Rick Kogan gives high praise to Our Urban Times

Rick Kogan, gave high praises to Our Urban Times on his July 18 "Sunday Papers" radio show on Chicago's WGN 720 AM. "This kind of hyper local journalism ... is one aspect of the future of journalism," he commented.

During the half hour discussion with Elaine Coorens, Editor/Publisher of Our Urban Times they discussed the disengagement of people in their communities. Kogan stated that the electronic media, at least partially, is what has fractured people to people communications. "The irony is that you are using electronics (with Our Urban Times) to pull them back together."  The intent of Our Urban Times is that very thing, being a place where community can communicate. Coorens emphasized that point saying, "I truly believe that without communications, you have no community."

Kogan expressed his hope and belief that the big newspapers like the Chicago Tribune, for which he works, will survive the news media's paradigm change but that the local publications are important for the future. At a time when the demise of so many newspapers has reduced the opportunities for eager, passionate young journalists to gain experience, Kogan encouraged such people to contact Coorens and start working for her paper. Recognizing that at the moment the paper can not pay for their work, Kogan said, "I do believe that success is the residue of passion."

Kogan who is currently senior staff writer and columnist for the Chicago Tribune and host of the WGN-AM "Sunday Papers" radio program has among other things authored a dozen books, to date.  His career has spanned several decades working for the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune in addition to being Ann Landers' editor, during the last five years of her life, and being a cab driver, early in his career.

When Coorens was in the initial stages of planning the possibility of a new online publication last fall, she contacted Kogan to ask for his views on the idea and the media market. At that time, sitting in Ann Landers old office, he expressed his belief that the paradigm change rumbling through the media world was definitely creating the need for local reporting.

To listen to the entire Rick Kogan interview of Elaine Coorens, click here.