I have two questions for you:

-- What kinds of news would you like to see reported in 2012?

-- How do you propose to make that happen?

The first question is fairly easy to answer; the second one isn't.

Would you like more police stories? Fewer? More sports? (You can't answer less, because there is too little now.)

Do you want to read more personal stories, such as the one about the family facing the loss of their home? More features and less hard news?

Do you want more selectmen-related news and fewer school-related stories?

Answering any of these -- or suggesting alternatives to these choices -- is a snap. You just go with your gut.

Making suggestions about how to get what you want is trickier. The main issues you face are how and who. How do you get what you want? Who will step up and do it? Will it be you?

After five years in business, YourArlington has a record of breaking stories ahead of the competition, though that is increasingly less true of Patch, in Arlington since April 2010.

WickedLocal, the Advocate's online presence, is another matter.

In 2011, in terms of overall news reporting, YourArlington has led the website of Arlington's 140-year-old weekly newspaper in publishing stories first. 

Of course, that is easy when the newspapers comes out on Thursday. Yet its website publishes 24/7, as YourArlington does, and has a full-time staff, which YourArlington doesn't. 

Despite the handicap, this site appears to provide regular signposts to what The Advocate covers. Consider:

-- On Sunday Dec. 18, a brief story with photo about a lonely tree led members of the public to respond and decorate the evergreen beginning that day. The Advocate had a photo and a Q&A with the man responsible for the the tree in its Dec. 29 edition.

-- On Friday, Dec. 23, a story reported updated plans from the developer of the former Symmes property. The Advocate published its story, with video, on Dec. 29.

-- On Friday, Dec. 23, a story reported a letter signed by parents seeking more data about redistricting, and issue YourArlington has covered from mid-November.The weekly newspaper published its story Dec. 29.

-- On Friday, Dec. 23, a story reported that members of the AHS football team had painted locker room.  The Advocate published its story, with a sidebar reporting break-in data, on Dec. 29.

To be fair, the Christmas holiday changed the weekly’s deadlines, making it hard to keep up with online competitor. But the Gatehouse Media-owned property might try to stay even via its own website. 

These are stories in which The Advocate followed YourArlington's lead. There are also stories that have yet to see the light of day in The Advocate or WickedLocal. One that a savvy reader would think might be published is the judge's ruling in the $7 million lawsuit filed by a fired principal and teacher.

YourArlington published such a story on Monday, Dec. 19.  Boston.com linked to it a few days later. Nothing yet from Arlington's newspaper of record.  [Following this comment, posted Dec. 31, 2011, The Advocate published a story about this lawsuit in its Jan. 5 edition.]

Competition is a good thing. It sharpens the combatants, as they look over one another's shoulders. In 2012, we look for more of it.

You can help. You know what kinds of news you'd rather read here. Now take an extra step and propose how to make that happen.

Send your comments and ideas to Bob Sprague, YourArlington's publisher, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Meanwhile, if you have smartphone, find out how to sign up and become a reporter here >>