On Strike

Originally uploaded by techno_chic.

The strike is a really good example of how frustrating it can be in this city to get accurate and up-to-date information on what’s going on in Vancouver news wise from the internet. The two major dailies in town have websites that are complete crap, and generally at least a day behind the times because they’re terrified of cannibalizing their print editions. Check The Province to see what I mean [vp].

As always the CBC is a by far the best source of information online [cbc] and have a few new stories and updates on the strike as it enters its second day. From environmentalists who hope that this will be what you might call a teaching moment, about recycling, reducing and reusing [cbc]. They also have the story on the unions’ are targeting community centres making locals have to find other people to care for their kids instead of the city run daycares. They also have a handy update on what is affected by the strike [cbc].

Which begs the question why can’t anyone else run a website as good for local news as the Ceeb? It’s something I’ve harped on before, especially when Metroblogging Vancouver managed to inform readers of the impending water boil advisory a full day before any other online source [mbv], we’ve got a real shortage of news sources. Local blogs like Beyond Robson [br], Urban Vancouver [uv] and us mainly aggregate the news since we lack the resources for full time reporters, or even part time ones.

Where is Vancouver’s great online news source? If even cities like Kelowna can manage to support an online news outlet [cn] why can’t we? If you want to point to the Tyee [tt] then please note that their main page doesn’t even mention the strike and really they’re brilliant but it’s a features site and not a news site.

Related posts:

1. Fall Teachers Strike?
2. You Can Drink the Water
3. The water is still not safe but coffee is
4. Metroblogging Poll: Possible Skytrain Strike
5. Strike one out, two strikes remain