NewsBF proving itself an important news source

November 20, 2017

By editor Mike Weland If you wonder about the effectiveness of News Bonners Ferry as a source of news, the North Hill manhunt of Sunday evening might hold some answers. Unlike traditional news media, such as radio, television and newspaper, most of which, incidentally, also have websites, NewsBF is geared to take advantage of the internet to get accurate breaking news out as a situation develops, in real time, allowing the reader to take action in time to make a difference. Our first coverage of the incident went online on our Facebook page at 3:40 p.m. Sunday, minutes after the suspect bolted from an ISP traffic stop on the North Hill. We posted updates on that thread until I was able to contact Boundary County Sheriff Dave Kramer and get information warranting a second thread on the incident at 7:05 p.m. Both threads stayed updated until the suspect was taken to jail. Almost immediately after that first post went up, readers began tagging friends and family living in the affected area. Over 7,000 people were reached by that post, and 50 shared it on their own Facebook pages. Questions about the incident were asked and answered. The second post had a reach of 15,374 readers not long after the suspect was taken into custody at 8:18 p.m., and 151 people shared the thread, increasing its reach exponentially. And even as this event was unfolding, other news was happening in our community, and being reported. "You are truly an asset to our community!" one reader posted after the suspect was in custody. "I felt much safer after reading your posts and locking all the doors ... and very relieved to know he had been apprehended. Thank you for all you do!" An Idaho State Police photo was apparently released shortly before the incident came to a successful conclusion, but, as is disappointingly common, it was released to traditional media, based more on the habit of years than on the more effective coverage available when a new news media comes into being. It's not the fault of law enforcement; they're too busy responding to emergencies to take time to look at Facebook. Since its inception in 2011, NewsBF has provided fast, accurate and ongoing news coverage through snowstorms, floods and many other events that did more than tell what happened; we provided solid information of use to our readers, in time to make a difference. In so doing, we helped save property and lives. If we, this upstart new local news media, continue to faithfully do our job, emergency responders and public officials who are the best and most important source of accurate local news will come to see the value of what we provide and will remember to take us into account when they have important information to pass along. Until then, maybe you, our readers, can share with them your comments on how we do ... and how much more we will be able to do when we're included as part of their news stream! Oh, I am planning to write a follow up on last night's incident. I'm just waiting on my calls to be returned.