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Business Press editor "ejected from the building"

9/11/2008 3:20:28 PM

Two e-mails from Bob Dixon, who until Wednesday was editor of The Business Press, a Press-Enterprise publication

From: "Dixon, Bob"
To: [Numerous pe.com employees]
Subject: Sept. 15 issue of The Business Presss
Date: Sep 10, 2008 3:05 PM

All:

I am deeply saddened by the wholesale destruction of what was once the editorial credibility of The Business Press with the publication in the September 15 issue of a thinly-veiled advertising product labeled "Business Profiles." Please understand that I have no problem with the concept or the effort to generate revenue; it is the manner in which it was done, and the complete disregard for any semblance of editorial integrity, to which I object.

It is perhaps telling that the publishers chose to ignore all of the methods traditionally employed to separate advertising from editorial content. I offered my views on maintaining this distinction when the concept was first proposed several months ago.

1. The section uses a title, "profiles," that has been used for years to denote a regular feature in the editorial pages, including on the cover each week;
2. The only printed indication anywhere that the section contains advertising and not editorial content is in the text-sized page folio;
3. The light blue overhead banner created specifically to denote editorial content during the paper's last redesign is employed at the top of pages in the ad section containing advertising content; and
4. The same typeface used for editorial content has also been used for advertorial content, unlike the sans-serif face that has been one of the principal distinguishing factors employed in the paper's prior advertising or "banner" pages.

For those reasons, I have chosen to remove my name from the masthead of the Sept. 15 issue of The Business Press.

This is just the latest -- although one of the more egregious -- examples of the current administration's complete lack of regard for its editorial products. It is also one of the reasons that I have chosen to accept a buyout.

Robert F. Dixon

...............................

From: Robert Dixon
To: [Several e-mail addresses]
Subject: Bob's gone...
Date: Sep 10, 2008 6:08 PM

I know tongues are wagging, so here's the scoop: [Business Press publisher] Frank [Escobedo] had me ejected from the building because of my earlier email. Starting my voluntary severance early.

Politico launches network to share content

9/9/2008 10:29:28 AM

Politico release

POLITICO Launches Network to Share Content and Ad Revenue with Nationwide Media Outlets

As the 2008 campaign heats up, network provides advertisers with a unique opportunity to reach influencer audiences

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 9, 2008 � POLITICO (www.politico.com), one of the top news websites covering national political, congressional and lobbying news, has partnered with Adify, the premier vertical ad network management company, to launch the POLITICO Network (www.politiconetwork.com).

Under the new network, media organizations selected by POLITICO�s editors will have access to POLITICO�s top stories for use both online and in their print newspapers. The POLITICO Network also brings a new revenue model to these media partners: POLITICO will sell national advertising to be placed on partners� websites, and revenue from those ads will be shared between POLITICO and the media outlets.

�As more and more news outlets close or scale back their Washington, D.C. bureaus, organizations will now have access to POLITICO�s unique, up-to-the minute political coverage,� said Jim VandeHei, executive editor of POLITICO. �Rather than having to pay for a wire service to get political news, these papers get the benefit of using POLITICO�s content while making money on ads they don�t have to sell.�

This is the first vertical network that enables major brand advertisers to reach political and government enthusiasts who are wealthy, well-educated and engaged consumers � a group that is one of the most valued audiences on the Web. In fact, according to the most recent Nielson ratings, POLITICO attracts more male readers ages 18 to 49, more readers with an annual household income greater than $150,000 and more readers with post-graduate degrees than do top business-focused websites like Forbes.com, WSJ.com and CNNMoney.com.

�Advertisers want to reach this demographic, but until now, they did so primarily through sports or business websites. The POLITICO Network provides an efficient way to engage these consumer influencers through the content that matters to them,� said Roy Schwartz, vice president of business development for POLITICO. �Furthermore, we can help monetize the political pages of online publishers in ways that others cannot.�

Initial members include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (ajc.com), The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philly.com), The Denver Post (DenverPost.com), the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Cleveland.com), Breitbart.com and more than 30 other major news outlets.

POLITICO.com has one of the largest politically oriented audiences on the Internet, reaching more than 7 million unique visitors a month, with an average time spent per visit of more than 10 minutes. Now POLITICO is leveraging its expertise to deliver content and brand marketing campaigns to its partners while substantially expanding its reach of this influential audience. The POLITICO Network has more than 10 million unique visitors and is growing, with new members joining each week.

Adify powers the network with key services required to execute successful advertising campaigns, including ad management, trafficking, optimizing, reporting, and payment and technical support functions. Adify is capable of delivering standard banner advertising, content sponsorships, and video, image and super-rich media advertising for its various network partners.

"In addition to building a leading online source of political news and content, POLITICO has developed a unique expertise in monetizing political content online. With the launch of the network, they will be helping other sites maximize the value of their political content,� said Russ Fradin, president of Adify. �The political pages of these sites are becoming the destination of choice for many valuable and influential politically minded individuals. The POLITICO Network is the solution for reaching them."

Martinez leaves Politico for Global News

9/9/2008 7:56:41 AM

Global News Enterprises release

POLITICO'S DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR BARBARA E. MARTINEZ TO BE MANAGING EDITOR AT GLOBAL NEWS ENTERPRISES

Boston, September 9, 2008 � Barbara E. Martinez will be leaving her post as Deputy Managing Editor of the popular and influential Web site Politico to become a Managing Editor at Global News Enterprises (www.globalnewsenterprises.com), the first Web-based news organization to provide daily international news coverage by its own correspondents all over the world.

