Proposal of Stuart Warner to the Knight Foundation urging purchase of Beacon Journal:
[Warner cc his proposal to many via e-mail urging them to pass it along]]
Alberto Ibargnen
President and CEO
The Knight Foundation
Miami, FL
Mr. Ibargnen:
The Knight name must not disappear from daily journalism. I spent 29 years in Knight-Ridder, 19 in Akron, where I was fortunate enough to work on two Pulitzer-winning projects. I also learned to revere the name and what it stood for - outstanding journalism. Now, with the sale of Knight-Ridder, the Knight Foundation has the opportunity at least to save one proud vestige of the Knight family's former newspaper empire.
The foundation can buy the family's original paper, the Akron Beacon Journal, and turn it into the model for journalism in the 21st century the way the Knights once made it a model for journalism in the 20th century.
.
I admire the Knight Foundation's work in promoting journalism, but this is a chance to do so much more than award fellowships and chairs, fund research and academic study and facilitate other good work within the communities you serve.
This is an opportunity to create a living journalism laboratory much as the Poynter Foundation has done in St. Petersburg. And even go beyond that. The Knights were as smart on the business side as they were on the news side. A Knight Foundation operation in Akron could explore new methods of distribution, alternative advertising structures, combine print, online, and other multi-media resources, etc..
I understand that Akron has been written off as a no-growth market by the McClatchy organization, though I doubt its leaders spent much time there. It has a vibrant downtown that sits in the middle of a soon-to-be-completed, 112-mile national historic corridor that can bring thousands of visitors through the city daily. It has prosperous suburbs - though I no longer work at the paper, I still live just outside the city. And most of all, it has an audience that was raised on the solid values of Knight journalism and appreciates the kind of strong media voice the Knight Foundation could
produce there.
I realize this is a longshot, but I hope you will consider preserving the Knight tradition in Akron.
I was fortunate enough to meet the brothers, and I'm certain that they, more than anybody, gladly would have spent their money that way.
Stuart Warner
Writing Coach/Enterprise Editor
The Plain Dealer
Cleveland, OH
cc: James Crutchfield
HIS THOUGHTFUL REPLY
Dear Mr. Warner,
Thanks for your heartfelt message, which I think I understand very well.
Your proposal has been made by others - and as to other Knight papers, as well. There would be many obstacles, but I will certainly share your message with others at Knight Foundation.
Thank you.
Alberto Ibargnen
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Reflections on Blue Monday
Here are reflections on the sale of Knight Ridder and the still uncertain fate of 12 newspapers dropped out of the sale. The thoughts were expressed in e-mails we have received. I hope no one will object to their display on the blog for others to see. If you have reflections of your own, please add a comment to this post or send e-mail to hliggett@ald.net
Here they are:
From Douglas Balz in Washington, DC:
Wondered the same thing that you put so well, when I heard the news. How can they do that to John Knight's paper? How can they do that to the paper I learned so much from? It was a Blue Monday in Akron, and it was a blue day here, too. I felt like a piece of me had died. I have such fond memories of my time in Akron.
I'm glad Pat [Englehart] wasn't alive to hear the news.
From Bob Batz at Dayton Daily News:
So sad. Such a neat place from 1966 to 1970. So many fond memories.
From Charles Buffum in New York City:
Thanks for covering the story. Give Paul Tople a New York Kudo for us. Painful photos to experience, but they sure tell the story. The irony is that Jack Knight went public to protect his heirs and they pretty much preceded him in death. How much money does a body need, anyway? On the other hand, newspapers are fighting a desperate battle to stay relevant and I'm not sure they can win it. I'm glad we were there when we thought what we were doing was important to our community and society. Damn
From Tim Farkas of Berkshire (MA) Eagle:
I was only a sports part-timer at the Beacon (1979-84), but I too felt like a piece of me died on Monday. My hometown paper -- the one I grew up reading, the one my mother always proudly referred to as "a Knight-Ridder" -- was an orphan with an uncertain future. And on the day of the bad news, the Beacon still carried itself with dignity on A1. "Turning the page" said it all.
