Local newspaper to lay off 130 workers

My local newspaper, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, is in the act of doing something that is occurring at a lot of city print media: laying off even long-time workers. The other local newspaper, the Fort Worth Weekly, gave coverage to some of the reactions of the employees and former employees. A few years back, the other major city newspaper, the Dallas Morning News, also laid off numerous workers over a span of 3-4 years. I'm going to be discussing the print media in a little more detail next week.

Tim Russert: One picture says it all

The picture below of James Carville and Mary Matalin weeping over Tim Russert says it all. This is my feelings conveyed in image.



I'm still in shock.

RIP, Tim Russert

I am very saddened by the shocking death of Meet The Press host, Tim Russert. Shocking is the only word that I can find for this. Man, I am going to miss him and his show. His show will still go on, but it's not going to be the same. I'll comment more later, but I wanted to mention Tim Russert's passing before any more time slipped away.

And speaking of time slipping away, sorry that I haven't posted lately. Got a little busy. I'll try to catch up tomorrow.

Keith Olbermann's comments on Bush

Recently, Keith Olbermann had some rather passionate commentary about Bush.

Here's two links to the video of it:
Windows Media Player
Quicktime

This was circulated at work, and at first, I thought that Olbermann was finally going after all politicians over their kowtowing to corporations and special interest groups that has become a way of life for politicians in recent decades. I thought this because of the way the sender had sounded so excited about his commentary. Well, I was wrong.

Having now seen the video in question, I can add my commentary on this: I think Keith Olbermann is entitled to his opinion. My main beef with his commentary is that he didn't say anything original that I haven't already heard from the left wing. Olbermann hit all the usual left-wing complaints, right down to "stealing the election". All that was missing from his commentary was the conspiracy theories about Bush intentionally blowing up the World Trade Center. If I wanted to listen to this sort of emotional venting about Bush, I would have listened to commentary by Rosie O'Donnell.

Before anyone starts labeling me a "Dubya lover" let me say that, yes, Bush has made his mistakes and questionable judgments. For instance, I was against going into Iraq. I don't deny that the man's made his share of "misunderestimations" (Bushism), nor do I deny his critics the right to lambaste him over his mistakes and questionable judgments. As a public servant, his feet *should* be held to the fire. However, I feel that Bill Clinton also made his mistakes and questionable judgments, because he also put party and self ahead of country.

Actually, it is because of both Bill Clinton AND George Bush that I have lost faith in political parties. I feel that today's politicians are whores for big business and special interest groups who vent so much hot air that they should install windmills around D.C. to harness all that wind. Then at least all that hot air can be put to some productive use.

I feel that politicians of both political parties and all political ideologies have long forgotten the little man. We have no money and we have no power, so we're nothing to them. The only ones who matter to them are those groups with either money or power, and usually both.

The main pitch from Olbermann is that Bush should resign from office as Nixon did over Watergate. But if anyone should resign, it's a great deal of the politicians who have served for far too long, so that fresh blood can invigorate D.C. The main thing that I do agreed with Olbermann on is that I believe that the institution will survive even the ineptitude, cronyism, and wholesale whoring to corporations and special interest groups that currently infects D.C. What the Founding Fathers created is a marvel, but it's a marvel that works best when we all do our part.

This makes it all the more important that we not only vote, but vote responsibly. I want this nation's citizens to remind those in office just who it is that runs this country. *That's* the sort of stuff that Olbermann should have been talking about instead.

What I would do as an editor-in-chief

Someone posed the following question to me (who asked in response to my previous blog entry) : If I were editor-in-chief of a newspaper, what would I do?

1.) First, I'd tell all the reporters that they can no longer belong to any political parties or other political organizations so long as they are employed as reporters. In other words, I don't want any Democratic reporters or Republican reporters. I want reporters, period. All political and sociological ideologies are going to be left at the entrance. Either I or someone I assign will be periodically checking for any slants in reporting. It's very important that my newspaper gains the reputation of fair, objective, and unbiased reporting. I want the story to be the news, and not the style that it was reported to be the news.

2.) Since we can't completely isolate ourselves from the social and political influences that are out there, I will have a greatly expanded opinion section. Opinion columnists will be allowed to belong to political parties or organizations, but they will have to note in their columns or bylines that they belong to X group if they are going to be commenting on it. They will also not be allowed to be reporters any more. The newspaper's Op/Ed page of the website will also be greatly expanded, and perhaps organized by topic. It is my hope that the Op/Ed pages will provide backdrop for the stories that are reported in other sections of the newspaper. For instance, while the front page will provide the details of Bush's latest stategem in Iraq, all the reporters will be doing is listing the details. There will be NO headlines that say, "Bush's latest strategy faulty" or other implications of judgment. The Op/Ed pages will be where such headlines will appear, along with criticisms of it.

3.) Last, and probably most important, once the reporters and columnists get the hang of my style and expectations, I also want them to get it in their heads that I will back them up on what they say - even if it is potentially controversial. For instance, I want them to feel confident being aggressive against a politician who has proven to be getting bribes or otherwise entangled in such illegal or unethical ways. This means that I want to have developed enough faith and confidence in my reporters and columnists that they'll do the job that I expect them to do, and in turn, they'll have faith and confidence in me that I'll back them up against the people they're reporting on, the public that may get outraged, or the publisher that wants us to "not be so aggressive against Candidate X". In short, so long as they do their job right and along my expectations, I'll take all the heat that results from their doing their jobs. I want the reporters to not be afraid to seek and to report the unvarnished truth, no matter where it takes him or her. And part of reporting the unvarnished truth is for the reporter to be consciously aware of not putting any "slant" to their reporting, because any "slanting" will slant away from the truth. It is said in the news business that the only commodity it has is the truth. That statement will be everywhere in my newspaper.

All this will also call, of course, for publishers with balls. Wimpy publishers produce wimpy newspapers. If they can't take the heat, then they should get out of the business. In addition to ballsy publishers will be the need for lawyers who are thoroughly versed in the law as it is related to the news business. That will be part of protecting reporters and columnists. I think that with such a dedication to the truth will come the reputation for truthful reporting, and from that will come more readers. The traditional newspaper business can - and SHOULD - be saved. Our democracy depends on it.