"We are thrilled to announce that Barbara will be our Managing Editor for the Web. She has contributed a great deal to the success of Politico and we look forward to her bringing her strong editing skills and high energy to Global News," said Charles M. Sennott, Executive Editor and Vice President of Global News Enterprises.

Global News Enterprises President and CEO Philip S. Balboni said: "Barbara brings to Global News not only a passionate commitment to excellence in news but also and very importantly to our own pioneering mission the kind of smart, entrepreneurial journalism that we believe will define lasting success in the digital age."

Martinez will be responsible for Global News Enterprises' Web site, which is scheduled to launch in January 2009. She will oversee editorial and technical aspects of the site and manage three Deputy Editors.

"At Politico I became addicted to startups and the success they can have in the new media environment," said Martinez. "I am excited to be part of this promising global news experiment as my next challenge."

Prior to Politico, Martinez was a staff writer for the Washington Post and is a graduate of Harvard University, where she was Executive Editor of the Harvard Crimson.

"She comes aboard at an exciting and pivotal time for us as we prepare for the launch of the site and finish building a stellar team of correspondents from all over the world," added Sennott.

DM Register newsman Fuson's farewell

9/8/2008 10:51:57 AM

Ken Fuson's farewell speech to the Des Moines Register newsroom on Friday, Sept. 5, 2008.

When I did this 12 years ago, I burned so many bridges Kate Shelley couldn't have saved me. (There's an obscure name from Iowa history for you.)

Let�s go in a different direction today.

When I took the buyout, one of those positive, life-affirming bloggers referred to me as a rat leaving a sinking ship. Well, I plead guilty to the rat part, but I take great exception to the rest.

I'd like to make this clear: My leaving is not a reflection on the Register. It�s a reflection on me. I've been doing the same thing for 30 years. I'd like to see if I can fail at something new.

I've told people that I feel like I'm jumping out of the nest. I'll either learn to fly on my own -- or plunge to a horrifying death.

Enough about me. I want to talk about you.

Obviously, this is a scary time in our industry. Every day there's another story about newspaper buyouts or layoffs. We just went through one ourselves, and it's painful as hell.

I would like to offer you some perspective. I started here in 1981. Two years later, the Des Moines Tribune closed, and 60 people were laid off. The one constant in this business is that it's constantly changing. I suspect that will continue.

But one thing hasn�t changed: The Des Moines Register is still a great newspaper. Is it the same newspaper that I fell in love with as a boy? Of course not. Is it perfect? No. Could we be even better with more people? Sure.

But is it a place that still demands and celebrates great reporting and
wonderful storytelling? Absolutely.

Just look at the talent in this room.

Mark Marturello, I've worked with two geniuses in my career, and you�re one of them.

Jennifer Jacobs, you astound me. If I had half your energy and passion for the work, I'd probably be staying.

Do you really think there is an investigative reporter on the planet as good as Clark Kauffman? OK, maybe Lee Rood, but how about OUTSIDE the building?

Mike Kilen, nobody finds more original stories than you do, or tells them
half as well.

Tony Leys, I've never known anyone who has worked as relentlessly to be a better reporter and writer.

Marc Hansen, you're not only one of my favorite writers, you're also one of the classiest human beings I've ever known.

Can you imagine anyone being more dedicated to their beat than Perry Beeman? They'll name Brushy Creek after him some day. Hopefully it won't be full of dead fish.

This newspaper has produced several generations of exceptional political reporters. Richard Wilson, George Mills, Clark Mollenhoff, James Flansburg and David Yepsen. Tom Beaumont, you absolutely belong on that list.

Randy Peterson, I can't imagine anybody anywhere who cares as much about readers than you do. I was writing feature stories when Iowa played in the Orange Bowl a couple of years ago. I asked Randy if he wanted to get some lunch. No, he said, there was some obscure press conference he felt compelled to cover. Nobody'll know if you skip it, I said. I'll never forget his rely: My readers will. And I remember my exact words: Screw 'em. But he still wouldn't go.

Which brings me to the photo staff. I sincerely do not know how you people do it. Videos. Photo galleries. What's next -- a daily radio show? After Postville, Parkersburg and the floods, I�m amazed you�re still standing upright. I recently covered a story at the state fair. Chris Gannon had a still camera in one hand a video camera in the other, shooting both at the same time. Next year he'll have a satellite dish on his head.

Rick Shacklett, you're the best copy editor I have ever had the pleasure of working with, but every single one of your colleagues has routinely saved me from making a fool of myself.

Well, we could be here all afternoon, but that's my point. There's something about the Des Moines Register -- maybe it�s the tradition, or the reputation, or all the ghosts -- that inspires people to want to protect it, to do their best work, because they seem to instinctively understand that they are stewards of something precious and important. You don�t have to know who Kate Shelley was to cherish this place. /CONTINUED

DM Register newsman Fuson's farewell

9/8/2008 10:45:42 AM

I look at young people here, and I am in awe. I see how hard you work to get better. I'll always remember one day during the floods, when Tom Barton sat behind me and made at least 300 phone calls, one right after another, and was still here at midnight making calls on the tornado that hit the Boy Scout camp. And I have no doubt that if Grant Schulte hadn't located a boat, he would have swam across Cedar Rapids.

I may question where the newspaper INDUSTRY is headed, but I have no concern at all about the talent, effort and commitment in this room. You're great, and you need to hear that more often. Maybe I�ll start a blog to point it out.