From Marilyn Geewax of Cox Washington Bureau:
Thanks so much for keeping us ex-BJ folks up to date. My heart is
just broken about this terrible situation. Paul's photos literally made me
cry. Your efforts to hold the community together during this tough time are really appreciated. mg
From Dennis Haas in St. Petersburg, FL:
It's really sad and really a shame that the Knights ever got paired up with the Ridders.
From Gloria Irwin of BJ staff:
I think the days ahead are the most uncertain of all for us here at the BJ. For what it's worth, what little we know is that we won't lose the pension credits we've accumulated so far (guaranteed by the PBGC at the very least) so that makes me believe your checks are safe, too. I certainly hope so.
Hope you're all enjoying your retirements -- I have my fingers crossed that I'll be able to join you some day.
From retired printer Bob Sisley:
Funny they tell about shareholders, etc. What about medical and pensions, plus pensions for the wives if the employee took a less amount of pension so you wife would be taken care of. These are the important points that no one has talked about for the retirees. I feel that the pensions will be protected by he federal government, but I would not bet on it. Thanks for the info, I read the paper and will have to wait and see
From Cathy Strong in New Zealand:
I agree that Paul Tople tells it best, and fancy him doing it for the ABJ for all these years. Kind regards to current staffers, I'm glad I'm not in your shoes at the moment.
From Ted Walls, retired BJ photographer:
Reading BJ the last several days, has left me with a heavy heart and at times with a few tears. I guess we new that some day this would happen, yet always hoping it would never come. Yet I find this hard to believe, if we lose the BJ altogether, does this mean that the Canton Rep. would be #1 in this area? That is worse than death. Hey let’s see what the next six months tells us.
Here they are:
From Douglas Balz in Washington, DC:
Wondered the same thing that you put so well, when I heard the news. How can they do that to John Knight's paper? How can they do that to the paper I learned so much from? It was a Blue Monday in Akron, and it was a blue day here, too. I felt like a piece of me had died. I have such fond memories of my time in Akron.
I'm glad Pat [Englehart] wasn't alive to hear the news.
From Bob Batz at Dayton Daily News:
So sad. Such a neat place from 1966 to 1970. So many fond memories.
From Charles Buffum in New York City:
Thanks for covering the story. Give Paul Tople a New York Kudo for us. Painful photos to experience, but they sure tell the story. The irony is that Jack Knight went public to protect his heirs and they pretty much preceded him in death. How much money does a body need, anyway? On the other hand, newspapers are fighting a desperate battle to stay relevant and I'm not sure they can win it. I'm glad we were there when we thought what we were doing was important to our community and society. Damn
From Tim Farkas of Berkshire (MA) Eagle:
I was only a sports part-timer at the Beacon (1979-84), but I too felt like a piece of me died on Monday. My hometown paper -- the one I grew up reading, the one my mother always proudly referred to as "a Knight-Ridder" -- was an orphan with an uncertain future. And on the day of the bad news, the Beacon still carried itself with dignity on A1. "Turning the page" said it all.
From Marilyn Geewax of Cox Washington Bureau:
Thanks so much for keeping us ex-BJ folks up to date. My heart is
just broken about this terrible situation. Paul's photos literally made me
cry. Your efforts to hold the community together during this tough time are really appreciated. mg
From Dennis Haas in St. Petersburg, FL:
It's really sad and really a shame that the Knights ever got paired up with the Ridders.
From Gloria Irwin of BJ staff:
I think the days ahead are the most uncertain of all for us here at the BJ. For what it's worth, what little we know is that we won't lose the pension credits we've accumulated so far (guaranteed by the PBGC at the very least) so that makes me believe your checks are safe, too. I certainly hope so.
Hope you're all enjoying your retirements -- I have my fingers crossed that I'll be able to join you some day.
From retired printer Bob Sisley:
Funny they tell about shareholders, etc. What about medical and pensions, plus pensions for the wives if the employee took a less amount of pension so you wife would be taken care of. These are the important points that no one has talked about for the retirees. I feel that the pensions will be protected by he federal government, but I would not bet on it. Thanks for the info, I read the paper and will have to wait and see
From Cathy Strong in New Zealand:
I agree that Paul Tople tells it best, and fancy him doing it for the ABJ for all these years. Kind regards to current staffers, I'm glad I'm not in your shoes at the moment.
