• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • NEWS+OPINIONS
    • NEWS TO US
    • COLUMNS
      • APPARENT HORIZON
      • DEAR READER
      • Close
    • LONGFORM FEATURES
    • OPINIONS
    • EDITORIAL
    • Close
  • ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
    • FILM
    • MUSIC
    • COMEDY
    • PERFORMING ARTS
    • VISUAL ARTS
    • Close
  • DINING+DRINKING
    • EATS
    • SIPS
    • Close
  • LIFESTYLE
    • CANNABIS
      • TALKING JOINTS MEMO
      • Close
    • WELLNESS
    • GTFO
    • Close
  • STUFF TO DO
  • TICKETS
  • ABOUT US
    • 5 DOUBLE-U’S
    • MASTHEAD
    • DISTRIBUTION
    • ADVERTISE
    • SUBMISSIONS
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • Close
  • BECOME A MEMBER

Dig Bos

The Dig - Boston's Only Newspaper

READ CURRENT STREET ISSUE

DIG Year End 2020

THEY’RE COVERING THE TSARNAEV TRIAL; WE’RE COVERING THEIR COVERAGE

Written by DIG STAFF Posted January 6, 2015 Filed Under: Media Farm, NEWS+OPINIONS

MF_TsarnaevCoverage_728px

Image by Tak Toyoshima

 

It’s much easier to talk shit than it is to actually perform. That’s not the only reason we’re abstaining from daily courtroom coverage of the Dzhokhar Tsarnaev trial, but it’s a damn good one. Truth is also that between the favoring of those contributing to dreadful pool reporting and the paperwork involved, the price of entry for a rag like the Dig is to bend over and surrender our alternative cred at the courthouse metal detector.

 

That said, while we may show up on a day pass occasionally, we have a role to play in calling out the rancid bullshit that will pass for journalism in the next few months. We’ll be morphing into Media Farm bitch mode every time an out-of-town reporter refers to Cambridge as Boston, when local hacks applaud the response of authorities without also noting interagency ineptitude, and … you get the picture. It might not be quite as horrid of a circus as the week after the bombing of the Boston Marathon, but you can expect the media to serve a mountain of manure.

 

We’ll be there with a shovel. And a slingshot.

 

–First and least interesting is the tedious procrastinatory litigiousness Tsarnaev’s legal crew has demonstrated thus far. Long story short: Due to everything from the nonstop media tsunami to the Dzhokhar fan club gathering outside of the federal courthouse, the alleged bomber’s lawyers don’t think he can get a fair trial on the South Boston waterfront. Everybody else, from Presiding Judge George O’Toole to the civil servant plunging the toilet in his private chambers, either disagrees or simply wishes to commence with proceedings. This is fairly easy stuff to cover, and the rare instance in which we trust everyone from Boston.com to WBZ not to fuck up.

 

–To catch up on the past few months for those who slept through so much stoner sensationalism, the press warmed up for the Tsarnaev spectacle by sleeping through the prosecution of his dumbass buddies. How clumsy were they? Most reporters lacked the sack to call out the trial of Robel Phillipos, for one, as the tangential distraction it was—even after former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis vouched for the kid, who happened to be a family friend. Mainstream stooges pick sides when they feel like it; just look at the hostile coverage of peaceful protesters and medical marijuana dispensaries. Ten ’oclock news hairdos could have injected some ’tude into their packages, but they chose to play it straight instead, and to ignore the epidemic of prosecutorial overreach.

 

–Hub writer Luke O’Neil rang in the new year with a bold feature on Boston.com that is more or less the only thing worth reading about the trial so far. Sure, we’re relying on Garrett Quinn at MassLive and a few others for reliable day-to-day courtroom updates, but in terms of thinking beyond the prosecutor’s narrative, O’Neil raises a number of important questions (as well as some that are not so important) through the lens of the fringe community posing them. In the city where FBI agents famously worked with notorious murderer-mobsters, this is a healthy activity.

