Who is really responsible for the loss of revenue to retail, entertainment and business in Chicago during NATO?
Who in their right mind would predict a blizzard in May, a storm so big it would incite fear in citizens to the point of having them hide under their mattress rather than live their lives as usual? Who gained audience share, while business in Chicago was reduced not by actions but by advance reporting? Who is entrusted to report only the facts in a balanced and just way?
The Chicago news media. And if it was a negative story you wanted, Chicago media delivered.
In the buildup to NATO, newscasters became weathermen, forecasting rather than reporting, spreading conjecture rather than fact and stirring up the city while raising their ratings. Chicago newscasters prophesied a storm so big it incited fear in the minds of rational citizens and business leaders — so much so that many businesses closed across the city with no real logic other than the impending doom.
Whose gain was this, and who should be held accountable?
Our media may have gained the interest of their audience, but they forgot that we entrust them to speak the truth, not their thoughts and opinions. We expect them to report facts and do it in a balanced way. This is not what happened.
In advance of NATO, reporters scoured the streets of the city looking only for negative stories. Why? Because they sell. Well, guess what? It was business as usual for those of us who saw NATO as economic development aimed at helping position Chicago to the international traveler and reinforcing Chicago’s stature as a world-class city.
Who is really responsible for any short-term loss of revenue to retail, entertainment and business in Chicago? The protesters? No, they were primarily peaceful. The motorcades? No, those interruptions were momentary. Chicago leadership? No, they orchestrated one of the best international events imaginable.
It was the Chicago media.
The move to elevate Chicago on the world stage comes about only with bold moves, moves that tie the city’s name and the visitor’s experience into discussions that take place around the world. This time the negative story the press so loves to cover should be about the harm it caused Chicago by crying fire in the crowded theater that is the streets of this city.
Lou Raizin is president of Broadway in Chicago.