I'd like to thank a few people. I'd like to thank Carolyn. A few years ago, when she first started sending out staff e-mails every 10 minutes telling us that people would be getting their news on cellphones someday, I was � well, less than enthusiastic. But when I talk to friends at other papers today, they're desperately scrambling just to get to the point on the Web that we were at a long time ago. I think Carolyn has put us in a much better position to deal with the future than we might have been in. I�d like to thank Kurt Helland, who always remained patient when I called at
midnight on a Saturday night to ask if I could change the verb tense in the 157th paragraph of a Sunday story.

I'd like to thank Sue Curry, who pretended that my columns were funny even when they weren't.

I'd like to thank my buddy John Carlson. I know, I know, you guys joke that we're joined at the hip, and what a pleasant image that is. But see, the thing is, I never had an older brother, and like most little brothers I admire him more than I can say. John risked his life for this newspaper -- twice -- because he thought it was essential that the Register tell the stories of Iowa soldiers in Iraq. I hang out with him hoping that I might be like him when I grow up.

And most of all, I'd like to thank Randy Evans. It's appropriate that he read that list of awards, because not one of them would have happened -- not one story of mine would have been printed -- without his help and encouragement and advice and support. You�re the white hair beneath my wings, baby.

Finally I'd like to close with my favorite three words in the Bible: Be not afraid.

You know, we're the people who ask the questions that no one else will ask, who go places other people won't, who tell the stories that some people would rather keep secret.

So don't check your courage when you walk in this building. Yes, these are scary times, but it's YOUR decision whether to act frightened. You can get so consumed with what might happen, it can paralyze you. Believe me, I know.

If change is constant, so is this: Human beings have always wanted and needed news and stories, whether they got it from the wall on a cave, around a campfire or on a computer screen. We�re the people who can tell the news and deliver those stories. How we do that may change, but never forget that you possess a vital and important skill. Be not afraid. Everything�s going to be OK.

And, if it isn't, you can always join me on the bench outside, begging strangers for quarters.

It was around this time in 1981 that Dave Witke offered me a job here. When I hung up the phone, I cried. Sometime later tonight, I'll undoubtedly shed another tear. And a few months from now, when the checks run out, I�ll bawl like a baby.

But I'll always have the wonderful memories of my 24 years here. Working here was a dream come true, and it has been a true honor to work with each one of you. Thanks for everything.

McCain and.....

9/4/2008 12:05:15 PM

Bill Shapiro writes to Romenesko: I'm the former managing editor LIFE (the newspaper supplement version). After The Speech last night, I couldn't help recall our third cover featuring McCain and.... Take a peek. I think you'll find it very fun and rather prescient.

When we shot this photo for the third cover of LIFE (the newspaper
supplement version) back in September of 2004, we never dreamed we'd actually see it play out....or even anything this close.

As the election neared and it was becoming clear that every vote would
matter, we decided to ask a wide range of famous Americans why there were stepping up to the ballot box. We photographed Madeleine Albright, Manny Ramirez, Andre 3000, and Tucker Carlson (who told us, "People vote when they feel threatened. So it's a good sign, in my view, that half the country doesn't vote in the presidential election") among others. Of course, we photographed John McCain and Tina Fey together. He was thrilled to meet her and they got along very well: They had lunch and he gave her an impromptu tour of the Senate building. Makes us wonder if when McCain met Palin for the first time, he said, 'You know, you remind me of someone..."

Roger Ebert's message to Jay Mariotti

8/28/2008 3:14:56 PM

Roger Ebert to Jay Mariotti

An open letter to sports columnist Jay Mariotti, who resigned from
the Sun-Times and lashed out during a TV interview announcing that
newspapers were dead:

Dear Jay,

What an ugly way to leave the Sun-Times. It does not speak well for
you. Your timing was exquisite. You signed a new contract, waited
until days after the newspaper had paid for your trip to Beijing at
great cost, and then resigned with only an e-mail. You saved your
explanation for a local television station.

As someone who was working here for 24 years before you arrived, I
think you owed us more than that. You owed us decency. The fact that
you saved your attack for TV only completes our portrait of you as a
rat.

Newspapers are not dead, Jay, although you predicted the death of the
Sun-Times and the Tribune. Neither paper will die any time soon. Job-
hunting tip: It is imprudent to go on TV and predict the collapse of a
newspaper you might hope would hire you. Times are hard in the
newspaper business, and for the economy as a whole. Did you only sign
on for the luxury cruise? There's an old saying that you might have
come across once or twice on the sports beat: "When the going gets
tough, the tough get going."

Newspapers are not dead, Jay, because there are still readers who want
the whole story, not a sound bite. If you only work on television,
viewers may get a little weary of you shouting at them. You were a
great shouter in print, that's for sure, stomping your feet when
owners, coaches, players and fans didn't agree with you. It was an
entertaining show. Good luck getting one of your 1,000-word rants on
the air.

The rest of us are still at work, still putting out the best paper we
can. We believe in our profession, and in the future. And we believe
in our internet site, which you also whacked as you slithered out the
door. I don't know how your column was doing, but we have the most
popular sports section in Chicago. The reports and blog entries by our
Washington editor Lynn Sweet have become a must-stop for millions of
Americans in this election year. After a recent blog entry I wrote
about the Beijing Olympics, I woke up at 5 a.m. one morning, when
North America was asleep, and found that 40 percent of my 100 most
recent visitors had been from China. I don't have any complaints
about our web site. So far this month my web page has been visited
from virtually every country on earth, including one visit from the
Vatican City. The Pope, no doubt.

You have left us, Jay, at a time when the newspaper is once again in
the hands of people who love newspapers and love producing them. You
managed to stay here through the dark days of the thieves Conrad Black
and David Radler. The paper lost millions. Incredibly, we are still
paying Black's legal fees.

