Something stupid that journalists do.

[Perd Hapley]

They publish stories to their web sites, that say things like "A Springfield man was arrested Tuesday, for x reason."

Um, Springfield where? This ain't the local paper, folks. 

[vaskidmark]

So was he a bolt action?  What caliber?

And yet reportologists and copywriters make sure that the indicate the political affiliation of any Republican who becomes involved in some sordid event.  Perhaps the AP Style Book has had a recent revision?

stay safe.

[Boomhauer]

They publish stories to their web sites, that say things like "A Springfield man was arrested Tuesday, for x reason."

Um, Springfield where? This ain't the local paper, folks. 

That and "news" websites that originate from a local/regional newspaper...and don't give the town name and state in the bannerhead on the website or the byline of the article. To use your example, say "The Springfield Observer". You don't know whether that's referring to Springfield, MA or Springfield, IL, or Springfield, SC or whatever (there are several towns in the US with the name of Springfield, notably FIVE in Wisconsin). Given that web articles from a local or regional paper go viral quite often it's a point of aggravation to me.

[Cliffh]

What irks me is how they'll start a story on TV or radio, then refer you to their website to see the "rest of the story".

[Perd Hapley]

That and "news" websites that originate from a local/regional newspaper...and don't give the town name and state in the bannerhead on the website or the byline of the article. To use your example, say "The Springfield Observer". You don't know whether that's referring to Springfield, MA or Springfield, IL, or Springfield, SC or whatever (there are several towns in the US with the name of Springfield, notably FIVE in Wisconsin). Given that web articles from a local or regional paper go viral quite often it's a point of aggravation to me.

That's the same problem I'm talking about. If the web site identified its state of origin, I could just assume the story is from in-state. I'm assuming this is a carry-over from writing content for dead-tree papers, where most readers are local, and the newspaper's name identifies the locale.

[Boomhauer]

That's the same problem I'm talking about. If the web site identified its state of origin, I could just assume the story is from in-state. I'm assuming this is a carry-over from writing content for dead-tree papers, where most readers are local, and the newspaper's name identifies the locale.

I'm more of talking about when the big news sites like Fox or whatever picks up one of those local regional/local news articles and links to it and doesn't specify where...

[Perd Hapley]

I'm more of talking about when the big news sites like Fox or whatever picks up one of those local regional/local news articles and links to it and doesn't specify where...

That, too. 

[sm]

Someone once said, that news is a filler for the commercials.
Now I rarely watch TV, still I agree with the OP and subsequent posts.

Maybe all I want to be informed about, is the weather. No. I gotta wait until the commercial, then I am informed that "later in the newscast" the full weather report will be given .

Then there is the news stating in the later newscasts (6pm/11pm) "the full story will be presented".

Hence the reason I often just listen to the radio, or NOAA weather on 'puter, and even one of the TV stations that has nothing but weather, still presents local news on a smaller screen.