Liking The Technician’s Final Four coverage — and questioning that New York Times story

Bill Church
·4 min read

No one wants to pick a favorite among their children — although I’m clearly my Mom’s — but I’m not apologizing.

Not apologizing for my Mom’s good taste.

Not apologizing for my favorite news initiative at The News & Observer.

I recently mentioned how The N&O has launched four new initiatives focused on our subscribers. The efforts lean heavily on accountability journalism that looks after the public interests of our communities. We’re also paying attention to what makes the Triangle and North Carolina unique, and how we can take you behind the scenes of news coverage.

NC Reality Check, Uniquely NC, NC Inside Look. and Inside the Spotlight seem to be resonating for subscribers, based upon our digital audience analytics.

My soft spot, though, is for NC Reality Check, an ongoing N&O series holding those in power accountable and shining a light on public issues that affect the Triangle or North Carolina. (Have a suggestion for a future story? Email realitycheck@newsobserver.com)

Accountability journalism can range from complex investigative reports to asking questions on how local agencies are spending taxpayer dollars. There’s a level of fact-checking and truth-telling that is important and inspiring.

NC Reality Check

Recent NC Reality Check examples of this wide range of N&O watchdog stories include Tammy Grubb’s explainer on why Orange County voters are being asked to repair schools, Adam Wagner’s analysis on how a Supreme Court decision could affect wetlands development in the state, and David Raynor’s data report on the condition of NC bridges.

The role of editor often gets cast as Mikey, the kid who hates everything from the Life cereal commercials of the 1970s. (How impactful is Mikey? He shows up on Reddit and TikTok.)

Truth is, I’m tired.

It’s been a busy week and Managing Editor Thad Ogburn expects me to turn in this column well in advance of Monday’s eclipse — or the space will go dark.

Plus, my wife headed to Texas to see the eclipse and hug grandbabies, yet instructed me to eat healthy and avoid nachos and spicy wings. (She knows the weekend was all about lounging and watching the Final Fours.)

So, in the spirit of this busy week and getting the column done, this cereal-loving editor channels Mikey and puts an NC Reality Check shadow on stories that caught my attention:

A Mikey Likes Totality to … the Technician , North Carolina State’s campus news organization. The staff put in extra effort to chronicle the Final Four appearances of both the men’s and women’s basketball teams. The Technician’s “Why Not Both?” headline for their special edition was well-designed, clever and got plenty of social-media coverage.

The April 4 cover of “Technician”, the student newspaper at NC State.
The April 4 cover of “Technician”, the student newspaper at NC State.

A Mikey Hates Totality to … a navel-gazing, stereotype-burping profile on State’s basketball fortunes from the How-Quaint-Is-America department of an urban-based publication near a bus terminal and an Applebee’s. Usually I’d hyperlink to the story, but doing so feels like sending you a coupon code to an Elvis-Is-Alive! site. It’s not my norm to hurl (many) stones at other news outlets, so let’s put it this way: Only 15 universities have won two or more NCAA men’s basketball titles. Three of them — or 20 percent of the multi-champs — are in the Triangle. The center of the college basketball universe hasn’t changed.

Applebee’s, superstitions and basketball

Speaking of Applebee’s, a Mikey Likes Partially to … the State fans who stood in a winding line to see star players DJ Burns Jr. and DJ Horne sign autographs at a Raleigh Applebee’s. The N&O’s Travis Long has captured photos of massive bears and water-ravaged beach houses, but it’s the first time he’s used a drone to capture a line at a chain restaurant. The only question: Were they there for the players or mozzarella sticks? We’re also not sure if Mikey would be an Applebee’s regular.

There are other N&O stories that deserve your attention. Mikey would LOVE TOTALITY Brooke Cain’s first-person on the positivity of superstitions and Andrew Carter’s ode to life, love and basketball.

Thank you for being our reality check.

Now, it’s time.

The column is done, And I need to buy chips, avocados and wings.

I’ll go easy on the seasonings. That’ll make it healthy.

Bill Church is executive editor of The News & Observer.