I started here when Marshall Field and Jim Hoge were running the
paper. I stayed through the Rupert Murdoch regime. I was asked, "How
can you work for a Murdoch paper?" My reply was: "It's not his paper.
It's my paper. He only owns it." That's the way I've always felt about
the Sun-Times, and I still do. On your way out, don't let the door
bang you on the ass.

Your former colleague,
Roger Ebert

Sun-Times' statement regarding Jay Mariotti

8/27/2008 1:19:18 PM

Release from the Sun-Times

August 27, 2008

Chicago Sun-Times Editor in Chief Michael Cooke issued the following statement today regarding the resignation of sports columnist Jay Mariotti:

The Chicago Sun-Times had the best sports section in the city before Jay Mariotti came to town -- that's why he signed up with us -- and his departure does not change that.

We still have the stars -- respected veterans such as Rick Telander, fiery newcomers such as Greg Couch, quirky voices like Carol Slezak, not to mention seasoned beat reporters tracking the Cubs and White Sox toward their eventual collision in the World Series, plus the Bears, the Bulls, the Blackhawks, and all the other teams that make Chicago the sports center of the nation. We could have a World Series in Chicago in a couple of months ... talk about excitement!

The Chicago Sun-Times and suntimes.com will continue to have the scores and the stories before anyone else, anywhere, and the deepest and most comprehensive stats and standings. We wish Jay well and will miss him -- not personally, of course -- but in the sense of noticing he is no longer here, at least for a few days.

A paper, like a sports franchise, is something that moves into the future. Stars come and stars go, but the Sun-Times sports section was, is and will continue to be the best in the city.

A Reason to Grieve

8/26/2008 1:03:35 PM

I submitted the following piece to the Op-Ed pages of the Chicago Tribune and then the NY Times. Neither accepted it. I am now sending the piece to you, hoping that it might appear on your website.

Michael H. Ebner
Department of History
Lake Forest College J1
Lake Forest, IL 60045

A Reason to Grieve

As I contemplate the downsizing of the Chicago Tribune -- some 80 editional positions eliminated thus far this month -- it brings to mind how my grandfather � Herman Metsky � introduced me to newspapers. What I vividly recall is that repeatedly, circa 1950, he sought to instruct me on the wiles of Colonel McCormick, the iconic publisher of the Tribune who anointed it as "The World�s Greatest Newspaper." My grandfather always invoked a comparable epithet to tarnish him: " . . . the most dangerous man in America." I cannot recall anything more about my grandfather�s political sensibilities. What I do recollect is that we regularly dissected the unfolding of baseball seasons, much of our fodder furnished by newspaper sportswriters and columnists. But as I came to understand more about Robert R. McCormick, I now surmise that Herman Metsky aligned himself with the likes of Franklin Delano Ro osevelt and Harry S Truman. Colonel McCormick vilified them both and they returned the sentiment. Remember the image of Truman � beaming � as he held aloft a Tribune bearing the premature banner headline "Dewey Defeats Truman."

Yet Herman Metsky and Colonel McCormick each shared a passion for virtues of the daily, big-city newspaper. Both devoted their entire working lives to the industry. While the Colonel presided over the Chicago Tribune, Herman Metsky sold newspapers one-by-one on the streets of Newark, New Jersey. I think his career began � age ten or so -- at the moment he immigrated to the United States from Czarist Russia in 1905. Pulling himself up one or two rungs on the ladder of American mobility, he began as a street vendor of newspapers and never left his calling. Later he rented a green shed at a busy retail corner and ultimately he operated a modest shop in an aspiring middle-class neighborhood. Every time I encountered my grandfather at that shop he plied me with two or three different newspapers. I found myself enthralled, at a rather tender age, reading them avidly. And I never abandoned the daily habit. /CONTINUED

A Reason to Grieve

8/26/2008 1:01:43 PM

Neither Colonel McCormick nor Herman Metsky, one an industrialist and the other a street-level retail vendor, would find even an iota of comfort in what is about to happen to the Chicago Tribune. Having lived more than half of my life in the place labeled Chicagoland by Colonel McCormick, I have grown to esteem the newspaper upon which he lavished so much passion. While routinely I do not concur with its editorials, here and there I discover momentary convergence with a specific opinion. Rather it is the acuity of the reporting and criticism that I relish most of all as a reader of the Tribune. Day after day I contemplate the distinctive journalistic voices of its reporters, columnists, and critics whom I have learned to value for their keen insights on any number of topics I rue the impending fate of the Chicago Tribune. The analytic side of me comprehends the plight of the Tribune Company. It is burdened by diminished revenues, caused by sharply descending trend lines in circulation as well as advertising plus rising production expenses. Nor can the new ownership dilute its investment -- itself encumbered by a cash-starved financial package -- in the face of the twenty-first century realities of a vastly transformed mass-media industry. But emotionally I recognize that all of the rhetoric about transforming newspapers will yield a gloomy scenario for loyal, longtime readers. Despite assertions from the new owner, corporate executives, and editors, a reduction in physical scale and staff will not magically evolve into an improved twenty-first century daily newspaper.

The community of Chicago Tribune readers is experiencing the ebb tide of the illustrious print era in American journalism. The origins of this occurred just prior to 1900, a consequence of technological innovations in the production of daily editions. Readers first became aware of such advances during the Spanish-American War in the spring of 1898. Its hallmarks included: flashes of late-breaking dispatches with occasional extras; the introduction of discrete news sections (e.g., business, sports); higher standards of reporting; and more and more reliance upon action photographs. Alas, at the beginning of the twenty-first century readers find themselves amid the dimming -- if not extinction -- of this luminous journalistic heritage.

