Folks started crowding into a chic, trendy, upscale, restaurant and lounge, the Red Maple, in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore, unfashionably early last Wednesday night as the Investigative Voice celebrated its first anniversary.
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The outside of the building is relatively non-descript and brought back memories of the delightfully quirky Martick’s Restaurant Francais. Once located at 214 West Mulberry Street; it was the behind the blue door and ring the secret doorbell eatery that had, as my memory serves me, little on the outside that indicated the exciting adventures in eating that were to be found within.
I walked right by the Red Maple several times before I spotted the “930” above the door. It looked as if Ayn Rand has designed the outer egg of the experience – a grand post-modernist yet relatively unadorned objectivist gray edifice. Of course, all the TV videographers hanging around outside could have been a clue. Well, duh.
Outside, it was relatively quiet, but once the glass door was opened, one entered another world of multi-layered synesthetic commotion. After one’s eye became adjusted to the darkened interior, the sounds blended with the colors, you tasted the shapes, heard the colors, and saw the sounds of a wall of folks standing shoulder-to-shoulder at the top of the stairs – in the upper room.
It was an uncanny impression in consideration of the synesthetic commotion one observes in the burgeoning new – web-based – media phenomena of which the event was celebrating…
It has not been since the early 1960s that such a profound shift has occurred in information delivery systems. It was around 1960 that more Americans got their news from TV instead of newspapers…
Increasing in today’s brave new technology era, more folks are increasingly getting their news from internet media, such as Investigative Voice, than TV or print media…
Immediately inside the door, the front room was relatively vacuous – as if the upper room had sucked all the air out of the room in a rapacious fit of needing all the available oxygen - with the exception of a lone sentry sitting at what seemed a leftover, after-thought little table with a white tablecloth.
He was friendly and identified himself as the dutiful spouse of part of the Investigative Voice management team – and he was there to collect my 20 bucks, which I gladly forked over to support the cause.
At the top of the steps I immediately encountered retired Baltimore Police detective Irving Bradley, who seemed much larger than life as he stood by the doorway.
Just beyond Detective Bradley, I spotted Stephen Janis, who along with fellow defunct Baltimore Examiner refugees, Luke Broadwater and Regina Holmes, gave birth to the Investigative Voice – well – a year ago.
As the media attempts to re-invent itself and adapt to the mercurial changes in technology, the Investigative Voice has been a model that has been studied nationwide.
It began from the ashes of the Baltimore Examiner’s demise last February. The first stories went up on the website about a week or so later …
Word of the new adventure-in-journalism spread quickly in the uniquely small community of tech savvy writers in Maryland.
An article in the City Paper by Chris Landers on April 1, 2009, “New Media Player - Will the future of journalism come from journalists?” called to our attention:
“The 2009 State of the News Media report by the Pew Research center is about as uplifting as a suicide note, but it does contain some hopeful notes for what may be coming next.
“One of the more promising new trends identified by the report is a number of new independent online ventures springing up around the country--specialized outlets, ‘often led and staffed by refugees from the mainstream press,’ providing ‘original reporting meant to fill what they see as an expanding void in what mainstream media now offer.’
“‘For now,’ the report continues, ‘our sense is that they represent something complementary to the traditional news media.’
Hmmm, you know, one may argue that increasingly the traditional news media complements the new media…
Investigative Voice is good example of the evolution of meaningful web-based media that has - thankfully - evolved from tacky blogs and the traditional print media pasted on to a web site. There are many good examples in the Maryland area.
The “celebration party” and the panel discussion featured at the event is another good example of the vertical integration of web-based media into the structure of a community that has embraced a meaningful interactive relationship with readers, instead of remaining inaccessibly and condescendingly above it all.
By way of Facebook, reader comments, and Twitter, new media is developing a relationship with readers and events such as last Wednesday’s event further involves the public that journalism serves.
The mission statement of Investigative Voice explains that it “is dedicated to providing ongoing, in-depth, and thoughtful investigative journalism to the city of Baltimore and beyond. We believe that citizens should actively participate in their governments and that being informed is a civic duty.
