Media giant buys Detroit home for reporters to track city

[Meddle]

Posted: Aug. 16, 2009
Media giant buys Detroit home for reporters to track city

BY BILL McGRAW
MOTOR CITY JOURNAL

You can take a short-term view of Detroit's problems or you can settle in for the long haul and see what happens.

Media giant Time Inc. has chosen the latter, bringing a kind of immersion journalism to the city as Detroit undergoes epic physical and cultural changes and the domestic auto industry struggles to get from survival mode into high gear.

Time, which publishes Time, Sports Illustrated, People and Money, among more than 100 magazines worldwide, has bought a five-bedroom house in Detroit's West Village and will set up shop to chronicle the fortunes of the city and the auto industry. Though many national and foreign reporters have done snapshot stories from Detroit in the past year, Time is apparently going for a live-in look. A company spokesman said only that "we're not ready to share details" of the project.

Well, it is one heck of a story, as folks around here know all too well. And it's a long way from over.

Project has neighbors buzzing

The buzz along the fancy part of Parker Avenue this summer was about the buyer of the handsome stucco house that had been vacant for more than two years.

Word on the street was the buyer was a literate and powerful New Yorker with global connections and staggering wealth. Sure enough, the buyer's current address, according to real estate records, turned out to be 1271 Avenue of the Americas, a Manhattan skyscraper.

Parker Avenue, meet your new neighbor: Time Inc., the legendary media colossus.

In a highly unusual decision for a news organization, Time has purchased a 95-year-old house in Detroit's historic West Village neighborhood, next to Indian Village. The home will serve as a base of operations for months -- and perhaps a couple of years -- as Time's various publications cast a unique spotlight on Detroit and chronicle its increasingly desperate struggle to reinvent itself.

A Time reporter has told acquaintances he will move in before the end of summer. People familiar with the project said news coverage would be provided by staffers from several of Time Inc.'s more than 100 magazines, which include Time, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, Money, People, Essence and Entertainment Weekly.

Continued: http://freep.com/article/20090816/CO...-to-track-city

[davewindsor]

The article says Time bought a 5 bed, 3 bath house with a spacious backyard on Parker, next to Indian Village, for $99,000 that sold for $252,000 in 2007. Anyone know how many square feet that "spacious" lot and house is? What do you think the yearly taxes would be?

[luckycar]

Are they going to send kids into the DPS?Will they shop at a party store?Will they try to get to a a job in the burbs in the winter on a bus?Will they eat at places in the city away from downtown?Will they pay out of their own pocket for insurance?Just thinking out loud...

[Patrick]

Are they going to have stripper and baseball bat parties with all their homies coming too?

[hudkina]

Are they going to move to the suburbs/sunbelt and then cry and moan about the city on Detroityes every single day while making snarky jokes that aren't particularly funny?

[Buy American]

If the thugs read and pick up a newspaper, I wonder how long it will be before the house is broken into, vandalized, or set on fire?

[Patrick]

If the thugs read and pick up a newspaper, I wonder how long it will be before the house is broken into, vandalized, or set on fire?

This house will become a prime target for thugs and thieves. There is not a doubt in my mind about that. I hope they have good insurance and some dogs or a security staff. If it becomes known that they have expensive equipment in the house, it will be scouted and scoped. If people go through the trouble to steal a bit of scrap metal off of a 15 story building, then it isn't much of a stretch to go after this sitting duck.

[lilpup]

I wonder what they're expecting to find and what their preconception is.

I also wonder if they'll have established journalists come through or newbies - if this will be a break-in training ground, become their purgatory for journos in the doghouse, or become the plum assignment for their happy-go-lucky freewheelers [[or will it be the new Iraq?)

[Buy American]

This house will become a prime target for thugs and thieves. There is not a doubt in my mind about that. I hope they have good insurance and some dogs or a security staff. If it becomes known that they have expensive equipment in the house, it will be scouted and scoped. If people go through the trouble to steal a bit of scrap metal off of a 15 story building, then it isn't much of a stretch to go after this sitting duck.