Herman Metsky and Robert R. McCormick, each a dedicated twentieth-century newspaper man who thought he understood something about the cultural authority of the press, surely would be dismayed to behold what now seems unstoppable. Understandably the root causes � notably the skyrocketing ascent of the World Wide Web � would seem entirely incomprehensible if viewed thru their eyes. But I suspect that my grandfather no less than the Colonel would comprehend why many, many readers of the Chicago Tribune soon will find a reason to grieve.

Michael H. Ebner is the James D. Vail III Professor of American History Emeritus at Lake Forest College in north suburban Chicago. He has published op-ed essays and book reviews in the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, and Philadelphia Inquirer. The Chicago Tribune also included him on its all-star Team of college professors.

Maddow In, Abrams Out

8/21/2008 5:02:29 PM

MADDOW IN, ABRAMS OUT, AS MSNBC MOVES DECISIVELY TO THE LEFT

By Rachel Sklar

This post was originally written for "Eat The Press' at the Huffington Post, but it was determined that the post was not "congruent with HuffPost's editorial position against the media's penchant for viewing everything through a left/right prism" (see here). With respect, I disagreed, and together we decided that the piece would be best placed elsewhere. Thanks to Jim for that opportunity.

The inevitable news broke Tuesday afternoon, with a surprise twist. Rachel Maddow had been given her own show on MSNBC � inevitable, as had been foretold in last month's NYT � and she would be replacing Dan Abrams as host of the 9 p.m. hour, effective immediately.

The last part was the surprise. Abrams is not only a long-time veteran of the network, joining the ranks in 1997, he is also the former General Manager of the network, a position from which he officially stepped down last September to take over the 9 p.m. hour vacated by Joe Scarborough. His interim placeholder show, "Live with Dan Abrams" officially became "Verdict with Dan Abrams" in March, and has been performing better in the 9 p.m. hour than anything MSNBC has ever had, particularly in the all-important demo.

We know why Maddow is getting her own show � she rocks. After I posted this item last month on "The Divine Miss M(SNBC)," the adoring comments poured in, as have the accolades over her brief but notable tenure as a new political face of MSNBC. She's won acclaim for her sharp insights, good humor and intelligent analysis (not to mention impressive TV stamina, between long election nights and guesting on every show). As a major plus from a diversity standpoint, she's a woman and an out lesbian, which makes her something of an industry pioneer, too.

She has also developed a following in the past few months, having incubated her hostly appeal as a guest-host for Olbermann (with the numbers to match, like this Friday in May when she beat Fox in the timeslot). So we know why Rachel is in.

But why is it Dan who is out? As I pointed out last month, MSNBC actually had plenty of space in its lineup: The 10 p.m. show is a rerun, and weekends after noon are completely devoid of network programming (doc blocks do not count!). If it were a question of ratings, well, it's not exactly a secret that David Gregory's "Race For The White House" isn't exactly a juggernaut, as the lowest-ranked MSNBC prime-time program. Abrams' "Verdict" is the second-highest, after "Countdown" with Keith Olbermann -- but before the Olbermann rerun, which is fourth. /CONTINUED

Maddow In, Abrams Out

8/21/2008 4:59:30 PM

Not Just Ratings

I could go on, but this isn't just about ratings. Abrams may not be a lightning rod like Olbermann, but his 9 p.m. show has been a damn safe harbor for MSNBC. In his report, the NYT's Bill Carter noted that Abrams had beaten "Larry King Live," CNN's highest-ranked program, twice last week, buoyed by the Olympics; but actually, the show had done so in the past. Also, while Olbermann may be popular enough to rerun at 10 p.m., that rerun is (a) still way behind Fox and CNN at that hour and (b) behind Abrams in the ratings. At the end of the day, this move will help the ratings for one timeslot (maybe two, if there is an 11 p.m. rerun - but with Hardball doubling up at 5 and 7, too, at what point does MSNBC become "The Place For Reruns?").

If it's not just about ratings, what, then, is it about? Simple: It's about MSNBC moving sharply to the left. This isn't a Eureka observation � pretty much all the coverage has acknowledged that. As Carter said, "A program hosted by Ms. Maddow will almost certainly be a closer ideological fit with Mr. Olbermann's"; Abrams, on the other hand, is not "as overt a partisan" (though saying that his show was more about "legal than political issues" is a misnomer, considering the preponderance of political stories in the A and B blocks, plus features like "Why America Hates Washington" and "Winners and Losers," which tallied the day's political scorecard).

The 'legal' element of Abrams' show was actually less literal and more about presenting both sides of an issue and then rendering that 'verdict.' That meant guests from across the political spectrum � a feature notably absent on "Coundown," where the angry political rhetoric is directed outward (cf. Special Comments) but not so much in a forum of live debate.

Even so, no one would have called it a bastion of conservatism -- arguably, it trended more reliably left than Gregory's show or "Hardball" with Chris Matthews. "Verdict" had the feature "Teflon John," about how John McCain was getting a free ride with the press, obviously favored the Democrts. Notably, Abrams' most prominent public spat was with none other than Karl Rove, who was so nonplussed by the relentless coverage coverage that he fired off an angry letter to Abrams. /CONTINUED

Maddow In, Abrams Out

8/21/2008 4:57:14 PM

Olbermann's Left

It's not just any left, though -- it's Olbermann's left. That is two things: (1) The partisan coverage that has emerged as a point of controversy over this election season, and (2) Olbermann's personal influence at MSNBC.

