Experts Don’t Sell Cheeseburgers
For the second time in the past few weeks, a New York City media outlet has allowed Milk Burger owner Erik Mayor to claim that protected bike lanes in East Harlem will increase asthma rates. Earlier this month it was the Daily News, and over the weekend NY1 gave some airtime to Mayor too.
December 19, 2011
Do the Math: NYPD’s Blame-the-Victim Routine Doesn’t Add Up
Time after time, when a person loses his or her life while walking or biking in the city, the narrative unfolds according to script. Pedestrian or cyclist killed. Driver remained at the scene. No charges filed. Not only is it rare to hear of a driver held to even the minimum standard of care by police and prosecutors, more often than not NYPD would have the public believe that if anyone is to blame, it's the victim.
December 14, 2011
Brian Williams Doesn’t Get How Streets Work. Will His Four Million Viewers?
Here's the profile of New York City Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan that aired on "Rock Center with Brian Williams" last night. The show reaches more than four million people, which isn't enough to win its time slot but adds up to a lot more eyeballs than the print circulation of any NYC daily paper. In all likelihood, it reached a bigger American audience than any other piece of media content about reclaiming city streets for public space and more efficient modes of transportation. So how did NBC's Harry Smith and his producers do with the assignment?
December 6, 2011
At Last, a Times Critic Gets It: NYC Is Best Absorbed From a Bike
The Arts Section of today’s Times leads with a gorgeous meditation on cycling in New York that is so unabashedly positive, it’ll take your breath away. At least it took mine. In my 50 years as a Times reader -- nearly 40 of them as a daily bicycle rider -- I can’t recall any essay on cycling as the quintessential urban experience as lyrical and unapologetic as this one.
November 8, 2011
NYPD: Contrary to the Tabs, Fallen Cyclist Nicolas Djandji Didn’t Run a Red
While it's common for the media to find a fallen New York cyclist responsible for his own death, the egregiously sloppy coverage of the crash that killed Nicolas Djandji makes plain just how eager reporters and editors are to blame the victim.
September 8, 2011
Janette Sadik-Khan: Bridge-Fixing Fanatic
Matt Chaban at the Observer has filed a balanced, thorough and, dare we say, mature profile of Janette Sadik-Khan. If you haven't seen it yet, it's definitely worth a read.
September 7, 2011
“Stop Means Stop”: Vacca Gives Thumbs-Up to Busy Red Light Cameras
We'll overlook the number of contortions performed by the Daily News to make today's report on the success of red light cameras look like a "he said she said" story. It's simply not a surprise when the city press corps assigns comparable weight to the wishes of motorists to break the law with impunity and the right of pedestrians and cyclists -- and, in this case, other drivers -- to reach their destinations in one piece.
August 22, 2011
What We Learned From the Daily News Bike Lane Debate
Earlier today I participated in a live chat debate on the topic of bike lanes, hosted and moderated by Celeste Katz. The chief sparring partner for supporters of bike lanes was Alex Nazaryan, who sits on the paper's editorial board and joined a group of cyclists for an uneventful ride across the Manhattan Bridge the previous morning.
August 16, 2011