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EnglishWhat Is Valley Advocate's Editorial Style and Point of View?
Updated
Valley Advocate describes itself as "The Valley's source of alternative news and information," and its editorial identity is built around that word "alternative." The site's own tagline states it is "Never afraid to take risks, pick fights, indulge our artistic & literary inclinations or push our points of view." If you are deciding whether to read it regularly, the short answer is: expect opinionated, personality-driven local journalism rather than neutral wire-style reporting. It suits readers who want a point of view, a literary streak, and coverage of arts, music, and local culture alongside news.
What "alternative news" means in practice
The masthead positions the publication against a mainstream-news default. That framing shows up in three ways:
- First-person and voice-driven writing. Headlines and standfirsts carry a conversational, sometimes wry tone — for example, "I am darn lucky" in a profile of the new Academy of Music executive director, or "Who doesn't want to rock? We all want to rock!" in a musician interview.
- Advocacy over detachment. The tagline explicitly claims a willingness to "pick fights" and "push our points of view," which signals that editorial stances are part of the product, not a violation of it.
- Arts and literary inclination as a stated value. The publication says it indulges "artistic & literary inclinations," and the content mix reflects that.
The content mix that carries the style
The editorial voice is easiest to see in the recurring columns and story types:
| Content type | Example from the site | Style signal |
|---|---|---|
| Local profiles | New Academy of Music executive director Ray Dumont | Personal, quote-forward, warm |
| Arts and culture features | A show reimagining Medusa's story | Interpretive, literary framing |
| Music interviews and reviews | Sebastian Bach interview; "Mixtape" EP roundups | Enthusiast voice, first-person |
| Advice columns | "The V-Spot with Yana Tallon-Hicks" on polyamory | Direct, personal, non-clinical |
| Wine column | "Monte Belmonte Wines" on Albariño in Rías Baixas | First-person expertise, travel narrative |
| Reported features | Songwriter Jamey Wolff on music, addiction, and healing | Long-form, sensitive, editor's note on content |
Two patterns stand out. First, named columnists are central — the bylines (Jennifer Levesque, Yana Tallon-Hicks, Monte Belmonte, Carolyn Brown) function as brands within the publication. Second, difficult subjects are handled with explicit framing: the Jamey Wolff story opens with an editor's note flagging discussion of suicide and addiction and pointing readers to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
How it differs from mainstream local news
If you are comparing Valley Advocate to a conventional daily, the differences are structural rather than incidental:
- Stance: mainstream outlets typically separate news from opinion; Valley Advocate treats a point of view as part of its stated mission.
- Form: columns, mixtapes, and advice formats sit alongside reported features, so the reading experience is more magazine-like than bulletin-like.
- Subject emphasis: arts, music, food and drink, and cultural criticism get prominent placement, not just civic and breaking news.
Who it is for
Valley Advocate fits you if you want local coverage with a distinct voice, are interested in the arts and music scene, and are comfortable with reporting that takes positions. It is a poorer fit if you want strictly neutral, just-the-facts reporting or if opinionated framing in news-adjacent stories is a dealbreaker.
One practical note: the site's own description lists "Local Ads," and the page evidence shows advertising content alongside editorial. Treat sponsored or ad-adjacent material as separate from the editorial voice described above.