Get Over It: The Westside Current Matters
Jamie Paige Has Become An Important Player On The Westside
Sure, it can get self-righteous (doctor, heal thyself), and paid content hawking $5.4 million homes can crowd actual editorial, but they REALLY are good at finding the right stories, and the right way to tell them. As traditional local media continues its free fall into the abyss, Venitians have a news source relevant to their community.
And unlike legacy media, the local coverage is getting better
Apologies - These may be behind a paywall:
The LAHSA Mess - Jamie Paige
Bonin's Ramada Boondoggle - Angela McGregor
Tiny Homes Big Problems - Rachael Gaudiosi
Then there’s that whole adopt-a-local-pet section. That gets me.
The Westside Current is Jamie Paige and her co-founder partner Matt Shaw. Paige writes and rules over all editorial and her growing roster of writers.
The iconic Sam Quinones ordained Paige’s arrival in a September 25 Substack: One Woman Covers L.A.’s Westside in a Time of Fentanyl, Meth, Homelessness
Originally called the Venice Current, it’s Westside rebrand claimed all of Mike Bonin’s CD11. “The Westside is facing a changing tide,” they announced. “Our councilmember has been served his second recall since taking office. We also continue to face a homeless crisis that is not just in our backyard, but all over the city.”
Bonin had an enemy.
In 2022, Paige did such a good job banging the drum for Traci Park, the Councilwoman-Elect hired her as Communications Deputy. She’s since officially left Park’s staff, but remains a loyal and vocal ally in the community and in the Westside Current.
Predictably, Paige is Satan to Bonin progressives, who see the Current as the mouthpiece for the elitist NIMBY embrace of repressive capitalism.
That’s seems fine with Paige. The DSA remains the Current’s enemy #1, and Paige seems to enjoy antagonizing them through a long history of damning copy like this and this (Again…possible paywall).
Speaking of revenue, expansion is the Current’s obvious intent. And it takes money to build a machine. In December 2023 Paige and Shaw launched the Valley Current. In it’s pitch to advertisers, and clear signal of editorial focus, the Current targets audience by city council districts — replicating the formula of it’s successful Westside predecessor. Those Council districts include CD4, the redistricted domain of DSA powerhouse Nithya Raman, as well as Adrin Nazarian’s CD2, Imelda Padilla’s CD6, John Lee’s CD12, and Katy Yaroslavsky’s CD5. Add Park’s original westside gem. It’s impressive real estate.
The WSC Media Kit 2024:
Fourteen months after the birth of the Valley Current, Paige took its Westside predecessor behind a paywall. I waited a week and subscribed. It will survive the next thinning of reckless subscriptions tethered to my NIMBY credit card.
Am I a shill for the Westside Current? Sure. They’re an important source of reporting. I want them to survive.