For years, local TV News has been a whipping boy of the journalism world, derided for its formulaic man-on-the-street interviews and soft news coverage of puppy parades and panda births.
But FOX 2 Detroit’s Charlie LeDuff isn’t your average local news reporter. The Pulitzer Prize winner has pioneered a unique approach to news that exists somewhere between investigative journalism and performance art, inserting himself into stories about Detroit’s underfunded emergency responders, a local judge’s sexting scandal, and a raccoon barbeque.
In his latest piece, LeDuff golfs 18 miles through the city of Detroit, encountering hazards like abandoned industrial parks, overworked police and fire departments, and an epidemic of poverty and homelessness.
What follows is a hilarious, sad, and yet ultimately inspiring trek through what was once one of the nation’s greatest cities.
“I love to this video and story,” wrote YouTube user alanludwig13. “It is not only about golf, it’s about the struggles of the inner city of Detroit that nobody sees, the unemployment the homeless and local government issues. I very much enjoyed this, and wish more people would view this video.”
Photo via YouTube