Wednesday, July 15, 2009

"How not to defend newspapers"

Dan Kennedy takes a look at the blunders committed last week by the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Ted Diadiun. Calling bloggers "pipsqueaks" was the least of his mistakes. Click here for the full story.
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12 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's the "Reader's Rep?" Bwhahahhaha, these people are so clueless that they'll insult their very customers all while attempting to monopolize the 1st amendment.

That spells desperate.

Kevin Gregory said...

Most "readers reps" end up representing the newspaper instead of the readers.

Anonymous said...

Yep, the whole concept was nothing more than a way to mitigate complaints and complainants. After the NY Times was caught red handed with their last plagiarist/creative writer that they couldn't make excuses for the idea spread across the cartel. It is a PR slot and has absolutely nothing to do with representing anyone or anything beyond the paper's vested interest.

Anonymous said...

I say they should keep it up. Why hide their pronounced bias, elitism and contempt for the non-union, American working family man.

The presumption against papers only continues. The presumption is they are bias, DNC hack, phonies who want to tax everyone, except themselves (they get a tax break). They only continue to prove it, day it and day out.

Though I read their bias all the time, I never spend a dime on them, and why should I?

In fact, over the months I’ve periodically asked the libs on this blog why should I buy a paper, and have never gotten an answer.

Anonymous said...

Old man not in the know.

However, if you think about it from this "blogs" perspective, what does MW bring to the table that is "reporting"?

I mean it seems like MW is more of just an aggregator that makes it easy for lefties and righties to have one spot to talk about MNI and newspapers in general.

Technically MW is a pipsqueak right?h

Anonymous said...

More ironic is that a British paper, the Gaurdian.co.uk., runs with the story, and not the MSM cowards who are too busy teabagging about raising taxes or telling us how great socialized heath care is for the masses.

Kevin Gregory said...

2:57 -- You will learn more about what is really happening at McClatchy by reading this blog than you will learn by reading the company's press releases.

(I'm guessing you've figured that out, which is why you keep coming back.)

I bring important MNI info by linking to dozens of blogs and news sites all over the country. I also post information I get from current and former MNI employees. That's my niche, so yes, I'm mostly an aggregator -- and that is what allows me to give readers important info on McClatchy.

Anonymous said...

3:30 AMEN Brother, AMEN!!

Anonymous said...

//You will learn more about what is really happening at McClatchy by reading this blog than you will learn by reading the company's press releases.//



That makes them soooooo angry they could just pee their pants. Keep up the good work. Their trolls are the barometer.

Anonymous said...

The idea that information aggregation is somehow 'new' and inferior to 'traditional' journalism, emanates from the arrogance that just owning the printing press created social, political, and financial power.

Reporters collected information, editors selected tone and content. Advertisers were raped.

The printed story became the public fact.. opposing voices did not have a printing press.

The reader had no power in that chain, the advertiser no choice; and the newspapermen got richer.

Now, you can get an algorithm to collect information and a database to distribute...

..and the reader has the power to validate the information as useful or truthful -- or not.

It's a social power shift, that the J-School professors only attack is,"damn amateurs".

But, it's still power shift of major proportions. and tossing professionalism as a high virtue just does not have an audience.

Anonymous said...

Readers reps only represent the opinions and perspectives that the newspaper thinks its readers OUGHT to have. As for real readers...who cares?

Anonymous said...

Ted Diadiun is just mad that times changed. He forgets that many readers choose not to come to the newspaper or it's web site for a reason. In many cases the aggregators or bloggers are providing context or perspective on the article that the newspaper is missing. The newspaper wants to control what we see as "news". Their monopoly has ended and with it the institutions that created newspapers. Reporting will go on but it well have to find new ways of establishing value and sustaining distribution.