Article written

  • on 13.09.2012
  • at 11:38 AM
  • by Shannon McDonald, Editor

Right NEast/Wrong NEast: No really, Oxford Circle really is west of the Boulevard 5

Here we go again.

Imagine waking up to the headline, “Oxford Circle Teen Stabbed.” Anyone who wakes up with NBC10 doesn’t have to imagine it. While Action News and Philly.com both managed to read their maps properly, NBC10 dished out misinformation in a Tuesday morning crime report.

A teenager stabbed on the 1200-block of Pratt Street in Frankford Tuesday morning. Yes, that block is near Oxford Avenue, which we’re guessing is where NBC10 went wrong.

It wouldn’t be the first time something east of the Boulevard found its way into Oxford Circle in a news report. CBS3 is a three-time offender.

As we always like to point out when errors like this are made, it is unacceptable for a news service to get something as basic as a location wrong. It calls into question the accuracy of the entire story, unfairly adds to the negative perception people have of some neighborhoods and unnecessarily causes worry among residents who are out of harm’s way.

Outside media don’t care about the Northeast. We have all seen them misuse, misspell and mistake our neighborhoods and our streets, so we at NEast Philly wanted to do something about it. When they get it wrong, we set it right in a segment we like to call Right NEast/Wrong NEast.

  • Garygnu

    NBC10′s News Director (Anzio Williams) is a Sacramento, CA transplant. I’m sure he’s pretty clueless. Skip NBC10

  • Phillypenn

    I once lived on the 1200 Block of Sanger and thought it was Oxford Circle. When you’re ne of Oxford Ave, you’re not in Northwood and I don’t think it’s Frankford. Was I wrong?

  • Jim

    I’ve lived in the area all my life.
    So you’re saying that the McDonalds on the Oxford Circle is not part of Oxford Circle, since Oxford Circle is ONLY on the west side? My family lived 5400 block of Rutland St. (East side of the Blvd.) For 30 years, they said they lived in Oxford Circle. You’re saying that’s wrong?

    Bringing it more personal, I live @ Harbison & the Blvd. Westside. I’ve love to know where I live. I’m no where near Oxford Circle and Mayfair only goes on the Eastside of the Blvd. Seems that I’m in nowheres land. A few have referred to it as “Castor Garden.” Only issue with that is, no one knows where I live when I say that.

  • sacmcdonald

    Jim and Phillypenn, the neighborhood you identify with is the neighborhood you live in, and as you both point out, this area is a bit of a no-man’s land. It’s been looped in with Frankford and with “West Mayfair.”

    The Oxford Circle identity is highest in the small area west of the Boulevard around the circle.

    When we asked our Facebook fans last week to give us what the consider the Oxford Circle and Castor Gardens boundaries, the general consensus was west of the Boulevard with either Levick or Devereaux splitting the two neighborhoods.

    You both mention referring to this area as Oxford Circle in the past – what are your thoughts on whether that still holds true today?

  • sacmcdonald

    Hi, Jim –

    This discussion prompted us to ask our Facebook readers to weigh in on a certain “no man’s land” area, and Oxford Circle has been brought up. Take a look at the conversation and feel free to add your thoughts: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151229682628554&set=a.140062263553.133547.134912868553&type=1

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