During this election season, a meme was introduced: Was MSNBC's partisan left-wing leanings tarnishing the brand of straight-ahead newsfolk at NBC News? A letter from the White House darkly implied as much, and news outlets moved to examine the question (AP television writer David Bauder called it "the soft white underbelly" of NBC News).

Emblematic of this issue were MSNBC's primary nights, when Olbermann � well known for his "Special Comments," which often railed against the Bush administration and the GOP � would anchor election-night results, ostensibly from a straight-news perspective. MSNBC president Phil Griffin said he saw "zero problem" with Olbermann's two hats, and NBC News president Steve Capus said "We happen to have programs that at times are driven by opinion on MSNBC, and we have a worldwide news organization driven by NBC News." However, those criticisms have remained, raised most recently (if spuriously) by the McCain campaign earlier this week. (It probably has not helped that Olbermann has taken to posting on Daily Kos, a pointedly partisan blog.)

Hiring left-leaning "Air America" host Maddow is hardly a surprise, but it makes a statement, particularly since in her guest-hosting of Olbermann she happily adopted some of his on-air causes (like mocking Bill O'Reilly and reading his words in a put-on "Bill-O" voice). The replacement, however, of a host less associated with partisan leanings underscores the decisive turn to the left on the part of the network.

(Ironically, Abrams can claim responsibility for this leftward turn: As GM, he embraced the "opinion journalism" model, saying in 2006 "I think that Keith Olbermann may become a model for the newscast of the future.'' The recent political focus on MSNBC can also be traced back to Abrams, who as GM introduced the tagline "The Place For Politics," the all-politics coverage "Super Tuesdays," and cajoled NBC stars like Brian Williams, Tim Russert and Andrea Mitchell onto the network to anchor hours of live coverage. It was under Abrams, incidentally, that Olbermann was first given the plum election-night anchor chair, along with the then-much-more-senior Chris Matthews.) /CONTINUED

Maddow In, Abrams Out

8/21/2008 4:55:03 PM

That was then; this is now, and the politics at MSNBC have changed � not just the partisan politics, the internal politics. Over the past few years, Olbermann's influence at MSNBC has grown as his ratings have increased, his public profile has skyrocketed and the network's third-place ratings have crept upward. Throughout this time, he has also made this influence known, publicly minimizing the role of his superiors in his success or workplace decisions. Here's an exchange that raised eyebrows in Decmber 2006:

Radar: Dan Abrams said recently that your program "could become a model for the newscast of the future." Are you a role model?
Olbermann: I don't know what Dan has to do with it frankly. We've never had a conversation about the direction of the show.
Radar: He's actually the-
Olbermann: The general manager [of MSNBC], right, but we rarely interact. As far as I know he works on dayside programming. Phil Griffin runs the network. He is the vice president of NBC [News] and my original producer in television.
Radar: What the hell is Abrams doing giving quotes about you to everyone from the Washington Post to the LA Times, then?
Olbermann: You got me.

About Griffin this past June in a New Yorker profile, Olbermann said of now-president Griffin: "Phil thinks he's my boss."

This becomes all the more significant considering Olbermann's own posting of the news yesterday on Daily Kos. Olbermann made a point of taking credit for having a role in the decision ("Yes, I had something to do with it") and elicited a similar claim from Maddow last night on his show. At no time did he mention Abrams or what show currently aired at 9 p.m.; that's not surprising, because he has never mentioned "Verdict" on his show or done the traditional 'throw' from one show to another to keep viewers tuned in (I am aware of only one throw, after the final primary.) However, on Wednesday's Countdown, he suggested to Maddow that he'd happily throw to her for a few chatty minutes.

That network anchors might not be best buddies isn't exactly groundbreaking, but putting all of this together suggests something lopsided at MSNBC. It's not particularly opaque, either; here's Jossip's headline, "Rachel Maddow's New Show: The Most Solid Evidence Yet That Keith Olbermann Runs MSNBC"; here is New York's Daily Intel: "With Appointment of Rachel Maddow to Prime-Time Host, Keith Olbermann Appears to Officially Run MSNBC." Maddow obviously was a rising star at MSNBC anyway, but this isn't about why she was hired, this is about who she replaced, and why -- and, behind the scenes, by whom.

Daniel Pearl Award finalists named

8/21/2008 4:38:36 PM

Press release

Center Unveils Finalists for Daniel Pearl Award for
Outstanding International Investigative Reporting

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 21, 2008 � The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists is proud to announce the finalists for the first Daniel Pearl Award for Outstanding International Investigative Reporting. Formerly the ICIJ Award, the prize was renamed this year after Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was slain by Pakistani militants in 2002.

This award is unique among journalism prizes in that it was created specifically to honor cross-border investigative reporting. It is presented by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a project of the Center for Public Integrity in Washington, D.C.

This year�s biennial competition attracted an impressive 86 entries from 24 countries, involving reporting in more than 60 countries during 2006 and 2007.A panel of five international judges selected the following seven entries as finalists:

Michael Kranish, Peter S. Canellos, Farah Stockman, Kevin Baron, Susan Milligan, Rick Klein, and Charlie Savage of The Boston Globe for their series �Exporting Faith.�

Walt Bogdanich and Jake Hooker of The New York Times for their series �A Toxic Pipeline.�

Joachim Dyfvermark and Fredrik Laurin for their TV4 Sweden investigation �The Illegal Cod.�

Loretta Tofani for her Salt Lake Tribune series �American Imports, Chinese Deaths.�

Andrew O. Selsky of The Associated Press for �Guantanamo Detainees.�

Sven Bergman, Joachim Dyfvermark, and Fredrik Laurin for their SVT �Swedish Television investigation �Gripen � the Secret Deals.�

Gregory L. White, David Crawford, Glenn R. Simpson, Alan Cullison, and James Bandler of The Wall Street Journal for their investigation �Putin�s Russia.�

There will be winning entries in two categories � one American and one international � which will each receive U.S. $10,000. The five remaining finalist entries will each receive U.S. $1,000. The winners will be announced September 13 at the Global Investigative Journalism Conference in Lillehammer, Norway.

