Patch-Inspired Media Storm Underscores Value of Community Journalism

If there’s one constant in politics, it’s that you can expect a gubernatorial scandal—or an ex-gubernatorial disgrace if you live in California—with as much regularity as a hurricane in the mid-West or the Santa Anas closer to home.

What’s harder to count on is that the media will be on hand to document the scandal literally as it unfolds—catching a given political culprit with his or her pants down.

But when that does happen, it not only generates big news—it’s an occasion for our public watchdogs to feel good about the work they do.

At Patch, we recently had such a moment: In distant New Jersey, Patch photographer Christopher Costa took a photo of the state’s governor, Chris Christie, using a state helicopter to get to his son’s high school baseball game. The expose ripped through the media world like a tornado, forcing the errant governor to reimburse the state for his private trip.

The news also demonstrated the great value of community journalism. In a world that is said to be rapidly shrinking, it was Patch—and not the New York Times or the networks—that broke the story.

The occasion also prompted a moment of reflection by Patch Editor-in-Chief Brian Farnham about Patch’s role in our rapidly changing media landscape. You can read about it—and catch a glimpse of the Garden State’s governor caught in the act—by clicking here.