When we asked reporter Daniel Libit to follow the Rod Blagojevich corruption trial for us, we at the Chicago News Cooperative got more than we bargained for. Thankfully.
When we asked reporter Daniel Libit to follow the Rod Blagojevich corruption trial for us, we at the Chicago News Cooperative got more than we bargained for. Thankfully. You see, Daniel came to us after a stint at Politico, the upstart political news operation that has taken Washington, D.C. by storm. With its stable of both young and veteran reporters, Politico and its aggressive website, has established itself, in short order, as a must-read for anyone focused on politics. Reporters write for a print publication, frequently update the site, Politico.com, and can be counted on to supply content in many other ways. In sum, Politico reporters (like so many at other digital media operations) are busy.
Libit will be busy for us. He already is. On Day 1 of the trial Thursday, he blogged (more on that in another note soon), wrote stories, worked with other news partners who are linking to CNC content, and blogged some more. This was just the start. He will be doing this every day for us through the end of the ex-governor’s trial. Other reporters will be busy too. While Daniel was waiting for a seat at the trial today sending dispatches on from inside the courthouse, reporter Ash-har Quraishi was outside with a camera shooting video of Blagojevich’s arrival. That video was uploaded quickly on our site and was then used by other sites all around the country. Photographers John Konstantaras and Jose More also were down at the Dirksen Federal Building to capture more of the Blagojevich spectacle, which you can view in a powerful photo gallery on our site.
Why all this? We know that reading habits have changed dramatically. We understand that one-size-fits-all journalism is a thing of the past. We know that readers like to get their news in different ways through different devices. And to meet those new challenges, we need to meet you, the reader, where you want us. That’s how we’re building our newsroom. Blogs, video, tweets, photo galleries and print stories. Soon it will be difficult not to see us.
As part of our ongoing Blagojevich coverage in print, Daniel takes a look atwhat’s riding on U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald’s office as it gets set to prosecute what may be the most important case in years. Daniel finds that institutional knowledge based on decades of prosecuting corruption here gives the office an advantage.
Columnist Jim Warren views the Blagojevich affair through a different lens. While the former governor was facing the embarrassment of a corruption trial, just a few blocks away another major political figure was being lauded for public work. Mayor Richard Daley was on hand for praise by the theater industry on the 10th anniversary of the transformation of the Loop theater district. The contrast, as you might expect, was stark.
For hockey fans salivating over the prospect of witnessing a potential dynasty in this young Chicago Blackhawks team, Dan McGrath delivers the cold reality that the organization may not be able to keep this team together for long.
The N.H.L’s hard salary cap rules make it virtually impossible to build a dynasty these days. Many Hawks stars are tied up in contracts for the next couple of years, but several supporting players who helped get the team to the Stanley Cup Finals may be gone next year. Dan suggests we savor it while it lasts.
Finally, Giovanna Breu introduces us to the Kid’s Advisory Board of Children’s Memorial Hospital where we meet 17-year-old Kendall Ciesemier who is helping high-priced architects design the new$915 million hospital. This isn’t a token gesture to design what goes on the walls of hospital rooms. Kids like Kendall, who have spent time at the hospital dealing with serious illnesses, are helping design the space at the hospital. Read how the process is working and how plans have changed dramatically to meet the needs of those who spend the most time there.
Thanks for reading.