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Hard times in swing state Ohio
Youngstown, in north-east Ohio, was once a steel-making boomtown. But its steel mills closed in the 70s and 80s, leaving its citizens jobless and desperate. Today, the swing state's eyes and hopes hang on the presidential candidates.
FRANCE 24 reporters Cyril Vanier and Frank Berruyer take us to the streets of Youngstown, Ohio, one of America’s fastest-dying cities.
Ten years ago Bruce Springsteen wrote his now-famous lament to Youngstown. Since then very little has changed.
In the 1970s, when steel work was in its prime, the town was a flourishing industrial centre. Today, all the old factories have closed down and the place is almost a ghost-town. Unemployment runs at 10%. Hundreds of the town’s 60,000 citizens leave Youngstown each year in search of employment and better prospects. In the past thirty years, Youngstown has lost half of its population.
Those left behind struggle to make ends meet. Scrappers in junk-yards sift though rubble for shreds of metal that can be sold to used-car garages. “This is what you do in Youngstown, to survive. Feed your family, pay your rent,” says one scrapper.
With another financial crisis looming, many are afraid that things will become even worse.
Just weeks before the presidential elections, all eyes are on the two presidential candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, with hopes that they will implement policies that will improve living and working conditions. Ohio is a key swing state eyed by both candidates. But will they keep their promises to the jobless and the desperate?
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Hard times in swing state Ohio
I am extremely furious with how your report portrayed Youngstown, Ohio. I have lived in Youngstown for approximately 45 years and I love this city! I work at a specialty contracting company, located in Youngstown, which employees approximately 450 employees.
I make a great wage and I have my own house, which is approximately 2000 square feet, located in a great neighborhood.
Your report did not show the many 200, 300 and/or $400,000 homes in this area, but only the abandoned homes.
Youngstown may not have a low unemployement rate, but let me tell you how wonderful the people are! There is something about this place which make the people who live in it very proud. We are working hard to try and rebuild it and this negative publicity does us no justice!
Jackie Pavlinic
Not all lies
I spent my entire childhood in a Youngstown suburb. My high school and college job was with a company that is on its way out. My internship was with a place that might hang on just a little longer. Upon graduating college, I looked for a job for a year and a half before finally moving away. My father (a computer scientist) was laid off and spent 2 years looking for another job before settling to become an insurance salesman at a substantial pay decrease from his previous position. None of my friends who are still in the area have found jobs in their fields of study either, even the computer scientists. They have all settled for minimum wage or slightly above minimum wage just to pay the bills. My mother teaches at Youngstown State and is constantly disappointed by her students who come from Youngstown schools and who barely have a 4th-grade-equivalent education.
Youngstown
Youngstown
that is not youngstown
This video was horrible. I guess any person's viewpoint can be biased from whichever angle they are covering a story, but what I just saw was severely skewed. Pretty much every day of the week I drive from the suburbs to downtown and all around, and never really see what they showed on this piece. That's because it is a very little part of the town. There are so many parts of Youngstown that outsiders and residents look past because all they want to do is knock the city. Of course it is a depressed area when half the residents are still dwelling over the fact that steel mills closed 40 years ago. It was a bad time, but now is the time to rebuild. the area is rich with history and has a lot of people fighting to rebuild the area. There are investors, young people, legislators, and long time residents who put in counless hours of work to make Youngstown better. If you really care about the city, then do something about it. Don't complain that you can't find a job. And...to those from the city who appeared in the video complaining about the situation should get off your butts and make something of yourselves. The reason you are unemployed is not becasue you live in Youngstown but its because your outlooks are horrible. Have a little hope, and instead of complaining, do something!!
article "hard times in swing state ohio"
I don't know where you got your information but you're way off as a reporter about Youngstown, Ohio. We are hardly dying in this town and we are far from resorting to surviving by turning in scrap. We have a wide variety of incomes in our town. It’s not just the city of Youngstown but the suburbs as well. We’re just like any other town in America. We have our upper, middle and lower classes but believe me, and we’re not dying! Youngstown is well known for it’s strong family values and generations of family who don’t leave this town because of how strong our families are here.