Selections were made by a distinguished international panel of judges:

Sheila Coronel, director, Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism, Columbia University; co-founder and former executive director of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, where she oversaw publication of nearly two dozen books and over 200 articles in major newspapers.

Sunday Dare, former general editor of two Nigerian newsmagazines, The News and Tempo; author, From the Newsroom to Underground: The Story of Guerrilla Journalism in Nigeria and Africa; currently Hausa Service director, Voice of America.

Douglas Farah, consultant; former Washington Post foreign correspondent in West Africa and Latin America; author, Merchant of Death (on Viktor Bout) and Blood from Stones (on terrorism finance).

Fernando Rodriguez, senior reporter for the Brazilian daily Folha de S.Paulo; former foreign correspondent in New York, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C.; winner, Pr�mio Esso de Jornalismo, Brazil's top journalism prize; author, The Owners of the Congress.

David E. Kaplan, director, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists; former chief investigative correspondent, U.S. News & World Report; author, Yakuza: Japan�s Criminal Underworld and Fires of the Dragon.

Hirt named Chicago Tribune managing editor

8/21/2008 11:44:30 AM

Chicago Tribune release

CHICAGO, August 21, 2008 -- Chicago Tribune editor Gerould W. Kern announced today that Jane Hirt, editor of the newspaper�s RedEye edition, has been named managing editor of the Tribune.

"Jane has the experience and credentials to move our newsroom toward the future," Kern said Gerould. "At RedEye, she has demonstrated a true understanding of the newspaper's audience, and I'm happy that she will bring that expertise to the Chicago Tribune and its readers."

Before joining RedEye, Hirt was the Tribune's foreign / national news editor. Other assignments during her 15 years at the Tribune have included the position of foreign / national copy desk chief and tours of duty on the sports and national copy desks. Hirt graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1989 with a bachelor's degree in journalism.

Additionally, Kern announced that Bill Adee, associate managing editor/innovation, was named editor/digital media, and Joycelyn Winnecke, associate managing editor/national news, was named associate editor.

Adee and Winnecke both joined the Chicago Tribune in 2002 as sports editor and associate managing editor/national news, respectively. Prior to that, both worked at the Chicago Sun-Times, with Adee serving as sports editor and Winnecke as its managing editor.

Dube named ABCNews.com vice president

8/19/2008 2:18:01 PM

August 19, 2008
ABC NEWS DIGITAL NAMES JONATHAN DUBE VICE PRESIDENT OF ABCNEWS.COM

Deirdre Michalopoulos Named Managing Editor of ABCNEWS.com

Jonathan Dube has been named Vice President of ABCNEWS.com and Deirdre Michalopoulos has been named Managing Editor of ABCNEWS.com, News President David Westin announced today. Ms. Michalopoulos will report to Mr. Dube who will report to Paul Slavin, Senior Vice President, ABC News Digital.

"We are thrilled to have Jonathan back at ABC News where he began his career in digital media. I know that Jonathan and Deirdre will take ABCNEWS.com to even greater heights with their leadership and editorial instincts," said Mr. Westin.

As vice president of ABCNEWS.com, Mr. Dube is responsible for the strategic planning, business strategy, editorial content and production of the network's 24-hour online news service. Mr. Dube is joining ABC News from the CBC News (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), where he was Director of Digital Media responsible for leading the strategic planning, product development, business development, editorial programming and delivery of CBC News across all digital media platforms. In 2000, Mr. Dube joined MSNBC.com as a technology editor, later serving as a senior producer and in 2003 became managing producer of MSNBC.com, responsible for site-wide editorial planning, the front page of the news site and worked on strategic initiatives. In 1999, Mr. Dube worked with ABCNEWS.com for the first time as a national producer where he wrote, edited and produced national and international news such as the Columbine High School shooting, Microsoft trial and World Trade Organization protests. Mr. Dube currently serves as president and board member of the international Online News Association -- with more than 1,500 members he oversees the world's largest association of online journalists.

As managing editor of ABCNEWS.com, Ms. Michalopoulos will oversee the editorial content and production of the 24-hour online news service. Ms. Michalopoulos was previously a senior producer at ABCNEWS.com, responsible for the editorial content featured on the Homepage of ABCNEWS.com. From 1993-2004, Ms. Michalopoulos was a producer for ABC News and covered all major breaking news stories domestically and abroad. Her career spanned coverage of the war in Bosnia in 1995, the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, and the 2003 Iraq war where she ran the ABC News operation out of Kuwait. In 2004, she was named Senior Producer of ABC News NOW, the news division's digital network. After two years at News NOW, she joined ABCNEWS.com. Ms. Michalopoulos joined ABC News in 1989. She won an Overseas Press Club Award for coverage of the African Embassy Bombings in 1998, a Peabody and a Society of Professional Journalists Awards for September 11 coverage.

