The bi-monthly pub offers the kind of in-depth coverage that the local dailies and weeklies can't pull off for time and space restraints, or won't for political reasons. The current issue's eight-page feature, "The Ill-Conceived Plan," about Jacksonville's potential to become the "Silicone Valley of medicine" would not happen elsewhere in local media. Nor would "Half a World Away," an eight-page photojournal by Laura Evans, documenting in full color her recent trek through Hong Kong.
True to its publisher's lifestyle rag roots, 904 aims to help readers not only advance their careers, but look good doing it. Look for regular occurrences of pieces like this issue's "Gear: It's In the Bag," which suggests dropping upwards of $570 for a BCBGMAXAZRIA mahogany signature tote is a must on a junior executive's climb up the ladder.
A sure-hit feature is the "Hot Tips, Breaking News and Juicy Gossip" page. This issue's leads with a tongue-in-cheek report of a grand jury investigation of several Jacksonville City Council members lunching together at Fox, a popular Avondale eatery dubbed "City Hall's west annex" by city insiders. The men say they're just buddies meeting for breakfast. The State Attorney says they're committing ethics violations and breaking the state's Sunshine Law.
Another lifestyle mag holdover is a look back at historic events that shaped Northeast Florida's business and industry, like the 1929 planned merger of Barnett Bank and Florida National Bank. The deal fell apart amid "secret dealings and bitter personal rivalries" among Bion Barnett, Alfred duPont and Ed Ball, three of Jacksonville's all-time most prominent business leaders.
The only downfall this writer sees in 904 is continued coverage of many of the usual suspects, the handful of local business media darlings that show up a little too often. Here's hoping that 904 breaks the mold on that one too, by featuring successes whose faces we haven't seen a million times already.