Before you as a FRENCH person come to this country and do a story as an “expert” you should get your facts straight. I can speak from many people who live here and we are appalled at your story and would appreciate a much better representation of our community. I would hope that if you care to report the TRUTH, you’d come back and do a real story with real people who live here.
Hard Times
I moved to Youngstown 3 years before the steel mills began to close. It's a lot cleaner now, but the area has hurt itself by not having individual communities work together. A politics-as-usual attitude is also sadly prevalent. There are lots of positives here that residents overlook or take for granted and which media from outside the area don't...or won't...see. Those positives are poorly marketed so the area continues to suffer in self-image and public perception.
Y-Town
You can find areas like this in any city... People here are greedy. Many areas could have been built up or old rotting buildings torn down long ago to make way for a better future. The people that own these areas refuse to sell to this day. There are those who think they are owed something because the steel mills shut down almost 30 years ago, they are living in the past. There are jobs here, people are just to lazy to go and work for money. They would rather go steal, like those in your piece. It's true that the area needs work and a lot of it, but there is no way anything will ever get done here because of the type of people in this area. Maybe once the people who believe there is nothing here move on to ruin another part of the country, then this area can get back on track.
Residents of Youngstown care
i watched the documentory and disagree, I workm with the westside nosey neighbor block watch coalition to help make our neighbor a better place,also go to the citizen police academey held by ypd to educate the people in youngstown on how to protect and help the fellow citizens around us, also help ypal an yearly little league that lets kids play sports all year round funded by YPD to keep kids off the streets. Demolition is happening but funds ran out till Jan. 2009. We make the difference, if all get involved all can happen for the better. I lost my house to forclosure, but stayed in the city , I help find first home owners to buy the houses before stripped out and destroyed , I found a house at 44509 location for my daughter, she was paying 500.00 monthly in austintown and now she will own a house for less monthly cost and will own. There is funding if you seek nd ask questions
Youngstown
I have lived in Youngstown most of my life. I believe this report, while not flattering, shows the decline of our area. In the past year, I traveled to many parts of the country (Colorado, Tennessee, Virginia, Philadelphia). Each time I returned, I immediately noticed the deplorable conditions of the roads, businesses, homes, and general appearance of the area in comparison to other parts of the country and was stricken by the contrast. Our roads are terrible - too many business owners take little pride in the upkeep of the exterior and interior of their buildings - many homes are run down (in & outside the city limits). I see why businesses don't want to relocate or expand in our area; its because we've let our area become run down and ugly. There is trash on the sides of most roads, rusted guardrails, broken windows on homes & businesses, and an appearance that shows lack of pride.
We don't need handouts or giveaways. We need employers to provide jobs that we give a solid day's work for a decent wage. We need to earn that. In return, our political leaders need to be responsible with our tax dollars. Each government agency (local, state, & federal) should review their expenses like every tax payer is doing and make cuts. Get rid of the cell phone, the cable tv, or any other cost that isn't absolutely necessary.
We have more in common than we have in what seperates us. Somehow we need to work on what we have in common and make ourselves attractive to our visitors who may want to open a business here and offer jobs.
Youngstown
The "Hard Times" piece is very uncharacteristic of Youngstown. While they do show actual video footage of Youngstown City and its residents, the more educated American knows that every city has blighted areas (I'm sure the case is the same in Europe and elsewhere). I am originally from Youngstown and travel there for business quite often. Of course the traffic and commerce are not like a major metropolitan city-- but it is not such a city. Youngstown is more like a town and albeit an economically depressed town, but in no way as bad as the piece depicts. This reporter should be ashamed of how he ignored a more expansive understanding of the City and the Area. The media is just trying to fill content and this reporter was desperate for a dramatic story. You will see as you search media outlets that a lack of positive pieces exist on any town. city or topic for that matter. Its easy to go negative. Plus the French are bitter people that cant fight their own wars and battles. Touche' !
