Topic

Media Criticism

Farmington Arrest Log, Two Versions: Weekly vs. Daily

Two publications cover the same Farmington, Connecticut police arrest log. One publishes weekly with five data fields and a wall of ads.

Peter Cellino·Apr 14, 2026

Mercury Local graphic. Notes on building local media, with local media in red italic, on a white background, above the line: What we built, what broke, and what we learned fixing it.

Why Local News Coverage Matters More Than Content

A single article attracts attention. Coverage accumulates it. The difference is the distance between a reader who found you once and a reader who comes back.

Peter Cellino·Mar 29, 2026

Mercury Local graphic. Notes on building local media, with local media in red italic, on a white background, above the line: What we built, what broke, and what we learned fixing it.

Why Your Local News Site Needs a Voice, Not Just a Template

Every local news site looks the same — and sounds the same. The real competitive advantage isn't your CMS template. It's a documented editorial voice enforced at the production level.

Peter Cellino·Mar 28, 2026

Mercury Local graphic. Notes on building local media, with local media in red italic, on a white background, above the line: What we built, what broke, and what we learned fixing it.

Panda Fest Charlotte Reopened After Fire Marshal Closed It

The fire marshal closed the gates Friday night, and the festival had reopened by Saturday morning.

Peter Cellino·Sep 13, 2025

Mercury Local graphic. Notes on building local media, with local media in red italic, on a white background, above the line: What we built, what broke, and what we learned fixing it.

Showing Up vs. Spinning Out: Mercury Local and Good Daily

Mercury Local uses AI to transcribe council debates, flag budget anomalies and archive public records, never to impersonate reporting.

Peter Cellino·Aug 19, 2025

Mercury Local graphic. Notes on building local media, with local media in red italic, on a white background, above the line: What we built, what broke, and what we learned fixing it.

Mercury Local vs QC News: Why Our Election Hub Is Different

What Sets Our Election Hub Apart — Charlotte voters heading into the 2025 municipal races have no shortage of election coverage.

Peter Cellino·Aug 19, 2025

Mercury Local graphic. Notes on building local media, with local media in red italic, on a white background, above the line: What we built, what broke, and what we learned fixing it.

The Attention Economy Is Collapsing. Good.

Why click-driven media failed—and what we're building instead.

Peter Cellino·Aug 6, 2025

Mercury Local graphic. Notes on building local media, with local media in red italic, on a white background, above the line: What we built, what broke, and what we learned fixing it.

How Mercury Local Covers Elections Differently From Local TV

Charlotte Voter Guides: Listing Names vs Explaining Power.

Peter Cellino·Aug 5, 2025

Mercury Local graphic. Notes on building local media, with local media in red italic, on a white background, above the line: What we built, what broke, and what we learned fixing it.

Media Criticism Stories | Mercury Local