Crime doesn't pay, especially when you create the stories you cover

From time to time you hear about stories where reporters become the story.

Publishers: Stick a fork it in it, publishing is over

This from Reflections of a Newsosaur about a couple publishers who believe the old newspaper model is toast.

Comments become news

One of the troubling aspects of the "new" journalism to me is the idea that the comments on a story are as important as the story itself. It appears that when a story receives many - or outrageous - comments that newspapers believe that becomes news. At my old paper they repost an item on MLive.com that deals just with the comments. In a recent case a story about the increase in the African-American population in Swartz Creek suddenly required a repost when commenters turned the story into a chance to recycle racist stereotypes in the comment thread. You can see what I am talking about here. (Link no longer works - April 14, 2011) Some of the comments on MLive.com were taken down but they remain at this site - at least for now. Let me know if they go dark and I remove the link. To see all the comments click on the "here" link at the bottom of the item above.

AnnArbor.com finally responds to layoffs

The three leaders of AnnArbor.com have come forward (partially) to update the community on their recent layoffs, etc.

It's amazing to me that they needed a year-and-a-half to find out that what people want is crime and breaking local news. Any first year journalism student could probably tell you that, but better late than never.

Keep the comments on the topic and not so much the personalities. Thanks.

Tone down alert

I reluctantly deleted a comment today (one of less than 10 since I began). I've been a little lax lately about the no last names rule, but when the comments get too personal it crosses my line.

Feel free to attack me, or disagree with me, but anonymous comments that take on folks who are not the subject of the post cross my imaginary line.

Sorry.

Best journalism ad ever (Foul language alert)

Mother Jones reported on this ad for the Sarasota newspaper. If they are serious this would be a great place for a reporter. Especially love they enjoy the sometimes angry interaction between reporters and editors. (Hat tip to Kevin M. for the link).

The best news rooms are the ones where there is a real tension between reporters and editors and the weekly, sometimes verbally violent, flare up between a reporter and his/her editor.

Instead of viewing it as a distraction, as was the case at the Journal, it should be viewed as professionals battling for the best product they can publish. As an editor I would never want a reporter who wouldn't battle hard for their work. (Heck, when I was chief editor of The State News I was at least once referred to - to my face - as a "goat brain" by one of my reporters.)

Newspapers should never discourage or punish passion, they should reward it.

A few of my confrontations were show stopping fits of anger (not really proud of all those) but they were out of my desire to produce the hardest and most interesting story I could.

Better reporters than me were constantly battling editors (and company lawyers) to keep in information they felt vital to the readers. Where that is happening, everyone wins.

Job opportunity

My former employer is looking for an editor. Don't tell them I sent you.

More 'good' publicity for AnnArbor.com

Looks like a choice for an editorial board member has met with a bit of controversy over at AnnArbor.com.

Make sure you read the comments under the AnnArbor.com posting.

AP staffers protest contract

Oh, the happy business of journalism today. (Someone at Poynter should have caught the typo in the headline, though).

Another funny from The Onion

Spotted this on Facebook, good satire.

Something for Friday

This is funny on soooo many levels.

Ann Arbor Chronicle on the AnnArbor.com layoffs

The publisher of the Ann Arbor Chronicle does an excellent job of wrapping up the current and past history of the Ann Arbor News/AnnArbor.com situation.

More on AnnArbor.com

Thanks to Ed, late of AnnArbor.com, we have news about the layoffs here. A2politico.com has even more in depth here. I love the description of "Kontent King Tony" and his avoidance of discussing the profitability of AnnArbor.com.

As one who sat through way too many of Tony's meetings, I can only tell you he is a first rate spinmeister. Problem is, no one ever believes the spin.

Clearly the ship is taking on water. With the management team assembled anyone should have seen this coming.

Remember this was going to be a website like no other, it was going to define the new journalism, according to those who started it. Well, let's hope not.

Trouble at AnnArbor.com?

There have been some rumblings that all is not well at AnnArbor.com. This was posted on Sports Journalists. Apparently entertainment, sports and other areas of AnnArbor.com are being effected.

Feel free to contact me at jlsmediaservices(at)gmail(dot)com with further info. Anonymous is fine, but please try to give me some indication of credibility or how you know so I can double check.

A little something until I get home from Florida: Kzoo Gazette getting sued

I know I have been absent from the blog for a month. We are traveling and in Florida (grandmasrecess.blogspot.com if you are into other people's vacations). I promise to get back up and running when I get home, but for now this article about the Kalamazoo Gazette being sued by the city for back taxes may interest you.

It is terrible that the publisher chose a stupid "no comment" when certainly something could be said.

The same people who want everyone else to respond to reporters should never use a "no comment" for its own business.

How about this:

"We have been forced into difficult business decisions based on emerging technology and a difficult recession. Our attorneys will vigorously defend those decisions."

That says basically nothing, but isn't the stupid "no comment" we all hate.

On civility on the Internet

This is a good read and explains my insistence on civility here.

Joan and Jim's Excellent Adventure

For family and friends interested Grandma's Recess is up and running again for our current trip. I will try and blog at FFE, but it may get even slower than it has already been recently.

First installment of Grandma's Recess

When will they ever learn? Another sad tale

Hard to believe that people, especially in a digital age, still think they can invent stories. One of these fine days I'll let FFE readers in on a similar story that happened at the Flint Journal, but was never reported to its readers.

That happened at the Journal at a time when the editors were merciless about corrections and letting the public know about screw ups. But when this one happened, readers were never told. As I said, for another time.

Merry Christmas to all!

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Kate Smith: "God Bless America"

I'm a sap for old movies and this clip from one brought back a story I heard at my U.S. Navy ship reunion. In 1965, a year before I came on board, the USS Cogswell (DD-651) was station ship in Hong Kong. That meant she was acting as the U.S. Naval command for the ships in port for about a week.

While the ship was there, some of the officers met and invited Kate Smith on board for dinner and she came. Later, she invited some of the ship's company to an entertainment venue in Hong Kong for a little partying.

At 4:21 of the clip you will see a familar actor.