Austin Received A Flood of National Coverage During March

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 its tourists, for 2 weeks.

Austin’s national popularity continues to grow and the city is now widely known for its diverse, “Keep Austin Weird,” fun-loving persona. Thanks to the most recent SXSW festival, Austin maintained a steady stream of attention from the national press throughout March.

The past few years The New York Times has published multiple “36 Hours: Austin, Tex.” articles. The features act as a travel guide for visitors as well as locals. Including information about the city’s newest additions along side the spots Austin is known for. This year’s article was published a few weeks before SXSW.

During SXSW Austin was visited by the top media outlets, journalists and celebrities. Per the usual, the city was thanked for its hospitality with public praise from those who were in town. Austin seemed was trending in the national media.

On March 15 CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin said during her broadcast that Austin is the “best city ever.” And the network maintained constant coverage of the festival through twitter, broadcasts and online components.

CNN was not the only network to keep a watch over Austin during SXSW. ABC, CBS and Fox, along with their affiliates were covering the event daily.

“I love that Austin has received so much attention. It is such an amazing city, and deserves recognition,” said Michelle Rodgers, 23, of Harker Heights, Texas.

TV personality Rachael Ray hosted her annual party at Stubb’s Bar-B-Q as part of SXSW. Musical acts such as Train, Bob Schneider and She and Him performed at the free event that also featured a menu created by Ray for her event.

Due to the proximity of Austin it’s easy to forget how special the city is.

“I love the Alamo Drafthouse, local beers and avant-garde restaurants,” said senior, political science major, Michael Roessler, 22.

            Over the past 20 years, Austin’s population has increased by nearly 50 percent, and is likely to continue to grow. The combination of the growing community and popularity of the city sets Austin up to become a powerhouse among America’s cities.

“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 Matthew Mendoza, 23, of Austin, Texas.

By: Victoria Gomez

Sources:

Matthew Mendoza- matt.mendoza4@gmail.com

Michael Roessler- 512-517-0012

Michelle Rodgers- heightscutie07@yahoo.com