Unfortunately, the good people of Detroit, the ones who still care what happens in their City, will have to suffer again because of the criminal element that exists in Detroit. It won't be local news either....this will make it more widespread news than ever, Time Magazine has a huge circulation....actually, worldwide. There is no hope for a Detroit recovery anytime in the near future....not until there are enough police to patrol the streets, enough courtrooms to hear the cases, enough juries to convict criminals and enough jail cells to house them. OR, until the thugs see that all they are doing is killing each other, driving citizens out, and wake up and see the error of their ways. Does anyone think that will happen?

[Patrick]

Detroit has become a case-study rather than an actual city for people to visit. In many cases, tourists come to cities to see museums, culture, nightliufe, shopping. Now, we see people coming here to view and "study" the neglect and bullshit that happens here. We see European news crews coming here trying to piece together decay and they end up leaving even more confused thatn when they arrived.

[Oldertimer]

I lived on Parker just off Mack back in the 50s. Didn't know there was a fancy section of Parker.

[lilpup]

Detroit has become a case-study rather than an actual city for people to visit. In many cases, tourists come to cities to see museums, culture, nightliufe, shopping. Now, we see people coming here to view and "study" the neglect and bullshit that happens here. We see European news crews coming here trying to piece together decay and they end up leaving even more confused thatn when they arrived.

That's because they come with an expectation of what they're going to find and it clashes with reality.

[Sstashmoo]

Quote: "This house will become a prime target for thugs and thieves."

That's exactly what they are hoping. These "reporters" aren't coming here to help Detroit. They are here to build a show they can sell to their advertisers/line their pockets. Exploitation 101.

[lilpup]

Maybe there should be a DYes Welcome Wagon arranged.

[Patrick]

That's because they come with an expectation of what they're going to find and it clashes with reality.

Are they going to send a bunch of reporters with the typical coastal mentality OR will they use local talent?

[lilpup]

I don't know why they'd buy a house if they intend to use local talent.
You know how it's always said here the best way for tourists to see Detroit is to hook up with a local? My guess is they want at least one guy longer term local to try to learn the place and establish connections so to serve as the 'insider' for any others who turn up for specific stories or event coverage.

I don't know if a few months will do it, though. Hopefully they'll stick around for a few years and really gain an understanding of our take on things. There's no reason they can't write a lot of the national stories they do from here like they currently do from other cities.

[brandon48202]

The house they bought is at 1087 Parker.

2008 property taxes: $9691.

[Russix]

Will people who break into their house be interviewed?

[dove-7]

Unfortunately, the good people of Detroit, the ones who still care what happens in their City, will have to suffer again because of the criminal element that exists in Detroit. It won't be local news either....this will make it more widespread news than ever, Time Magazine has a huge circulation....actually, worldwide. There is no hope for a Detroit recovery anytime in the near future....not until there are enough police to patrol the streets, enough courtrooms to hear the cases, enough juries to convict criminals and enough jail cells to house them. OR, until the thugs see that all they are doing is killing each other, driving citizens out, and wake up and see the error of their ways. Does anyone think that will happen?

No it won't happen until some of you get off of your soap box and stop putting a big magnifying glass on one issue and start looking at multiple issues. Funny, I haven't been on this site multi-years and the same ole circular arguments on why Detroit won't make it continues and humors me.

As both a once resident of the metro and now a resident of Bay area Cali. it gives me an opportunity to see things from both inside and outside; but that's nothing new, I've lived in other major cities before the Cali. transition.

Detroit's demise has been going on way before the crime issue, "thug crime" is just one of many 'criminal' elements that plaque Detroit. Your biggest "criminal" issue is the politics in your State. Always have been and seem like, always will be.

