Tag Archives: Media

Writer who reports snow conditions gets fired

Vail Resorts didn’t like the snow reports so the reporter is fired – try talking to God instead

Bob Beryn Writer who reports snow conditions gets fired photo

Bob Berwyn - what color is the snow "white" and lots of it

Even the weather reports are fudged at the newspapers these days in a valiant attempt to survive the end.

A journalist at Summit Daily News in Vail Colorado was fired when his story didn’t tell the snow reports the “right” way. Journalist Fired After Critical Report Published

“Bob Berwyn has more than a decade of reporting the news in Colorado’s high country. He was terminated at the Daily News five days after the column was published.

“I think it’s worrisome, it’s worrisome for the community to think that, if it’s the case, if it’s really true, that advertisers might be dictating who works for the paper and what type of content is in the paper,” Berwyn told CBS4.”

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Corporate-owned media losing its hold on the public

The stranglehold corporate media has had on the news is changing

Nick Fillmore1 Corporate owned media losing its hold on the public photo

Nick Fillmore

By Nick Fillmore – But times in the media world are changing, and the stranglehold corporate media has had on the news is changing too!

Corporate-owned media, particularly the newspaper sector, is struggling financially and is losing readers.

At the same time, the Internet is becoming the preferred source of news for a growing number of people.  Continue reading

Jumping the Gunman

the front page 200px Jumping the Gunman photo

The Front Page

Wolf-pack approach to reporting almost invariably produces stories that lack context

by Stephen Engelberg, ProPublica – November 12, 2009

The recent reporting on Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan [1], who is accused of killing 13 people at Fort Hood, is a classic run-and-gun investigative story in which dozens of reporters badger officials to disclose a new fact (which gets you on page one) or two new facts (which is enough to snag the coveted lead-of-the-paper slot on a slow day). This wolf-pack approach to reporting almost invariably produces stories that lack context, which is hardly surprising.

After all, reporters are telling a complex story by unveiling the key aspects as they learn them.  It’s roughly akin to taking scenes from say, the three “Godfather movies” and spitting out them out as YouTube videos in random order. Good luck to anyone trying to follow the plot.

On the Hasan story, one of the earliest newsbreaks seems, at least so far, to be among the least clear.

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Consumer Reports forced to make cutbacks as revenue drops

consumer reports Consumer Reports forced to make cutbacks as revenue drops photo

Magazines hit by recession and readers shifting to Internet sources

Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, July 20, 2009 with story from mediabistro.com

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California disability activists arrested for civil disobedience outside Governor Schwarzenegger’s home

SFPD arrest disability activists Steve Rhodes 6 19 09 California disability activists arrested for civil disobedience outside Governor Schwarzeneggers home photo

San Francisco Police arrest wheelchair activists at June protest photo Steve Rhodes

Cuts to State home care and disability care programs have activists hitting the streets

Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, July 20, 2009 with story from IndyBay.org

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GM Bankruptcy will bring hard times to media

gm girl 16 9 GM Bankruptcy will bring hard times to media photo

GM - less money for advertising perhaps more for better cars (GM Photo)

Not only GM, its dealers and suppliers face troubled times, the media will feel the pain

Stephen Pate, NJN Network, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, June 2, 2009 with story from The Deal.com

With the long awaited bankruptcy of GM a done deal on June 1, 2009, the ripple effects will soon start to be felt by others who rely on the auto industry. The media biz – advertising agencies, newspapers, the Internet, events like The Academy Awards – all share in GM’s annual advertising budget of $2.12 billion. That is going to change today and forever with a smaller GM or possibly no GM at all. Continue reading