Regional differences in newspaper Food sections

[Priscilla]

Do you see regional differences among newspaper Food sections around the nation?

And (if you do note regional differences), how does your region affect your own section's Food coverage?

Thank you for participating in the Q&A!  I enjoyed reading your early answers--they are very thoughtful and generous.

Priscilla

[Jeanne McManus]

Well, I think that the differences  I see are in part regional but in most part a reflection of a newspaper’s readership, and the understanding that the editor of the section has of what his or her readership likes or needs or wants. So it’s sort of regional/reader fusion.

For example, the San Francisco Chronicle’s Food section has a lot of very interesting and sometimes edgy pieces about the restaurant scene and the wine community. The Chicago Tribune has solid stories mostly for the home cook and few travel/food stories. Though Kristin Eddy, a staff writer in Chicago, just did a wonderful and award-winning series on spices, in which she traveled widely. (Kristin used to work at The Post, as a news aide in Food. )