Oakland and San Francisco has major crime, but the cities still thrive. There are gangs here and murders happen here frequent. We just had another child missing in the past two to three months; you can put million cops in Detroit to protect the non existing tourist, jobs etc. but until they change the dated control of how things should work, the economy will continue to suck, transit will suck, auto industry sucks; the irony of that is the one that suck major, is the only one that is doing well out of the Big three. Ford Motors. Ironic too is your name, 'Buy American.' That Buy American crappy 'crap' is why Detroit's auto industry is in the toilet and part of the reason why the transit can't flourish. Sell better made cars and people will buy and not buy into "we'll sell you what you need and not what you want." Hence why people have finally wised up and they need a bail out while flying on private jets. It's the type of thinking, including your post that prevent Detroit from prospering.

Those examples and other examples that I haven't posted are playing major roles in Detroit's demise.

[lilpup]

Given the California won't even accept it's own scrip for payments owed to the state, I don't think anyone in California who disses Detroit's or Michigan's politics and economics relative to California's has much to stand on.

[Sstashmoo]

Quote: ""we'll sell you what you need and not what you want."

Oh please, talk about stupid redundant arguments.

They built SUV's because SUV's were selling. If nobody "needed" or really "wanted" them why did all the Asian crap manufacturers try to get in to the SUV and truck market?

Hind sight is 20-20. And so typical of the California mentality, clueless. Yeah California really knows how to run a state, they are paying their contractors and vendors with IOU's that they won't even honor for state taxes. If you're going to use a state as an example of fiscal responsibility and sound judgement, it would behoove you to omit California from your argument.

[dove-7]

Given the California won't even accept it's own scrip for payments owed to the state, I don't think anyone in California who disses Detroit's or Michigan's politics and economics relative to California's has much to stand on.

Well,

you can play the tit for tat all that you want; reads more like someone is touchy, but you won't get any argument out of me on that Cali. point; if you took your time and read my point right before your knee jerk reaction reply, you'd see that I'm just stating the facts which don't equate to dissing.

[crawford]

Oakland and San Francisco has major crime, but the cities still thrive.

Oakland is not thriving at all. It's one of the least desirable cities in Northern California, and most Bay Area residents regard it as "ghetto".

San Francisco is thriving, but does not have a crime rate comparable to Oakland or Detroit [[though you're right that it does have considerable crime).

[dove-7]

Quote: ""we'll sell you what you need and not what you want."

Oh please, talk about stupid redundant arguments.

They built SUV's because SUV's were selling. If nobody "needed" or really "wanted" them why did all the Asian crap manufacturers try to get in to the SUV and truck market?

Hind sight is 20-20. And so typical of the California mentality, clueless. Yeah California really knows how to run a state, they are paying their contractors and vendors with IOU's that they won't even honor for state taxes. If you're going to use a state as an example of fiscal responsibility and sound judgement, it would behoove you to omit California from your argument.

Sensitive much? When I used Cali. as an example it was more related to the major cities in my area. As far as Cali being in a negative, no doubt about it. but hey most of the county is. My point wasn't to make this a Cali. vs Michigan, thing, but my experience living in different cities, the bay area example is used because I live here, and I laugh at people on here that want to blame crime as the sole reason why Detroit is heading down the toilet. Oakland and San Francisco was used to show similar issues. So my point is relative.

As for Japanese crap, you can get emotional all that you want, but they're not asking for a bail out and having to shut down car dealers. Funny, the dealers that are selling the most cars through this junk for new cars are the Japanese and Ford. Perhaps the other two can learn a trick or two from them. Seeing that Ford is right next door, it's a cheaper drive down the road.

[lilpup]

If you were stating facts you'd state the fact that despite your opinion of Big 3 cars, GM has never been outsold in the US market by any Asian manufacturer and Ford has also outsold the Asian companies a few months this year.

You'd also state that, if not for the mess that is the investment banks, GM and Chrysler wouldn't have needed to use the government as financier or have been forced through bankruptcy.

But, nooooo, it's all because Detroit has sucked for thirty years, despite being the mainstay industry of middle class America.