I was in high school the first time I went to Cleveland without my parents.
We came up for a Browns game and as I was walking back up West 3rd after the game there was a Scene Magazine box. I grabbed one, because coming from Canton to Cleveland was a BIG deal, and I saw an alt-weekly paper as a souvenir.
Any kid from Canton could go up for a Browns game and go from The Pit to the stadium and back down I-77. But I was actually IN Cleveland. (Really, we were just getting back on the highway, but that’s what my story was going to be.)
When I got back home, I read some of the stories and, of course, checked out the back pages, then moved on with my life.
It wasn’t until I came to Cleveland permanently that I realized how important Scene is to our community. Our world is changing at a rapid pace, and so is the media. While I’ve agreed and disagreed with Scene in the past, I can never accuse them of not trying to do what’s right by its readers. Which means Scene always does what’s right by Cleveland.
I strongly believe that our country will rebound in time. I believe that our generation and those behind us will continue to find ways to innovate and strive for great things. I believe the same things for Cleveland.
My only fear, though, is a lack of local journalism. As things are changing we need writers to be the watchdogs of our local government, to make sure they put a light on mismanagement or corruption, and of course spotlight what’s right in our community. Scene does exactly that.
I write that as a person who has both benefited from Scene’s writing and found myself in the crosshairs of their criticism. Their commitment to what is fair and just for our citizens is unmatched. Their writing has made me question things I never thought of before. Scene has made me a more informed, discerning consumer of local storytelling. In turn, that has made me a better Clevelander.
There will be better times ahead. I want desperately for Scene Magazine to be a part of that future.
If you feel the same way, please consider joining the Scene Press Club with a one-time or monthly donation.
This article appears in May 13-19, 2020.
We have the worst radio in the history of radio . We have a Pittsburgh Steeler, Denver Bronco and Michigan fans as host our sports talk. We have wife beaters and load mouths that thinks talking louder makes you right. Then we have rejects after DJ’s get fired because the stations don’t want to hire real radio talk show host that talk sports and not food and not TV and so on. I can’t even get into WTAM and WMJI. That is why I pay $6 a month for radio. Marconi is turning over in his grave.
While tanking, scene decides to cling to life with garbage articles shaming people for not wearing masks, creating narratives of racism during the pandemic, and promoting unprofessional and unlistenable quarantine music recordings.
I can’t believe their bank account isn’t overflowing after providing such an essential service.
Lots of losers in the comments (per usual) that seem to hate the publication they so diligently frequent.
Uh, the negative comment tools? Yeah, it’s a website with articles. There are literally 8 billion websites with articles. Why are you so obsessed with this one? The internet is infinite. No one in the history of time has written for Scene and then dictated public policy or guided social law. Your not so veiled demand to silence free speech for others who read Scene indicates a social agenda. You’re the baddies. Congrats! You’re officially the enemy of progress! Bravo! You’re right! Everyone should think the same! I can’t walt until your ilk runs society! No art, no debate, just your way of thinking!
So who the hell is this thirtysomething clown in the cowboy hat three sizes too big for his hairless cabeza? I’m guessing he’s 34 because the image is his senior photo and reads: KEN 04.
Some half-assed radio jock who thinks he’s a country boy because he came from Canton? Who gives a shit? So now you get to write an essay for SCENE if you cough up a few pesos? How many pesos? How many words? SAD!
ken carman is a good dude and he is great on the radio. he and Lima are a much better duo than the clowns on 850. Bravo, Ken.
Hell, he probably sounds even worse than he looks.
Does he have a fake hillbilly twang, too? Gimme a break.