Youngstown
Another case where people prefer to push negative. There are MANY neighborhoods in Ytown that are thriving & show pride of ownership. There will ALWAYS be houses & people who have no pride & parts of town that are eroded & depict what this report depicted. Instead of complaining what is so wrong with Ytown, join in & try the positive . If we have negative people always promoting negative and horrible conditions ...you start believing it. I am not from Ytown. I moved here because my fiance couldn't move to Summit co. I am a Realtor, so don't tell me I don't see the good & the bad. I became involved in the community & the Positive People Group here in the Valley. Every month we hear of more businesses that are thriving & the steps Y-town is taking to recover. It's time people stop feeling sorry for themselves because the steel industry closed down. Opportunity does not come knocking, you must go out & look for it. Akron lost it's rubber factories but has reinvented themselves with polymer and new technology. Y-town is doing the same. And what's wrong with mentioning surrounding areas. Those people come downtown and spend money. Those people invest in Ytown through rentals, businesses etc. Wonderful things are going on downtown. It's the safest place to be in Ytown in the evening. What other cities can say that. New restaurants are starting up, people are venturing back downtown, the arts are alive and well........... stop your whining.....it's BORING! Start looking around for the positive. Who knows, something good might just hit you on the head. Stop being a sheep and listening to the negative and the reporters who sell more papers with gloom and doom. Nobody makes your world bright, you have to do that yourself!
Youngstown Video Commentors
You better get in your damned car and drive around. The majority of the city is depicted correctly. When you say look at the better side of Youngstown, QUIT including Austintown, Liberty, Boardman and other surrounding areas in your observations. Within the city limits of Youngstown there is NOTHING but dumps.
Leaving out the college campus and a SMALL part of downtown, the majority of nice buildings are prisons and related. The biggest part of Youngstown (within the city limits) was correctly represented in the video.
Wake up and quit pretending. Youngstown hasn't done much of anything to promote itself since the mills closed. How money is used is so unorganized it's pathetic. Clean up the place and things will change. The administration drags it's feet on public welfare but hustles if it's good for THEM. Greed and laziness is the name of the game. Spend more money on Bulldozers and Grass seed, then try to "sell" the city. Who the hell wants to come into it as it is now?
France #24 comment
Even if unemployment is 10% that means that there are still 90% working. As a lifelong resident of this city it is an unfair pictoral of Youngstown. The parts of the city that were shown in you biased work is not what this city is about. Too bad you did not show the good side of the city. Just stay in your country or town we don't need any more negitives here by any outsiders. I am sure that if I came to your country or city I could find parts that would not be what you would want to be shown. Fish your own pond befoer you fish mine.
This Report
Wow, I think this dude rode into town jacked up on DRUGS!!!! I'm originally from Summit County and moved here a year ago.......I certainly don't regret it. I haven't seen what this dude saw, perhaps because I'm not a negative person looking for the worst to sell to some news report. Actually, I must say I got quite a laugh on the scrapper comment.....yep, that's what we do here in Youngstown to survive, sell scrap metal. You can take a segment of ANY town in this USA and show the down side, the people hanging on by a thread. It would have been nice if he had shown the other side or even ONE positive person. How could you be a town doing a report and not find ONE positive person? This dude needs a dose of reality and a shot of optimism. He's got to be a real downer to be around!
Youngstown, OH
I am very disappointed in this piece. I was interviewed, as were several others I know, by the reporters who did this story. We discussed the positive changes that are happening in Youngstown and provided examples of the positive things that are happening here, however the reporters chose to focus on the negative aspects of the city. I am tired of the press insisting upon creating stories around their preconcieved ideas and the myth of Youngstown. The mills closed thirty years ago, we've moved on, I sure wish the press would.
I AM Youngstown!
