In the furiously expanding, highly competitive and often conflicted hyperlocal space, some pieces appear to be coming together. Just possibly, highly digital Seattle may be the birthplace for what has long eluded hyperlocal: a sustainable business model. I’m talking about the new and recent partnerships between Seattle’s hyperlocal “indies” and the bigger media guys in the very active local space.

The media have failed to present the unemployment problem, with all its associated economically devastating consequences, in the manner it deserves. It’s possible that unemployment facts and figures don’t translate well for advertisers, or they are too cumbersome to present in a two-minute segment. Whatever the reason, the mass media seem to avoid unemployment details as they would avoid describing and filming fresh road kill during a dinnertime newscast.

On Aug. 31, the Justice Department sued to stop AT&T’s acquisition of rival T-Mobile, USA on grounds that the merger would result in higher prices and fewer consumer choices. But justice slept during the mergers of three Hawaii tv stations, Comcast with NBC and two Honolulu daily newspapers. Consolidated media exposes us to selective reporting and agenda. The press is supposed to serve as a watchdog for an informed citizenry. But in the absence of competition, who -- to invoke Cicero -- will guard the guardians?