“To that end, we strive to shed light on the local governments and agencies that affect our lives, and to hold them accountable to constituents. Never shying away from controversy, the Investigative Voice staff offers another voice to Baltimore residents.”
Last Wednesday evening, Mr. Janis was his usual peripatetic whirlwind blur of activity. I always like being near Mr. Janis – he makes me feel well dressed.
Making his way to a table immediately to the stage left of the upper room was former Baltimore Police commissioner Ed Norris and I noticed Baltimore City NAACP president Dr. Marvin L. “Doc” Cheatham being swallowed by the crowd off in the distance.
They were all there, in addition to president of the Union Square Community organization, Chris Taylor, City Paper writer ‘Murder Ink’ Anna Ditkoff and former Baltimore mayor Sheila Dixon; for a panel discussion on Baltimore crime and the media.
In one way or another, all the panelists may quality as expert witnesses on Baltimore’s public policy approaches to crime.
Mr. Taylor is fresh at the table after being arrested for asking a question, err, ‘impeding an investigation.’ Not, that wasn’t it – the police finally settled upon ‘disturbing the peace’…
In an article by Investigative Voice by Mr. Janis on January 21, 2010, it was revealed that “on the eve of the trial,” prosecutors decided, ‘oh, nevermind,’ and dropped the charges…
The buzz was that the evening would be the first public appearance by former Mayor Dixon after she left office on February 4, 2010 as part of an agreement with prosecutors in the wake of charges of perjury, embezzlement, and the misuse of shoes while in office.
Mayor Dixon presented as her usual thoughtful intelligent self; a bit rested and articulate, yet still with her characteristic chip-on-her-shoulder ever-present edge.
However, in what was an otherwise wise, and indeed scholarly and academic hour-long discussion on the substantive, sociological, institutional, and public policy causality of crime; Mayor Dixon opened with an introduction that this was her second public appearance since she left office.
For the outside observer, it was a ‘cult of personality’ incongruous moment juxtaposed into a conversation about a city plagued with a nationwide perception of being dangerous and victimized with a ‘Mad Max’ or ‘Clockwork Orange’ variety of wonton, meaningless mayhem, and chaos.
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In response to Mr. Janis’ opening question about the role of the media with respect to crime in Baltimore City, all the panelists had thoughtful statistics-filled, analytical responses.
Particular poignant was Commissioner Norris’ response that the media fuels a perception of rampant crime in a city that seems remarkably lacking in outrage over the matter that Baltimore is considered to “still be one of the most dangerous places in the U.S.”
In the ensuing discussion, the panelists identified a certain superficial approach to crime in the city - that there is a lack of thoughtful insight and analysis in the media coverage of crime. After the ‘breaking news,’ the public is dropped off a cliff as to the whys, hows and whats of a particular event, as the happy talk continues…
In a weird irony, after an evening of intelligent give-and-take about the underlying systemic causation of crime in the city; traditional media coverage of the event seemed somewhat superficially preoccupied with the public resurrection and apparition of Mayor Dixon.
There was little coverage of the intelligent conversation of the root causes and possible long-term solutions that were brought-out in the panel discussion.
Moreover, Mayor Dixon’s presentation was essentially trivialized in the traditional media as an attempt on her part, to establish her historical legacy of decades of public service.
A keen contemporary new media observer could not have scripted the coverage by traditional media outlets any better to drive home the point as to why information dissemination platforms such as Investigative Voice are attracting so much interest and attention.
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In the panel discussion Wednesday evening, Mayor Dixon declared that there needs to be a balance in the media’s coverage of crime...
The former mayor explained her “three-prong” approach to crime, which included gun control, and a focus on the courts and prosecutor’s responsibilities for holding people who commit crimes responsible for their actions.
She explained the environmental, sociological, and educational impacts on crime and possible remedies as well as her third prong of prenatal care, childcare, and the responsibilities of the parents.
