Here at Press Pass TV we see ourselves as a resource for the community to get their stories out and voice their issues to a broader audience. For that reason, we were thrilled yesterday when the Dorchester Reporter and Open Media Boston picked up our story on concerned neighbors in Dorchester. We’re looking forward to building strong collaborations with both of these wonderful community news outlets.

In addition to these, we had also sent the piece out to other local news outlets like the Boston Globe and WHDH Channel 7, our local NBC affiliate station. We were concerned that this story, which happened on Friday had gone unnoticed over the weekend. All we asked was that any other news outlets that used the story let us know.

So we were surprised last night when we saw the story on the Channel 7 11 O’Clock News. Unlike Open Media Boston and the Dorchester Reporter, who were excited to promoted the wonderful work of Boston youth, WHDH sent out their own crew to interview the same people that we had already spoken to, capture similar b-roll, and add a few formulaic sensationalist twists.

Part of the mission here at Press Pass TV is to use the news as a source of empowerment, community building and to inspire people to action. We were happy to feature Darrin Howell, Cassie Grice and their neighbors in their dialogue about solutions to keep their children and their neighborhood safe. The story featured here on Channel 7 does none of those things, and instead perpetuates a lot of the hopelessness and fear we see young people already feeling about their commmunities

Not only are we disappointed that NBC would chase a story already covered by youth without giving them any credit for breaking it, we are also saddened by their portrayal of our community. Check out our story in the post below, and the NBC story here, and let us know what you think. Also, be sure to write to NBC and let them know that you demand better for your community!