Cox to sell Austin American-Statesman

8/13/2008 3:51:24 PM

ATLANTA (August 13, 2008) � Cox Enterprises, Inc. announced today that it intends to sell the Austin American-Statesman, its affiliated operations including Austin360.com, and all of Cox�s stand-alone community newspapers in North Carolina, Colorado and Texas. Cox also intends to sell Valpak, the nation�s leader in cooperative direct mail advertising.

Cox Enterprises will retain ownership of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Palm Beach Post, Dayton Daily News and their affiliated publications.

"This decision was made as part of an ongoing strategic review of our portfolio and enables us to maintain our strong and stable financial performance by further paying down debt,� said Jim Kennedy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cox Enterprises. �We will continue to own and operate industry-leading companies, invest in existing businesses and maintain a level of financial discipline that ensures we are well positioned for ongoing success.�

Approximately 80 percent of Cox Enterprises' revenues now come from sources other than its traditional advertising-supported media companies (newspapers, television and radio). Moving forward, Cox will continue to strengthen its portfolio of businesses by making significant capital investments that improve their competitive positions. Recent examples
include an investment to develop next-generation wireless and mobility services for Cox Communications, Inc. and investments in technology, global expansion and innovative products at Manheim, which is transforming the wholesale vehicle buying and selling experience.

"Newspaper businesses are an important part of Cox's history, and we greatly value the contributions the employees of these companies have made to our company," Kennedy added. "Local newspapers play a valuable role in the communities they serve, and we are confident that the publications we are selling and those we continue to operate will continue to provide timely, valuable and trustworthy news and information to their readers."

Kennedy continued, "Since becoming a Cox company in 1991, Valpak has become an industry leader and a brand that consumers around the country know and trust. Its new state-of-the-art production facility will allow Valpak to offer advertisers even more effective and targeted tools to reach their customers."

In addition to Valpak and the Austin American-Statesman (TX) and its related community publications, Cox intends to sell the following groups of stand-alone newspapers:

� North Carolina: The Daily Reflector (Greenville) and a number of surrounding community publications; the Rocky Mount Telegram, The Daily Advance (Elizabeth City) and Savings Source Direct, a direct mail media business.

� Texas: the Waco Tribune-Herald; the Longview News-Journal; The Marshall News Messenger; The Lufkin Daily News; and The Daily Sentinel (Nacogdoches).

� Colorado: The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction) and The Nickel.

Citigroup has been retained to assist Cox Enterprises with the marketing of the newspapers, and Goldman Sachs has been retained to assist with the marketing of Valpak. The company and its advisors are preparing information in connection with the sale of these assets and expect to be in a position to share information with prospective buyers in September.

Job market for journalism grads unchanged

8/6/2008 2:21:00 PM

University of Georgia release

Thursday, August 7, 2008

UGA's Annual Survey of Journalism and Mass Communication Graduates finds Job Market Intact, Satisfaction Up

Athens, Ga. -- The job market for journalism and mass communication graduates in the second half of 2007 and the first half of 2008 remained largely unchanged from a year earlier, according to a report released today by the University of Georgia's James M. Cox Jr. Center for International Mass Communication Training and Research.

Nearly the same percentage of graduates in 2007 found full-time jobs within six to eight months of graduation as in the previous year, and salaries remained static, the UGA researchers reported.

Lee B. Becker and Tudor Vlad, who direct the Annual Survey of Journalism & Mass Communication Graduates, released the results today at the annual conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) in Chicago. Becker is professor of journalism at UGA's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and director of the Cox Center, while Vlad serves as associate director of the Center.

"Given the turmoil in the traditional media industries and the large number of layoffs, particularly in the daily newspaper segment," the researchers said in the report, "the consistency in the experiences of the 2007 graduates probably can be treated as good news."

Nearly all of the 2007 bachelor's degree recipients who looked for work had at least one in-person job interview in the six to eight months after graduation, the survey found.

On October 31, 2007, 63.3 percent of the bachelor's degree recipients had a full-time job, a figure nearly identical to what the 2006 graduates reported.

The Annual Survey of Journalism and Mass Communication Graduates is designed to monitor the employment rates and salaries of graduates of journalism and mass communication programs in the United States, including Puerto Rico. Since 1997, the survey has been conducted at UGA�s Grady College.

In 2007, 2,271 spring graduates from a probability sample of 83 universities around the country participated in the survey.

The study found that, as in past years, women had more success in the job market in 2007 than did men, and minority graduates were less likely to land a job generally and to find a job in the field of communication than were non-minority graduates.

The median salary earned by 2007 bachelor's degree recipients was $30,000, exactly the same as the median salary earned by bachelor's degree recipients in 2006, while the median salary for master's degree recipients in 2007 was $40,000, $2,000 higher than a year earlier.

For eight of nine listed benefits in the survey, slightly larger percentages of graduates reported receiving the benefit in 2007 than did in 2006.

Job satisfaction increased significantly in 2007 for those with full-time work, with 42.1 percent of those so employed saying they were "very satisfied" with their job. The figure has not been higher since 1987.

Philly newspapers seek more concessions

7/31/2008 12:49:29 PM

Memo sent to Philadelphia Newspaper Guild members on July 30

Newspaper Guild of Greater Philadelphia

Management says cost cuts necessary

Citing industry-wide problems, management today asked unions to find ways to cut operating costs such as agreeing to forgo the $25-a-week raise scheduled to begin Sept. 1. The raise was included in our contract so a vote of the membership would be required to cancel it. The Guild leadership will meet Thursday to discuss how best to respond to this request. We will call a membership meeting, with at least five days advance notice, once we have evaluated the situation.

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