Yesterday, two local media outlets gave free advertising to Starbucks Corporation by doing stories on the opening of a new Starbucks in the Amway Hotel near the corner of Pearl and Monroe. The Starbucks opening was “covered” by both WZZM 13 and the Grand Rapids Press, although the Press gave the opening substantially more coverage. The Press advertised its story on the front page of Tuesday’s paper and printed it on the front page of the business section. For what was nothing more than free advertising, the Press article was extremely visible and lengthy at 341 words. The WZZM 13 story was very short and was nothing more than an announcement about the opening, and while still not being newsworthy, it did not feature the extensive listing of Starbucks’ menu or gushing quotes about Starbucks’ “upscale look” and mentioned briefly (although inadequately) the competition Starbucks may give local coffee shops.

Neither story mentioned that Starbucks has received widespread criticism around the country for its business practices and has been the target of numerous grassroots campaigns. Starbucks is currently the target of a national campaign for fair trade coffee in order to improve the wages paid to farmers growing the coffee it uses. Starbucks’ labor practices have also been targeted, as it is anti-union and has used prison labor to package some of its coffees. Starbucks has also been seen by many as a harbinger for gentrification, and while the placement the Grand Rapids Starbucks is not in one of the areas of Grand Rapids currently undergoing gentrification, Starbucks association with this phenomenon should have been mentioned in the article. The opening of new Starbucks locations is frequently met by grassroots opposition, as has been the case recently in Chicago and Portland.

To their credit, Starbucks has attempted to make some changes to its practices by instituting a system of guidelines for growers, which some activists have seen as a positive step forward in promoting fair trade coffee.