From Ted Walls, retired BJ photographer:
Reading BJ the last several days, has left me with a heavy heart and at times with a few tears. I guess we new that some day this would happen, yet always hoping it would never come. Yet I find this hard to believe, if we lose the BJ altogether, does this mean that the Canton Rep. would be #1 in this area? That is worse than death. Hey let’s see what the next six months tells us.
Walls is great-grandpa again
Retired BJ photographer Ted Walls has become a great-grandfather for the fourth time. Here he is with Kelab Gottschick, born December 29, 2005, the son of Kim and Kyle Gottschick. Kim is Ted’s granddaughter.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
When words cannot explain
Sometimes words alone are not enough to tell a gripping story. The story, of course, is about a "Blue Monday at the BJ" so we are going to let an album of photos by Paul Tople tell you how it was in the newsroom of the Beacon Journal on Monday, March 13, 2006 when Publisher Jim Crxutchfield explained as much as he could the sale of the Knight Ridder empire and the still uncertain fate of the John S. Knight flagship Beacon Journal. The photo above shows the staff listening to him. Click on the headline above to go to the photo album of Tople's photos. Click on photos to enlarge them and use the arrow keys to move around the album.
It's funny that just a short while ago we posted on this blog some photos Paul shot at a BJ Christmas party in 1971. And 35 years later, Paul is stilll telling the story better than our words.
How do you say Good Knight?
Is it not strange that the Akron Beacon Journal, the flagship of John S. Knight newspapers, and the San Jose Mercury News, the Ridder flagship, were left rudderless by the sale of the Knight Ridder empire?~Harry Liggett, March 1995 BJ retiree
Count your stock. Multiply it by $40 and that is the amount of cash you will receive from the sale of Knight Ridder plus a 0.5118 Class A McClatchy share for each of your shares.
Sorry. No word on what happens to pensions and health benefits.
Read Ohio.com and McClatchy.com Especially recommended is a piece by Mary Ethridge, a branch of the Knight family tree, which appeared on page A1
Monday, March 13, 2006
Sorry about that, says Tony
The Akron Beacon Journal and 11 other newspapers were left “still wondering” today after the sale of the Knight Ridder empire to McClatchy Co. for $4.5 billion.
Here’s the news from San Jose:
NEW OWNER PLANS TO SELL THE MERCURY NEWS, 11 OTHER KR PAPERS
McClatchy Co. announced today that it will acquire Knight-Ridder in a deal valued at approximately $4.5 billion, and plans to sell 12 of the San Jose newspaper company's 32 papers, including the Mercury News and Contra Costa Times.
Tony Ridder, chairman and chief executive of Knight Ridder, called the deal a good outcome for shareholders. He said he is glad the period of uncertainty that began when a dissident shareholder forced Knight Ridder to offer itself for sale is over for many of the company's employees.
``For the 12 newspapers that will be sold, the uncertainty is not over and I regret that very much,'' Ridder said.
In addition to the Mercury News and Contra Costa Times, those include the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News and the Akron Beacon Journal. The Wilkes Barre Times Leader, the Aberdeen American News, the Grand Forks Herald, the Ft. Wayne News-Sentinal, the Monterey Herald, and the Duluth News and Tribune.
The deal was valued at $67.25 a share -- $40 of that in cash and the rest in McClatchy shares. That totals $4.5 billion, and the Sacramento-based company is also assuming $2 billion in Knight Ridder debt.
McClatchy chief executive Gary Pruitt called the deal ``a vote of confidence in the newspaper industry.''
Click on the headline to read about the whole sorry mess
Here’s the news from San Jose:
NEW OWNER PLANS TO SELL THE MERCURY NEWS, 11 OTHER KR PAPERS
McClatchy Co. announced today that it will acquire Knight-Ridder in a deal valued at approximately $4.5 billion, and plans to sell 12 of the San Jose newspaper company's 32 papers, including the Mercury News and Contra Costa Times.
Tony Ridder, chairman and chief executive of Knight Ridder, called the deal a good outcome for shareholders. He said he is glad the period of uncertainty that began when a dissident shareholder forced Knight Ridder to offer itself for sale is over for many of the company's employees.
``For the 12 newspapers that will be sold, the uncertainty is not over and I regret that very much,'' Ridder said.