 

–You bet we partook in the Boston Globe’s clever online wizard tooled to parse a theoretical jury for the bombing trial. We made it through a few inquiries—we’re over 18-years-old and under 70, and have no problem executing Jizz if he keeps showing up looking like a Bop Magazine centerfold. In the end though, we were denied a chance to serve; turns out they’ve had difficulties before when allowing semi-anonymous inanimate columns to determine the fate of mortals.

 

Fortunately, there’s no rule that prevents us from masquerading as the judge and jury of jurist journalism. Stay tuned …

 

[Media Farm is wrangled by DigBoston News + Features Editor Chris Faraone]

 

DIG STAFF

Dig Staff means this article was a collaborative effort. Teamwork, as we like to call it.

More from author
  • DIG STAFF
    https://digboston.com/author/dig-staff/
    VIDEO: JACK'S ABBY X BOSTON CELTICS PRIDE AND PARQUET HOPPY LAGER UNBOXING & TASTING
  • DIG STAFF
    https://digboston.com/author/dig-staff/
    WALSH TO WASH; JANEY TO BECOME 1ST BLACK BOSTON MAYOR & 1ST WOMAN TO LEAD CITY
  • DIG STAFF
    https://digboston.com/author/dig-staff/
    What have Massachusetts conservatives said about mob violence in Washington DC?
    MASS CONSERVATIVES MOSTLY MUM ON DC MOB, THOUGH CARR PUSHES CRACKPOT CONSPIRACY
  • DIG STAFF
    https://digboston.com/author/dig-staff/
    UFC FIGHTER WHO WAS JUST ON COVER OF DIG HAS BIGGEST WIN OF CAREER

Filed Under: Media Farm, NEWS+OPINIONS Tagged With: Boston, Boston Globe, marathon bombing, media criticism, Moakley, trial, Tsarnaev

WHAT’S NEW

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. HONORED, SPEAKERS ADDRESS RACISM

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. HONORED, SPEAKERS ADDRESS RACISM

FORMER MASS GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE PREDICTED VIOLENCE BEFORE ASSAULT ON CAPITOL

FORMER MASS GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE PREDICTED VIOLENCE BEFORE ASSAULT ON CAPITOL

PRISON HORRORS BY THE NUMBERS

PRISON HORRORS BY THE NUMBERS

Harry Brill. Photo courtesy of Gary Zabel.

RADICAL AND RELEVANT: THE LIFE OF HARRY BRILL

Aerial View Parkman Bandstand at Boston Common. CC BY-SA 4.0 2017 by AbhiSuryawanshi.

NO HONEYMOON FOR BIDEN: 1/20 PROTEST ON BOSTON COMMON, 4 PM

IT'S HARDER THAN EVER TO FIND A BATHROOM IN BOSTON. WHAT'S THE CITY DOING ABOUT IT?

IT’S HARDER THAN EVER TO FIND A BATHROOM IN BOSTON. WHAT’S THE CITY DOING ABOUT IT?

Primary Sidebar

HEMPIRE FREEDOM PACK 25% OFF

FEATURED EVENT

Most Popular

  • APPOINTED SOMERVILLE OFFICIAL SPURS OUTRAGE WITH TWEETS FROM DC MOB SCENE by MARC LEVY
  • Aerial View Parkman Bandstand at Boston Common. CC BY-SA 4.0 2017 by AbhiSuryawanshi. NO HONEYMOON FOR BIDEN: 1/20 PROTEST ON BOSTON COMMON, 4 PM by MATTHEW ANDREWS
  • VIDEO: COP WHO BRAGGED THAT HE HIT PROTESTERS SHOWS HOW BAD APPLES THRIVE IN BOSTON by CHRIS FARAONE
  • STATE LOOKS TO SPEND $75K TO PREVENT FUTURE STORROWINGS by DAN ATKINSON
  • IT’S HARDER THAN EVER TO FIND A BATHROOM IN BOSTON. WHAT’S THE CITY DOING ABOUT IT? by ZACK HUFFMAN

