Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Story 4 Final Draft


Flood of National Coverage for the City of Austin

A view of Austin’s capitol from the South Congress Bridge (Photo courtesy of www.haggardandhalloo.com)

CNN Newsroom is a well-respected broadcast that is designed to provide up-to-date news on a global scale via the latest technology, newest social mediums and world-class journalism. The coverage provided by such an esteemed broadcast influences viewers.
During a broadcast on March 15, Newsroom anchor, Brooke Baldwin, said, “…Austin, best city ever.” Baldwin followed the comment with a tweet later that day.



Austin wrapped up its most successful South by Southwest (SXSW) festival on March 18. The annual event consists of music, film and interactive components that entertain the city, and visitors, for 2 weeks.
Thanks to Austin’s central location, Texans are able to experience all that the city offers. Michelle Rodgers of Harker Heights, Texas, visited SXSW to see the artist Bob Schneider perform at Stubb’s Bar-B-Q (Stubb’s).
“I love that Austin has received so much attention lately. It is such an amazing city, and deserves recognition. This was my first year to visit South by Southwest and I’m more than glad that I did,” said Rodgers. “I plan on attending more events next year.”
TV personality Rachael Ray hosted her annual Feedback party at Stubb’s as part of SXSW. Musical acts such as She and Him, Train and ZZ Top performed at the free event that also featured fun finger foods Ray formulated for her event.

         Between performances Ray brought a couple up to the stage for a surprise marriage proposal. (Addie Broyles WWW.AUSTIN360.COM)

Austin’s national popularity continues to grow while maintaining its diverse, “Keep Austin Weird,” fun-loving persona thanks to SXSW and similar events. Other annual events hosted by the city include Austin City Limits, Old Pecan Street Festival and the Austin Reggae Festival. Thanks to the most recent SXSW festival, Austin maintained a steady stream of attention from the national press throughout March.
         A few weeks before the beginning of SXSW, The New York Times published the article “36 hours in Austin, Tex.”  The feature acts as a travel guide for visitors as well as locals by offering information about the city’s newest additions along side the iconic “Austinite” spots.
During SXSW Austin was visited by some of the foremost journalists, political figures and celebrities. Al Gore, Jimmy Fallon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Anthony Bourdain and Kevin Smith are a few who took advantage of SXSW’s interactive portion to promote their most recent endeavors. Thanks to the hospitality of the city, praise for Austin was trending in the national media.
         Due to the proximity of Austin it is easy to forget how much the city has to offer. Michael Roessler, a senior political science major at Texas State University-San Marcos, often does.
“I love the Alamo Drafthouse, local beers and the avant-garde restaurants Austin has,” said Roessler. “Unfortunately, I always forget how accessible those things are.”
         Over the past decade, Austin’s population has increased by more than 20 percent according to the 2012 U.S. Census Bureau. The combination of Austin’s growing community, popularity and relatively thriving economy has provided Austin a chance to become a national powerhouse.

        (Source U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts)

         Austin has a captivating culture that keeps people and businesses in the area. Matthew Mendoza of Austin, Texas, was born and raised in the area and does not intend on leaving the city anytime soon.
“The accessibility to live music draws me in. I love the fact that you can turn anywhere and there is an unknown band that is performing their heart out just to get discovered. That’s what sets Austin apart from any other city, the passion and the love for the music that people have,” said Mendoza.

By: Victoria Gomez




Sources:
Matthew Mendoza- matt.mendoza4@gmail.com
Michael Roessler- 512-517-0012
Michelle Rodgers- heightscutie07@yahoo.com

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