Biggest Stories of 2011 on GoLocal
Friday, December 23, 2011
In 2011, GoLocalProv had the opportunity to break some of the biggest stories in Southern New England and beyond. Visitors flocked to GoLocal’s content with more than 800,000 absolute unique visitors coming to GoLocalProv to view more than 6,000,000 pageviews.
The stories that were read the most ranged from stories broken by our investigative teams to stories about Rhode Island’s unique lifestyle to breaking the biggest stories in sports. Unlike many news organizations – we know exactly how many times a story was read, commented on, emailed to a friend and shared on Facebook or Tweeted.
Stories now move faster – they are discussed no longer at just the proverbial water cooler, but race across the state or even the country. Here are the Biggest Stories of 2011.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST10) 26 Out of Top 30 Providence Retirees on Disability
Stephen Beale, a GoLocalProv reporter spent weeks going through the data and broke a story that enlightened and enraged some readers about the municipal pension system in Providence.
"Twenty six out of the top 30 highest paid retirees in Providence are on tax-free disability pensions, costing roughly $3.5 million this year, according to the latest available pension payroll from the city. Of the top earners, 20 retired between January 1988 and 1991, when 8 out of every…"
9) Kitchen Nightmares: Rampant Health Violations on Federal Hill
Providence is loved for its great restaurants and no one may write more about great eating in Rhode Island, but a GoLocalProv Exclusive raised concerns about some Federal Hill spots. News Editor Dan McGowan sifted through reports generated by inspections and let readers know about the food safety violations at some of the City's best known restaurants.
"It is known as the crown jewel of Rhode Island’s restaurant industry, but a review of Department of Health records shows inspectors have found dozens of violations at 13 establishments on Federal Hill since October 2010. Several well-known restaurants were among the offenders during the 13 month time span,…"
8) Who Has the Most Clout in Rhode Island?
Today, social media may be the most influential form of media. "In the U.S., social networks and blogs reach nearly 80 percent of active U.S. Internet users and represent the majority of Americans’ time online," reports Nielsen. No media company has benefited more than GoLocal and we looked at who are the most influential Rhode Islanders leveraging social media. The results were pronounced and surprising.
"Are you influential? Do you have power? How much clout do you have? In a competitive society, few things matter as much as one’s clout. Clout inspires others to listen to your opinions with trust and confidence. It leads to respect. Before the technology revolution, one gained clout through…
7) Bank Of America Slashing 30,000 Jobs: Will RI Be Affected?
The legacy of Hospital Trust and Fleet Bank are embodied in Bank of America. Its CEO is a Brown graduate and worked at both the law firm Edwards & Angell and Fleet Bank and so when the bank announced yet further cuts, Rhode Islanders flocked to GoLocal's coverage - articles that beat the marketplace.
"Bank of America will slash approximately 30,000 jobs in an effort to save $5 billion per year by 2014, the company announced Monday.
The layoff numbers are about 10,000 less than original speculation last week, but still more than enough to cause a major stir in the business community and leaving Rhode Island’s top economists questioning what the potential impact could be for the company in the state."
6) Exclusive: Tempers Flare at Channel 6
While Channel 6 continues to flounder in ratings, WLNE (or ABC6 as it is branded) has turned to be a bit of a reality show and all to the benefit of GoLocal readers. GoLocal's Media Critic Jeff Derderian has been the fly on the wall through ABC6's bankruptcy, their new ownership and the revolviing door - much of it quite interesting. But, one particular article that Southern New England flocked to was the showdown in the newsroom between the new CEO and the 6 pm anchor.
"Maybe it’s just me, but the way to build morale and team building if you just took over a struggling TV station is not done by screaming at one of your main anchors.
What happened at Channel 6 recently has many a staffer over there shaking their heads in disgust with the new ownership that has taken over. According to two separate sources that GoLocalProv has talked to an explosion of anger erupted in the newsroom involving main news anchor John DeLuca and the new station owner Phil Lombardo who was in the news room."
5) EXCLUSIVE: Ed Cooley PC’s Top Choice, Exclusive: Kris Dunn Will Commit To PC, EXCLUSIVE: Cooley Picks UConn’s Andre LaFleur To Be Associate Head Coach, Exclusive: Ledo Picks PC, GAME ON: Alex Murphy Commits to Duke
GoLocal Sports Editors Scott Cordischi and John Rooke have beaten ESPN and everyone else to every major college basketball story in the region. From Cooley being hired - 10 days before any other media had the story - to Dunn and Ledo signing, and Murphy going to Duke - they have had their ears to the hardwood.
One GoLocal reader wrote when GoLocal Sports Editor Cordschi broke the Cooley story, "Exclusive my ass. You have no idea what you are talking about, Scott. I find it hard to believe that the sports editor of some crappy online newspaper is privy to such information. You can't pretend you have exclusive information just because you have a hard-on for Ed Cooley; it's not cool, Scott. Comment #1 by Kevin O'Rourke on 2011 03 13
4) Best Communities
Each year GoLocal delves into a wild range of data and ranks all 39 cities and towns from top to bottom. It is what mayors run on (literally) and how Realtors market the strengths and weaknesses of communities. The ranking is science and it helps to end and spark great rivalries.
"We all have reasons we love (or are frustrated with) the places we live. From schools and housing to taxes and crime rates, from cultural to recreational hotspots, our communities create places for us to live, work, raise families, and play. Everyone might think theirs is the best, and while we don't want to insult hometown pride, for the second year, GoLocalProv gets to the bottom of it. What really is the best community in Rhode Island? What place, in a small state of 39 cities and towns, is the all-time best? Who gets the blue ribbon?"
Nearly two weeks before Verizon workers hit the picketline and before any news organizations were covering the labor-management showdown, GoLocal's news team broke the first of a sweeping range of stories of the strike that sent tens of thousands of worker out on strike.
"Hundreds of Verizon employees in Rhode Island will join about 35,000 workers nationwide in a labor strike if a fair contract cannot be reached by next Sunday, members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) confirmed this week.The group overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike if an agreement is not reached and CWA members are joining with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) to mobilize at worksites and public events across the country."
2) Top High Schools
Parents, teachers, coaches and most of all students love GoLocal's massive review of data and across all of the public high schools in the state. The Top High School Coverage generates hundreds of thousands of pageviews, endless comments on site and on social media, as well as praise and critique by educators.
"From #1 East Greenwich High School to #51 Mount Pleasant High School, you'll find every public, charter, and technical high school in Rhode Island. Where does your school fall?"
1) Chief Esserman
No story broke faster than Dan McGowan's exclusive story about high school students carrying cases of beer into and out of the home of the police chief of Providence. McGowan literally stood in front of the Chief home and watched the events that redefined the Chief's legacy in Providence and made every parent understand the issue of underage hosting.
GoLocal's coverage continued with the release of the Facebook invitation that invited the use of alcohol and drugs.
"Providence Police Chief Col. Dean Esserman stood on his front lawn and watched underage drinkers –carrying beer cans and cases of beer - leave his East Side home late Friday evening following a graduation party. Over the course of two hours, GoLocalProv viewed dozens of young people partying on Esserman’s property (which was decorated with balloons on the front law) and on the street near the home - a possible violation of state’s “social host” law."
Honorable Mentions:
GoLocal's Coverage of Shark Week
Breaking and on going coverage of the City firing all its teachers
Healthcare Industry and ongoing research
Central Falls Schools and Bankruptcy
State Pension Reform Coverage
