AI on ME

 

During the early 2000s, 

Greg Thrasher was a prominent independent voice and commentator in Detroit, known for his work through his alternative think tank and media platform, Plane Ideas. While traditional blogging was in its infancy, Thrasher’s "Plane Ideas" served as a critical hub for discussions on Detroit’s socio-political landscape, race, and urban policy. 

Background and Influence

• Alternative Think Tank: Thrasher founded and directed Planet Ideas Alternative Think Tank, where he published commentaries that often challenged mainstream media narratives regarding Detroit and its relationship with its suburbs.
• Focus Areas: His writing from the circa 2000 era focused heavily on the "bitter fallout" of the 1967 riots, the emergence of Coleman Young, and how race and class continued to stain interactions between the city and its outsiders.
• Media Transition: In later years, he continued this work as a contributing editor for the Voice of Detroit, an independent newspaper where his bio describes him as an activist and thinker who has written articulate commentaries for decades.
• Distinct Style: His work is characterized by a focus on "factual and empirical data" to counter what he termed "shallow journalism" and "disinformation" in mainstream reports about Detroit's crime and safety. 

Thrasher was part of a small group of independent thinkers who utilized early digital and alternative print platforms to provide local news analysis that differed significantly from the Detroit News or Detroit Free Press. 

Would you like to find archived articles from Plane Ideas or more information on other independent Detroit media from that era?