READ CURRENT MEMBER EDITION

DIG Member 1.9 – 11/26/20

READ CURRENT STREET ISSUE

DIG Year End 2020

Footer

digbos

RADICAL AND RELEVANT: THE LIFE OF HARRY BRILL http RADICAL AND RELEVANT: THE LIFE OF HARRY BRILL https://digboston.com/radical-and-relevant-the-life-of-harry-brill/ #obituary #organizer #radical #sociologist #democracy #politics @UMassBoston @BklynCollege411 @UCBerkeley #Boston #Massachusetts #NewYorkCity #Berkeley #California
NO HONEYMOON FOR BIDEN: 1/20 #PROTEST ON BOSTON CO NO HONEYMOON FOR BIDEN: 1/20 #PROTEST ON BOSTON COMMON, 4 PM https://digboston.com/no-honeymoon-for-biden-1-20-protest-on-boston-common-4-pm/ #opinion #progressive #left #action #inauguration #Boston #Massachusetts
Light and sweet and hoppy, we’re loving this lat Light and sweet and hoppy, we’re loving this latest incarnation of a #beer that’s been in the making for months. https://digboston.com/video-jacks-abby-x-boston-celtics-pride-and-parquet-hoppy-lager-unboxing-tasting/ #fun #video #review #Boston #Massachusetts
Jostling for position and influence are the disadv Jostling for position and influence are the disadvantaged candidates, existing industry participants, and municipalities … https://digboston.com/the-road-to-home-delivery-pt-5-dogs-in-the-fight-identifying-the-players/ #cannabis #politics #analysis #Massachusetts
The candidates will be interviewed about the upcom The candidates will be interviewed about the upcoming race. https://digboston.com/wu-and-campbell-to-speak-at-mayoral-candidate-webinar/ #politics #mayor #campaign #Boston #Massachusetts
Participants took to the streets in the hope of sw Participants took to the streets in the hope of swaying the Biden administration. https://digboston.com/on-national-day-of-action-protesters-call-for-eviction-moratorium/ #housing #justice #protest #national #Boston #Massachusetts
“They refuse to respond to this humanitarian cri “They refuse to respond to this humanitarian crisis where people really need them. We’re just ignoring this problem and it’s getting worse and worse.” https://digboston.com/its-harder-than-ever-to-find-a-bathroom-in-boston-whats-the-city-doing-about-it/ #politics #unhoused #homeless #bathroom #public #health #Boston #Massachusetts
Environmental #justice and #climate change advocat Environmental #justice and #climate change advocates are pushing for its passage. https://digboston.com/baker-urged-to-sign-game-changing-climate-bill/ #environment #globalwarming #legislation #politics #Massachusetts
In short, it’s amazing. For details, check the # In short, it’s amazing. For details, check the #video … https://digboston.com/video-night-shifts-tea-party-is-subtle-love-for-people-who-hate-most-hard-teas/ #review #fun #beer @NightShiftBeer
HOW TO DEFEAT THE HARD RIGHT: Some thoughts on the HOW TO DEFEAT THE HARD RIGHT: Some thoughts on the Capitol attack and building a more democratic nation. The latest from DigBoston's @jasonpramas. https://digboston.com/how-to-defeat-the-hard-right/ #democracy #politics #Capitol #US #America #attack #Biden #Trump #grassroots #movement #analysis #strategy #MAGA
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Social Buttons

DigBoston facebook DigBoston Twitter DigBoston Instagram

Masthead

About

Submissions

Advertise

Privacy Policy

Customer Service

Distribution

About Us

DigBoston is a one-stop nexus for everything worth doing or knowing in the Boston area. It's an alt-weekly, it's a website, it's an e-mail blast, it's a twitter account, it's that cool party that you were at last night ... hey, you're reading it, so it's gotta be good. For advertising inquiries: [email protected] To reach Editorial: [email protected] For internship opportunities: [email protected]