Local paper produces amazing record of September 11 and its aftermath

It’s often difficult when considering past work to determine whether your memory is too critical or too kind. But looking back at the sustained coverage provided to Livingston County after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 was eye opening: The work done by the staff of the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus (then Michigan’s newest daily newspaper) on the first big story it ever covered was breathtaking.

The sustained local news coverage captured the horror of the attacks, and the love and resilience of the community in its response. While its heart was broken, the community’s spirit kept it moving forward.

I’ve assembled the paper from Sept. 12, 2001, for an interesting and informative look back at how residents of Livingston County struggled through the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks together.

This kind of coverage — intense, deep, local — couldn’t happen today. Changes in the news industry have been sweeping and dramatic, and Livingston County is now treated as part of a wider (and generally unrelated) audience by chain news outlets. It’s so frustrating that you can’t tell from headlines whether the story happened across the street or on the other side of the state. (Thank goodness for truly local news sources like The Livingston Post and The Fowlerville News and Views.)

And social media has changed the way we consume news. Coverage is fractured and often inaccurate. Instead of being in the community, pounding the pavement, and working sources, reporters camp out on Facebook. No wonder news coverage is fractured, something reflected in how we interact with one another.

Just think: 25 years ago, the editorial staff of the paper consisted of 22 people, each of whom worked tirelessly to cover September 11. I am listing the staff members here to recognize them for the amazing work they produced under heartbreaking circumstances: Gillis Benedict, Andrew Domino, Frank Dimich, Kasey Everly, Phil Jerome, Kristin Łukowski, Lon Medd, Buddy Moorehouse, Christopher Nagy, Chandra Orr, Candy Parent, Megan Pennefather, Rich Perlberg, Scott Piper, Tim Robinson, Kevin Shopshire, Maria Stuart, Jim Totten, David Troppens, Al Ward, Diana Wells, and Jon Zemke.

I’ve also assembled some of the front pages from throughout the month of September 2001. I found this look back interesting and informative, and I’m hoping you do too.

You can click on the various front pages to get a larger view.