So when we talk about a cleaner, greener, healthier, and safer city, it wasn't just empty buzzwords, said Mayor Dixon.
In a follow-up question, Mr. Janis questioned the wisdom of, what is perceived to be, so many unwarranted arrests in which the charges are dropped or later proven to be without merit.
To which Dr. Cheatham explained that “we cannot arrest ourselves out of this (crime) problem.” We have to decide for ourselves, as a community, to address all the aspects of crime, said Dr. Cheatham. “We cannot police ourselves out of this problem.”
Doc Cheatham observed that during the administration of former-Baltimore mayor, now Maryland governor Martin O’Malley, crime did not go down in an era of record arrests.
However, Commissioner Norris was quick to note that many of the examples of unwarranted arrests – zero tolerance – occurred after he left office… “Everyone is referring to a time between my time and Mayor Dixon.”
As the discussion began to analyze comprehensive approaches to crime that go beyond simplistically putting all the blame on the mayor and the police commissioner, Mr. Taylor and Ms. Ditkoff only agreed to a point.
Each explained that the police department does have a significant responsibility. Everyone wants to pass the buck… It’s not my administration or my police department… We’re all responsible for this…, said Mr. Taylor.
“Politicians have destroyed this country,” decried Mr. Taylor.
Ms. Ditkoff volunteered an experience in which she was arrested at 6 a.m. one morning for failure to appear in court. In a story so often heard about Kafkaesque Baltimore experiences; she was not aware of the scheduled court appearance.
As a result, Ms. Ditkoff spend 19 hours in Central Booking and subjected to a humiliating strip-search, in which the door to the room in which she was bent-over and naked, was opened for her to be put on display.
The audience seemed to easily understand the points made Mr. Taylor and Ms. Ditkoff. That is, in a city that is perceived to be inundated with serious crime, why are their so many stories emanated from Baltimore about “a city parking agent … writing fake tickets,” bureaucratic ‘Catch-22’ nightmares, vexatious and meaningless arrests which result in a citizen being released without being charged?
All of which erodes the public’s faith and trust for their safety, further drives a flight of citizens and businesses from the city and perpetuates a perception of hopeless lawlessness and urban decay, while public officials bicker with each other as to who is to blame.
Mayor Dixon stressed a focus on the systemic issues underlying the cycle of crime. We need to develop a strong strategy… A long tern process… and we have to start somewhere. Each of us has to take responsibility and understand that it may not come from state and city government. We’ve got to focus on breaking cycles, articulated Mayor Dixon.
Commissioner Norris explained that in an environment when most Baltimore city school children do not graduate from high school, of failed social programs, and a variety of publicly institutionalized dysfunctia, police officers “work their asses off… the mayor’s office works their asses off…”
The police department (and the mayor’s office) have their role – but it is a role,” and not the role, said Commissioner Norris.
A further discussion developed about public drug policies after Mayor Dixon noted that Baltimore has been a drug-addicted city for 70 years.
Commissioner Norris said that doesn’t think any drugs ought to be illegal… As long as it is illegal, it will be in demand… We didn’t learn from Prohibition.
Detective Bradley backed him up by saying, “We have to take the profit out of drugs.”
After an hour-long discussion in which the role of the media, the police, the mayor’s office and how society needs to step back and take a comprehensive systemic approach to crime; Mr. Janis concluded the panel discussion portion of the evening.
The audience seemed quite satisfied with the in-depth and insightful discussion.
It should not go unnoticed that new media such as the Investigative Voice, is driving an analytical approach to not just what is happening in our community but why it is happening. A point not lost on Ms. Ditkoff, who explained that she always wants to know more than ‘what’ happened. “I want to know how things work.”
In addition to ‘how’ things work – or do not work, in the case of Baltimore - one point emphasized in the panel discussion is that we have to start somewhere to address the issues in our community. It would appear that although the Investigative Voice is only one year old, it represents that new media has taken one big step in the correct direction.
We all look forward to many more birthday celebrations.
