Swimming in the Status Quo
Notes on New York's political information ecosystem
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Hi All,
You've heard it before: One fish asks, "How's the water?" to which the other replies, "What the hell is water?"
We often talk about stories under the mainstream media’s radar—about housing, street space, and climate action—not getting the attention they deserve amidst the presidential-polling and debate-analysis din.
But that’s not the full story. Sometimes, these issues do get covered—poorly. Articles about new homes only interview incumbent homeowners. Coverage of congestion pricing or outdoor dining is written from the driver and parker perspective.
When it comes to the New York politics information ecosystem, we’re all swimming in NIMBY water.
Primary voters, Community Board members, and attendees at community meetings are whiter, older, and more likely to be homeowners than their communities at large. Is it any surprise that mainstream publishers, editors, and writers are disproportionately status-quo-biased, too?
The stakes are high: many news organizations serving New York have shuttered or shifted away from local coverage, with more cuts happening every day. The remaining NIMBY press coverage—often reported from afar—fills the gap. Status quo framing seeps into social media discourse and conversations voters have with friends. Then New Yorkers walk into the voting booth believing that legalizing more housing only helps developers or that e-bikes are deadlier than cars.
Thankfully, there are local voices honestly covering housing affordability, street space, and climate action. Below, find and follow some of our favorites. They clarify the water we’re all swimming in, and help paint a clearer picture of the political and policy fights happening downstream.
Of course, you might not have time to bookmark and dig into all of these—curating and synthesizing these stories is what we’re here for!
Ryder
Some Favorite Names and Newsrooms
Ben Max, host of the Max Politics podcast and former Executive Editor of the now-defunct Gotham Gazette (an outlet in the local press graveyard), is a must-follow. He’s one of a few journalists asking leaders tough questions with an abundance-informed view—for example, asking Dan Garodnick why City of Yes for Housing Opportunity isn’t doing more to end our housing supply shortage.
Mara Gay is an editorial board member at the New York Times, bringing an abundance-aligned vision to their opinion page. Unfortunately, the Times deciding to stop endorsing in New York races—part of their broader abdication of local coverage—will seriously undermine their local policy influence.
When it comes to unveiling what’s happening in Albany and why, the nonprofit New York Focus is where it’s at. In particular, Sam Mellins has done essential reporting on housing supply mandates and congestion pricing, supplemented by great climate coverage from colleagues like Julia Rock and Colin Kinniburgh.
We’re also big fans of the new outlet Hell Gate, which speaks snarky truth to power about issues from opposition to affordable housing to opposition to open streets.
Other Names and Newsrooms to Know
Errol Louis is one of the most trusted voices in local news; he hosts Inside City Hall on NY1 and the You Decide podcast. For a flavor of his coverage, read his take on the Adams administration’s legal troubles.
Harry Siegel is an editor at The City and co-hosts its FAQ podcast. He shapes the overall narrative of New York there and in his Daily News columns; read his take on Adams, too.
The Daily News does solid local reporting, and its editorial board is consistently pro-housing. On the other hand, the New York Post is very much a defender of the NIMBY and car-first status quo.
City & State picks up where newspapers’ local coverage has left off, with wide-ranging coverage of power players in Albany and at City Hall—like today’s deep dive into new mayoral candidate Jessica Ramos. Ditto Politico New York and Gothamist (from budget-cutting WNYC). WNYC is also home to Brian Lehrer, whose radio show unfortunately often leans towards the NIMBY framing we lament in many of New York’s newsrooms.