In addition to the Mercury News and Contra Costa Times, those include the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News and the Akron Beacon Journal. The Wilkes Barre Times Leader, the Aberdeen American News, the Grand Forks Herald, the Ft. Wayne News-Sentinal, the Monterey Herald, and the Duluth News and Tribune.
The deal was valued at $67.25 a share -- $40 of that in cash and the rest in McClatchy shares. That totals $4.5 billion, and the Sacramento-based company is also assuming $2 billion in Knight Ridder debt.
McClatchy chief executive Gary Pruitt called the deal ``a vote of confidence in the newspaper industry.''
Click on the headline to read about the whole sorry mess
Fred Gerlich dies
Fred Gerlich Jr., former member of the Beacon Journal copy desk and sports editor at the Roswell (NM) Daily Record, died Saturday.
From the Roswell (NM) Daily Record:
Gerlich, Record�s sports desk "pro," dies
The Daily Record has lost its sports editor.
Fred Gerlich, 54, sports editor for the Daily Record since October, died Saturday after a brief illness.
Before coming to the Daily Record, Gerlich had spent his career in news and sports reporting and editing at newspapers in Ohio and Iowa. Sports always was his forte, his wife, June, said.
"He always wanted to be sports editor," she said.
Gerlich had just recently gotten back into the newspaper business after being out for several years, his wife said.
"He liked his job, he liked it here," she said. "He just wanted to move here, start fresh with everything, and retire here."
Gerlich was an unusual person, June said.
"His way of thinking was the principle of things," she said. "He was very giving. ... He was very friendly to people. He would talk to anybody, practically."
Gerlich also was a good provider for his wife and daughter, Chynna Santiago, 17, June said.
"He was supportive of anything I wanted to do," she added.
Gerlich liked to cook and was a good cook, June said. He also liked the family dog, Mimi, an American Eskimo dog.
"She was always around him," she added. "At nighttime she would wait for him" to get home after working late.
He loved sports, especially professional wrestling, his wife said. He followed the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Browns and, although an Ohio University graduate, he supported the Ohio State University Buckeyes.
Record News Editor Rob Moore said Gerlich�s death was a loss for the newspaper.
"He was a real pro," Moore said.
Record Editor Mike Bush agreed.
"He knew his stuff," Bush said. "He had developed a good rapport with local coaches and was doing an outstanding job at a difficult position, covering sports at all the high schools in the area. We will miss him greatly."
Record Publisher Cory Beck said Gerlich was "a great guy."
"I am saddened," Beck added. "He was turning around the Sports Department. He was doing a great job. I am heartbroken."
Bush noted Gerlich's death also presents the Record with a challenge, as the position of sports reporter is vacant, leaving no one else in the Sports Department.
"We have procedures in place to try to keep up while we search for a new sports editor, and we will do the best we can to give full coverage to area sports," he added.
"We may miss some things and may not be able to cover everything we would like to cover," Bush said. "We ask coaches and our readers to be understanding and to help us keep up with local sports activities while we find a replacement for Fred."
The classified obit on page B7, col. 1, Monday, March 13, 2006:
Frederick T. Gerlich, Jr., age 54 of Roswell, New Mexico, formerly of Cleveland and Massillon, Ohio, passed away March 4, 2006.
Beloved husband of June Santiago; dear son of the late Frederick T. Sr. and Rita (nee Sullivan) Gerlich; dear father of Melissa Gerlich; stepfather of Chynna Santiago; dear brother of John (Laura Fenton), Dennis (JoAnn Mason), Mary and Gregory (Joyce Marks) Gerlich; dear uncle of Shannon, Ryan, Jacob, Meghan, and Matthew Gerlich; former husband of Judy Glazer.
Memorial service Wednesday, March 15, 2006, 7:30 P.M. at The Schuster-Straker-O'Connor Funeral Home, 5904 Ridge Rd., Parma, where friends may call from 6:30 P.M. until time of service. For directions visit www.ssofh.com.
From the Roswell (NM) Daily Record:
Gerlich, Record�s sports desk "pro," dies
The Daily Record has lost its sports editor.
Fred Gerlich, 54, sports editor for the Daily Record since October, died Saturday after a brief illness.
Before coming to the Daily Record, Gerlich had spent his career in news and sports reporting and editing at newspapers in Ohio and Iowa. Sports always was his forte, his wife, June, said.
