While one may be able to locate the occasional food column or trending eats piece in their local paper, larger media outlets don’t tend to offer much when it comes to drinks reporting. Of course, everybody eats and not everyone consumes alcohol, but is there a future in which regional publications will highlight elements of drinking culture in their own local communities?
It’s a nice idea in theory, and though not impossible, hyper-local reporting bears a few circumstantial burdens that challenge this notion’s viability. When writers are constantly looking at their county or small city for story inspiration, it can be hard to tell if a local trend is indeed a trend beyond city limits. Plus, it’s a hard truth, but in this industry, ad revenue keeps the lights on. Why would a Champagne house buy up ad space in a seldom-read newspaper serving Toledo, Ohio, when a similar sum can snag billboard real estate on a bustling nearby highway?
On this episode of the “VinePair Podcast,” Adam, Joanna, and Zach respond to a listener question about how local and regional media cover wine and the drinks industry more broadly: Can they do more than just report on openings and closings, and how does that work when there’s often a lack of expertise on the writing front? Tune in for more.
Zach is drinking: 1992 Kramer Vineyards Pinot Noir
Joanna is drinking: 50/50 Junipero Martini
Adam is drinking: Krug Grande Cuvée
