What makes a trend again? Today the Boston Phoenix is getting the media love, with not one, not two, but three stories getting link love in medialand. First it's David Bianculli's take on Colbert as a 'Comedy Rambo' (and how disquietingly hot does he look packing that rocket launcher?). That one got some love in Mediabistro's newsfeed and is currently enjoying pride of place on our very own HuffPo media page (Colbert = clicks, yo). But that's not all! Then the Phoenix got a coveted double-link from Romenesko, first for Steven Stark's piece claiming that Lou Dobbs would make an ideal independent presidential candidate, based on his "potential, platform, or populist appeal....As Dobbs goes, so goes the nation." SCARY. But still, eminently linkworthy. Romenesko adds a kicker to the Dobbs item: "ALSO IN THE PHOENIX: Are the media abetting the death of Boston politics?" Hm. I'll be honest, that one isn't exactly clickbait, but still, props for holding the inscrutable Jim Romenesko's attention long enough to eke out that second item (let's face it, BoPho, you could have easily been one of them side links ("Dobbs for Prez: Says Phoenix" would have sufficed).
Upshot: It's standard for the big pubs to get pickup in the wider media, but it's more of a challenge for the local-based alternative weeklies (Village Voice, hi! Where you been? Didn't you come out yesterday? This is a good hit at Giuliani, and Wayne Barrett didn't even write it! Why hasn't anyone picked it up yet? Also, Norman Mailer co-founded the Village Voice? I didn't know that! Why aren't you guys getting the word out? Did all your efforts at PR leave with Maggie Shnayerson? Send word, dammit!). So, anyhow, that's why we noticed that the Boston Phoenix had had a good day. And now, it has a fun new nickname! They should do a story on BriWi, then we can use as our headline: "BoPho on BriWi." It's the little things, people.