"He always wanted to be sports editor," she said.
Gerlich had just recently gotten back into the newspaper business after being out for several years, his wife said.
"He liked his job, he liked it here," she said. "He just wanted to move here, start fresh with everything, and retire here."
Gerlich was an unusual person, June said.
"His way of thinking was the principle of things," she said. "He was very giving. ... He was very friendly to people. He would talk to anybody, practically."
Gerlich also was a good provider for his wife and daughter, Chynna Santiago, 17, June said.
"He was supportive of anything I wanted to do," she added.
Gerlich liked to cook and was a good cook, June said. He also liked the family dog, Mimi, an American Eskimo dog.
"She was always around him," she added. "At nighttime she would wait for him" to get home after working late.
He loved sports, especially professional wrestling, his wife said. He followed the Cleveland Indians and the Cleveland Browns and, although an Ohio University graduate, he supported the Ohio State University Buckeyes.
Record News Editor Rob Moore said Gerlich�s death was a loss for the newspaper.
"He was a real pro," Moore said.
Record Editor Mike Bush agreed.
"He knew his stuff," Bush said. "He had developed a good rapport with local coaches and was doing an outstanding job at a difficult position, covering sports at all the high schools in the area. We will miss him greatly."
Record Publisher Cory Beck said Gerlich was "a great guy."
"I am saddened," Beck added. "He was turning around the Sports Department. He was doing a great job. I am heartbroken."
Bush noted Gerlich's death also presents the Record with a challenge, as the position of sports reporter is vacant, leaving no one else in the Sports Department.
"We have procedures in place to try to keep up while we search for a new sports editor, and we will do the best we can to give full coverage to area sports," he added.
"We may miss some things and may not be able to cover everything we would like to cover," Bush said. "We ask coaches and our readers to be understanding and to help us keep up with local sports activities while we find a replacement for Fred."
The classified obit on page B7, col. 1, Monday, March 13, 2006:
Frederick T. Gerlich, Jr., age 54 of Roswell, New Mexico, formerly of Cleveland and Massillon, Ohio, passed away March 4, 2006.
Beloved husband of June Santiago; dear son of the late Frederick T. Sr. and Rita (nee Sullivan) Gerlich; dear father of Melissa Gerlich; stepfather of Chynna Santiago; dear brother of John (Laura Fenton), Dennis (JoAnn Mason), Mary and Gregory (Joyce Marks) Gerlich; dear uncle of Shannon, Ryan, Jacob, Meghan, and Matthew Gerlich; former husband of Judy Glazer.
Memorial service Wednesday, March 15, 2006, 7:30 P.M. at The Schuster-Straker-O'Connor Funeral Home, 5904 Ridge Rd., Parma, where friends may call from 6:30 P.M. until time of service. For directions visit www.ssofh.com.
McClatchy to buy Knight-Ridder for $4.5 billion
NEW YORK, March 13 (Reuters) - McClatchy Co. on Monday said it would acquire fellow newspaper publisher Knight-Ridder Inc. for $4.5 billion in cash and stock.
McClatchy will offer $40 cash and 0.5118 Class A shares for each Knight-Ridder share. The deal values Knight-Ridder at $67.25 per share, above its closing price of $65 on Friday.
The combined company will operate 32 daily newspapers and 50 nondailies after the sale of 12 Knight-Ridder papers, including the Philadelphia Inquirer and the San Jose Mercury News.
It will rank as the second-largest U.S. newspaper publisher based on a daily circulation of about 3.2 million people. McClatchy said it expected the deal to close within three to four months.
McClatchy said it would have had 2005 revenue of $2.83 billion and earnings of $754 million before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization if it had owned all the Knight-Ridder papers it planned to retain.
The company said it would assume about $2 billion in Knight-Ridder debt at closing.
McClatchy said it expected the deal to reduce earnings per share in the mid-single-digit percentage range in the first year after closing, then add to profit by 2008.
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Everyone is waiting for Monday
Everybody’s waiting for Monday. Pete Carey and Chris O’Brien wrote today under a San Jose Mecury News headline which said:
Knight Ridder's fate may be sealed Sunday
BOARD'S DECISION ON SALE COULD BE ANNOUNCED MONDAY
Knight Ridder's board is meeting Sunday in New York to discuss bids from McClatchy, the Sacramento-based owner of the Sacramento Bee and 11 other dailies; a consortium of private equity companies; and possibly MediaNews, the Denver company that owns 40 daily newspapers, including the Oakland Tribune.
