After two horribly negative reports rating greater Springfield poorly in terms of road conditions and racial segregation where local media responded as if the data was referring exclusively to the city of Springfield comes a survey ranking Springfield as the top metro for on-campus college housing. So what does the local paper do in its on-line edition? It makes a joke out of the idea that “Springfield” could be highly ranked and then the article begins with these words: “A national organization has issued a ranking of the best college on-campus housing and rated the number one city in the United States to be … Springfield.”
It’s easy to see where this comes from. The local television media uses Springfield crime as its go-to story. masslive.com does the same, on slow news days publishing police blotter type stories to fill electronic space on the website. Any negative characterization labeled “Springfield” is assumed to refer to the city…why wouldn’t it? At the same time a positive ranking for Springfield inspires skepticism and reporters will do due diligence to parse the data.
The fact is Springfield has more institutions of higher learning than any other community in the region and deserves respect, apparently, as being a great place to live and learn in one’s college years.