I was born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio and still live here today. My wife and I have a modest Arts & Craft style home which we more than keep up. I have a very successful career as an artist, writer, and lecturer. I am also a Police Chaplain for the city. I don't ask for hand outs and make my own opportunities instead of waiting for them. I wasn't born with any silver spoon in my mouth. My wife and I have no plans to leave the area for better ground. I understand the allure to journalists to look for the most depressed areas of a city in order to prove a preconceived story point. Misery colors and sells the story. Y-Town has an aggressive vision to stand up straighter and turn itself into one of America's best mid-sized towns and is making progress in that area EVERYDAY. We have excellent museums, parks, 'real' family owned restaurants, specialized journeymen shops, and educational centers. We also have buildings and homes without decay and boarded windows. As with any city we also have citizens that are too proud to go into the many businesses with posted 'Help Wanted' signs because they feel entitled to a standard of pay that just doesn't exist for the non-skilled labor sector. You will always have those who complain about hardship instead of actually finding ways out of it. When I travel around the United States I represent my city as a matter of personal agenda. I am far from running for any type of office but I am damn proud of my city, it's history, it's future, and most of it's people. I wish I could have bought this reporter a cup of coffee and showed him what was absolutely right about Youngstown. This is a two-fisted blue collar planet. Either train and prepare for a rematch or get the hell out of the ring. I believe in Youngstown, Ohio because: I AM YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO.
Youngstown
Youngstown is not the city you've shown in this video. You're story is 10 years behind.
Yes people steal things in Youngstown. Yes there is crime. Yes it was here 10 years ago too and it's still here now. But the truth is amid the people still down there are those that have finally picked them selves up and there are a hand full that are now up and running. This is the true story of Youngstown.
This is a common theme all over the mid-west. It's not just Youngstown. Here's my problem with this broadcast/video. "Poor" is a sad old story and Youngstown is filled with many more stories like this. The obvious story that is far overlooked is the one about the Youngstown Renaissance. The fasted growing software firm in the country is based in the "gloomy" downtown district. A million dollar business school is being built. More tech jobs and tech companies are begining to open up in Youngstown. More places to wine and dine are opening up. For the last 6 years Youngstown has steadily been moving onward and upward.
It's easy to roll into Youngstown and look around at what once was, but it takes time to realize that it was "Worse". It's hard to see the positive when you are in town for maybe a or two.
I am currently living in Cleveland. I am in talks to return to Youngstown for a job that is offering me a lot more money. So this story is a weak one and an easy out for very poor investigative journalism. It wouldn't have taken much more effort other than to turn a corner downtown and see the obvious progress and meet hundreds of people going to work downtown.
Thanks for the nice try. Next time keep the positive stuff in the story and don't edit to tell your sad sob stories.
Poor, inadequate journalism
While the subjects of this report obviously exist in Youngstown, the reporter completely missed the mark. Unless of course he was intent on focusing on the negatives only (which is so common in journalism today). I could have shown him/them a side of Youngstown that would have you asking "what do you mean the economy is bad?".
My head is not in the sand - there certainly are problems. But there are dozens of examples of success, prosperity, hope. This report doesn't deserve to have any exposure - it couldn't be more slanted.
I'd say more, but what's the point?
Hard Times in Youngstown, Ohio
My husband and I lived in Youngstown 35 years ago, he was a college student at YSU and I worked as a reporter for WKBN television. It was a lovely city with a wonderful small town sensibility. What happened to Youngstown is similar to hundreds of steel towns in Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. Why? Just follow the money.
Youngstown, Ohio
I am from Youngstown Ohio, my wife owned a beauty salon in Youngstown for over 25 years and we closed due to crime and declining business. I viewed your program this morning from my hotel room (marriott Champs Ellysees). There is also another good story there about the local congressman (Jim Trafficant), judges and prosecutors, Sheriifs and local politicians in jail now for corruption. The organized crime that has helped keep businesses from relocating to Youngstown.
Youngstown
I found this feature very alarming; is this what all resident of midwest towns, indeed all American citizens, can look forward to as a result of this current financial crisis? Who can say?
My brother lived n Youngstown for a while in the 80s, and I wanted to email this piece to him. I don't see that on your site; did I miss it?