Several sources said an announcement may be made early Monday morning in New York. McClatchy reportedly bid above $65 a share, or more than $4.7 billion, for Knight Ridder.
Buried half way down in the story is this graph:
“Gannett told all employees to be at their computers Monday morning for a Webcast by President and Chief Executive Craig Dubow, but there was no indication of what it would be about.”
MediaNews, McClatchy and the private equity companies had no comment, and neither did Knight Ridder spokesman Polk Laffoon. Nor the guy who started it all, Bruce Sherman of Private Capital Investmetn
MediaNews had been trying to woo the nation's largest newspaper company, Gannett, into a joint bid, according to sources.
McClatchy might have more newspapers than it wants. If so, MediaNews and possibly Gannett might be interested in buying some of those papers. The Newspaper Guild has secured California investor Ron Burkle's Yucaipa group to attempt to buy up to nine union-represented Knight Ridder newspapers from whoever buys the company.
Knight Ridder has said that a sale is only one option. But a number of sources close to the process said the company would be compelled to sell at $65 or more. On Friday, Knight Ridder's stock closed at exactly $65, up from Thursday's close of $62.66.
Click on the headline to read all about it.
Knight Ridder's fate may be sealed Sunday
BOARD'S DECISION ON SALE COULD BE ANNOUNCED MONDAY
Knight Ridder's board is meeting Sunday in New York to discuss bids from McClatchy, the Sacramento-based owner of the Sacramento Bee and 11 other dailies; a consortium of private equity companies; and possibly MediaNews, the Denver company that owns 40 daily newspapers, including the Oakland Tribune.
Several sources said an announcement may be made early Monday morning in New York. McClatchy reportedly bid above $65 a share, or more than $4.7 billion, for Knight Ridder.
Buried half way down in the story is this graph:
“Gannett told all employees to be at their computers Monday morning for a Webcast by President and Chief Executive Craig Dubow, but there was no indication of what it would be about.”
MediaNews, McClatchy and the private equity companies had no comment, and neither did Knight Ridder spokesman Polk Laffoon. Nor the guy who started it all, Bruce Sherman of Private Capital Investmetn
MediaNews had been trying to woo the nation's largest newspaper company, Gannett, into a joint bid, according to sources.
McClatchy might have more newspapers than it wants. If so, MediaNews and possibly Gannett might be interested in buying some of those papers. The Newspaper Guild has secured California investor Ron Burkle's Yucaipa group to attempt to buy up to nine union-represented Knight Ridder newspapers from whoever buys the company.
Knight Ridder has said that a sale is only one option. But a number of sources close to the process said the company would be compelled to sell at $65 or more. On Friday, Knight Ridder's stock closed at exactly $65, up from Thursday's close of $62.66.
Click on the headline to read all about it.
A 1983 BJ style model
The headline in the May /June 1983 issue of Tower Topics read: “Be A Real Stylish BJ’er.” Modeling an official BJ cap and shirt was Karen (Chuparkoff) Hoiles–now BJ attorney Karen Lefton. There was information on how to order the hats, shirts and jackets from the Customer Service Desk. No prices were mentioned.
Friday, March 10, 2006
Desrosiers named sports editor
MEMORANDUM
TO: Beacon Journal newsroom
FR: Mizell Stewart III
RE: New sports editor
DA: March 9, 2006
Rich Desrosiers, who has held a series of positions of increasing responsibility in the Beacon Journal newsroom since joining the newspaper in 1994, will be our next Sports Editor. He will begin the transition immediately and move to sports full-time on Monday, March 27.
I am also thrilled to announce that Larry Pantages will remain in the Sports Department as Deputy Sports Editor, supervising our outstanding coverage of professional sports. Patrick McManamon, Sheldon Ocker, Terry Pluto, Tom Reed, Marla Ridenour and Brian Windhorst will report to Pantages. Gary Estwick, Tom Gaffney, David Lee Morgan and Stephanie Storm will report to
Desrosiers.
