Governor O’Malley argues that the Baltimore Believe campaign was a success, but I am still bothered by the fact that there were no clear, measurable goals presented at the initiation of the campaign. In order to really measure the campaign’s progress, the governor should compare the current statistics with clear goals that were delineated at the start. Also, is there really a connection between the emotional appeal of the Believe campaign and what the governor lists as “smarter policing, better drug treatment options, youth interventions and sufficient public funding”? If so, what is the connection? And if positive changes have been made, how will the Believe campaign ensure that they will last?

I found this to be the most fascinating of the articles I chose for the “Baltimore Believe” topic. This story is more of a feature story, but in many ways, Burton represents the long-term efforts of the Baltimore Believe campaign. This article was written more than four years after the campaign’s initiation. As a feature, I think it is informative and interesting. The points that stood out to me the most are Burton’s perspective of the campaign’s message, which the writer describes as a “message of positivity” to “counteract Baltimore’s violent drug trade” and Burton’s efforts to revamp the original campaign “on a grass-roots level.” The fact that the campaign ran out of money so quickly leads me to ... More »

It was difficult to follow this writer's train of thought, and the piece read more like a list of random facts that are taken from other sources.

The reporter went straight to the sources and attempted to hear all sides of the issue. This was especially helpful here, where there are more than just two opposing parties involved.