Coverage of Big Omaha

[NovakOmaha]

Just an observation and a gripe of sorts.

Big Omaha is going on this week and the OWH is providing some good coverage.  The Des Moines Register is also doing a good job of covering the event, with an Iowa focus on Iowa participants.  What I don't find is coverage in the Lincoln paper.

There is some coordination and better collaboration than years ago between Omaha and Lincoln but there should be so much more regarding business startups.  I wish that Omaha and outstate Nebraska would just get over their, what, dislike, envy, condescension, I don't know maybe all of those.  Why aren't there more Berkshire millionaires in Lincoln and outstate Nebraska?  Why does there seem to be more collaboration between Omaha and Des Moines, and there isn't as much of that as there should be.  For what its worth, it took too long for Council Bluffs to grow into a job creation center.

I don't know.  This regionalism and mistrust between the cities seems short sighted.  When one city lands a large employer or a new growing business everyone wins.  If Kearney gets Project Edge Omaha wins.  If Omaha gets a new business that grows Lincoln wins.  For what its worth, if Des Moines-based Principal grows or buys a business or gets a new high tech company startup, we all win.  

Bottom line...why isn't the Journal Star doing better coverage of Big Omaha?

[cdub]

Another reason for Omaha to succeed and join Iowa.  

[NovakOmaha]

Another reason for Omaha to succeed and join Iowa.  

I think you mean secede and Omaha doesn't need to do that.  Omaha already does succeed.  It would be more successful if it and towns around would cooperate, support and coordinate regionally.

It isn't Omaha versus Lincoln, Des Moines, etc.  It's the region versus Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Columbus (Ohio) and many other areas.

[GetUrban]

I agree. I think it's been that way since Lincoln stole the state capitol from Omaha.

While living in Lincoln, for several years going to UNL, I was surprised how much some people from other parts of Nebraska despised Omaha and seemed to think of it as some kind of crime-ridden, traffic-snarled, heck-hole.

[NovakOmaha]

I agree. I think it's been that way since Lincoln stole the state capitol from Omaha.

While living in Lincoln, for several years going to UNL, I was surprised how much some people from other parts of Nebraska despised Omaha and seemed to think of it as some kind of crime-ridden, traffic-snarled, heck-hole.

It's a two way street.  How many Omahans give Lincoln, Kearney or Grand Island a second thought?  When is the last time anyone said "Hey, let's buy Nebraska-made products?"  There is a huge effort here to buy Michigan-made products and its very successful.  People actually do buy Michigan food products, use Michigan based companies for goods and services.  They get it.  It's the idea that started Buy the Big O.  Switch 5% of your purchases to Omaha companies and you get jobs.  

More than that, the attitude in Michigan is that it's all Michigan.  In Nebraska, it's Omaha vs the rest.

[MadMartin8]

I agree. I think it's been that way since Lincoln stole the state capitol from Omaha.

While living in Lincoln, for several years going to UNL, I was surprised how much some people from other parts of Nebraska despised Omaha and seemed to think of it as some kind of crime-ridden, traffic-snarled, heck-hole.

I had the same experience while going to UNL. I actually never plan on returning to Lincoln for anything because of what I ran into (It's now been a few years since going there). Outside of Lincoln, I don't run into that trouble really with the exception of a very few in Sarpy County. Which is nice because I love going out into Western Nebraska to see the Sand Hills and seeing places like Chadron and North Platte.

[iamjacobm]

Well the LJS is quickly approaching tabloid levels.  Seems like all of their non sports/entertainment stories are designed to start a flame war in their comments section.  A start up convention in Omaha isn't going to pull the hits in their eyes.

[ricko]

Just an observation and a gripe of sorts.

Big Omaha is going on this week and the OWH is providing some good coverage.  The Des Moines Register is also doing a good job of covering the event, with an Iowa focus on Iowa participants.  What I don't find is coverage in the Lincoln paper.

There is some coordination and better collaboration than years ago between Omaha and Lincoln but there should be so much more regarding business startups.  I wish that Omaha and outstate Nebraska would just get over their, what, dislike, envy, condescension, I don't know maybe all of those.  Why aren't there more Berkshire millionaires in Lincoln and outstate Nebraska?  Why does there seem to be more collaboration between Omaha and Des Moines, and there isn't as much of that as there should be.  For what its worth, it took too long for Council Bluffs to grow into a job creation center.

I don't know.  This regionalism and mistrust between the cities seems short sighted.  When one city lands a large employer or a new growing business everyone wins.  If Kearney gets Project Edge Omaha wins.  If Omaha gets a new business that grows Lincoln wins.  For what its worth, if Des Moines-based Principal grows or buys a business or gets a new high tech company startup, we all win.  

Bottom line...why isn't the Journal Star doing better coverage of Big Omaha?

I've been following Big Omaha/Silicon Prairie for a few years now, and I kind of sense that it has more of an an Omaha/Des Moines/Kansas City focus.  Maybe the folks that run it don't have much press savvy (sending out press releases to the local small town newspapers, etc.), or maybe they want to keep it an 'insider, small botique-y kinda' thing----dunno. One critic complained that there wasn't enough venture capital and first-rate tech departments in the local universities in the region to make Omaha a national tech/start-up center, but the conference does have some acclaim and influence regionally.  From what I can gather, most of the participants are from the 3 cities mentioned, with representation from 27 states and 3 countries, but when you google/news "Big Omaha", there is surprisingly little coverage of it outside of the region.  Considering the nature of the rural economy (which is doing really well these days) and its focus on agriculture, I can't imagine there would be much interest in, or understanding of the world of tech start-ups anyway.