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Photo captions:
“An evening with Investigative Voice” Collage by Kevin Dayhoff February 24, 2010 [20100224 IV party collage 2sm] Investigative Voice celebrated a birthday Wed night By Kevin Dayhoff Feb 25, 2010
http://tinyurl.com/ye6kkc4 #art
http://twitpic.com/15hxtx http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/post/416112944/an-evening-with-investigative-voice-collage-by http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=12159&id=1040426835&saved#!/photo.php?pid=979276&id=1040426835The Red Maple, at 930 North Charles St., in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore, was the scene of a one-year anniversary celebration for Investigative Voice. Photo by Kevin Dayhoff [20100224 IVAnnivPrty (18) c sm 930 Red Maple] Red Maple was scene of 1-yr anniversary celebration for Investigative Voice
http://tinyurl.com/ye6kkc4 http://twitpic.com/15kxaf http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/post/416316780/the-red-maple-at-930-north-charles-st-in-the http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=27398&id=1040426835&saved#!/photo.php?pid=979724&id=1040426835http://tinyurl.com/ye6kkc4 Investigative Voice co-founder Stephen Janis website brief bio:
http://tinyurl.com/yf7ohxd http://twitpic.com/15p7oihttp://www.investigativevoice.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=50 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=25713&id=1040426835&saved#!/photo.php?pid=979196&id=1040426835 http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/post/416027521/http-tinyurl-com-ye6kkc4-investigative-voiceInvestigative Voice Feb 24 Baltimore crime panelists included (left to right): Former Baltimore Police Commissioner Ed Norris, Retired Homicide Detective Irving Bradley, NAACP Baltimore City President Marvin L. 'Doc' Cheatham, Baltimore City Paper Reporter Anna Ditkoff, and Union Square Community Activist Chris Taylor, and former Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon. Photomontage By Kevin Dayhoff February 24, 2010 [20100224 IVAnnivPrtyPanelcomp sm] Investigative Voice Feb 24 Baltimore crime panelists included
http://tinyurl.com/ye6kkc4 http://twitpic.com/15lc5c http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/post/415008229/investigative-voice-feb-24-baltimore-crime http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/post/416032763/investigative-voice-feb-24-baltimore-crime http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=13661&id=1040426835&saved#!/photo.php?pid=979586&id=1040426835Investigative Voice co-founder Stephen Janis questions the panel about the role of the media with respect to crime in Baltimore City at an event last Wednesday night hosted by the new media news website. Photo by Kevin Dayhoff February 24, 2010. [20100224 IVAnnivPrty (12)c smJanis] Investigative Voice SJanis qs panel re media role w respect 2 crime n Baltimore
http://tinyurl.com/ye6kkc4 http://twitpic.com/15kzi5 http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/post/414945556/investigative-voice-co-founder-stephen-janis http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=25713&id=1040426835&saved#!/photo.php?pid=979574&id=1040426835Former Mayor Sheila Dixon makes a point, as Chris Taylor, president of the Union Square Community organization, looks on, at the Investigative Voice panel discussion February 24, 2010 Photo by Kevin Dayhoff [20100224 IVAnnivPrty (11) c sm Dixon] A public resurrection and apparition of former Baltimore Mayor Dixon
http://tinyurl.com/ye6kkc4 #photo #writing
http://twitpic.com/15hzk3 http://kevindayhoff.tumblr.com/post/414823036/former-mayor-sheila-dixon-makes-a-point-as-chris http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=979231&id=1040426835 http://tinyurl.com/ye6kkc4 http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2010/02/investigative-voice-celebrated-birthday.htmlBaltimore crime,
Crime,
Dayhoff Daily Photoblog,
Dayhoff on writing,
Dayhoff photos,
Dayhoff writing essays,
Media Commentary,
Media Investigative Voice
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Earlier today, Governor Martin O'Malley, on a U.S. Department of Defense-sponsored trip, arrived in Iraq where he will be meeting with Maryland troops and men and women of the Maryland National Guard on active duty in Iraq. 
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