At the same time, we are working on combining the firepower of the news and sports copy desks under the leadership of Copy Desk Chief Kathy Fraze. It will be a "universally managed" copy desk, where individual copy editors specialize in news and sports. I believe the result will improve the
quality of life for all of our copy editors, ensure consistent editing across all sections of the newspaper and free up resources to meet new challenges, notably increasing our news and sports presence on Ohio.com.
Kathy is currently leading a "working group" of news and sports copy editors to work out the details of that transition. More information will follow as those details are worked out over the next several weeks. Rich and Larry will oversee sports copy editing and design until the transition is complete.
Rich, a resident of Stark County since the mid-1980s, joined the BJ in July 1994 as assistant national editor. He moved to the News Desk as a deputy news editor in April 1995. He was promoted to news editor in October 1996 and executive news editor in January 1998. Two years later, he left the News Desk to lead the Stark County Bureau.
In that role, Rich also served as editor for political and state news and education news. In late 2003, Rich returned to the main newsroom to lead those efforts as well as serve as the Beacon Journal's "liaison" to Ohio.com. He has teamed with reporters to lead several major reporting efforts, including the 2002 series "Ohio, Look at the State We're In," the 2003 series "Home Schooling: Whose Business Is It?" and 2004 projects on racial balance in the Akron schools and the anniversary of the landmark Brown v Board of Education ruling.
Rich's wife, Anne, is a substitute teacher and high school volleyball coach. Their three children, Andrew, Maggie and John, attend the North Canton schools. In his copious free time, Rich is a coach with the Canton Akron Penguins youth hockey association.
Mizell Stewart III
Managing Editor
TO: Beacon Journal newsroom
FR: Mizell Stewart III
RE: New sports editor
DA: March 9, 2006
Rich Desrosiers, who has held a series of positions of increasing responsibility in the Beacon Journal newsroom since joining the newspaper in 1994, will be our next Sports Editor. He will begin the transition immediately and move to sports full-time on Monday, March 27.
I am also thrilled to announce that Larry Pantages will remain in the Sports Department as Deputy Sports Editor, supervising our outstanding coverage of professional sports. Patrick McManamon, Sheldon Ocker, Terry Pluto, Tom Reed, Marla Ridenour and Brian Windhorst will report to Pantages. Gary Estwick, Tom Gaffney, David Lee Morgan and Stephanie Storm will report to
Desrosiers.
At the same time, we are working on combining the firepower of the news and sports copy desks under the leadership of Copy Desk Chief Kathy Fraze. It will be a "universally managed" copy desk, where individual copy editors specialize in news and sports. I believe the result will improve the
quality of life for all of our copy editors, ensure consistent editing across all sections of the newspaper and free up resources to meet new challenges, notably increasing our news and sports presence on Ohio.com.
Kathy is currently leading a "working group" of news and sports copy editors to work out the details of that transition. More information will follow as those details are worked out over the next several weeks. Rich and Larry will oversee sports copy editing and design until the transition is complete.
Rich, a resident of Stark County since the mid-1980s, joined the BJ in July 1994 as assistant national editor. He moved to the News Desk as a deputy news editor in April 1995. He was promoted to news editor in October 1996 and executive news editor in January 1998. Two years later, he left the News Desk to lead the Stark County Bureau.
In that role, Rich also served as editor for political and state news and education news. In late 2003, Rich returned to the main newsroom to lead those efforts as well as serve as the Beacon Journal's "liaison" to Ohio.com. He has teamed with reporters to lead several major reporting efforts, including the 2002 series "Ohio, Look at the State We're In," the 2003 series "Home Schooling: Whose Business Is It?" and 2004 projects on racial balance in the Akron schools and the anniversary of the landmark Brown v Board of Education ruling.
Rich's wife, Anne, is a substitute teacher and high school volleyball coach. Their three children, Andrew, Maggie and John, attend the North Canton schools. In his copious free time, Rich is a coach with the Canton Akron Penguins youth hockey association.
Mizell Stewart III
Managing Editor
Thursday, March 09, 2006
We could have made it 16
Attendance at the Beacn Journal retirees lunch for past few months seems to be stuck on a dozen or unlucky 13. Thirteen was the number on Wednesday, Mar 9, at Papa Joe’s in the valley. Tom Moore, John Olesky and Harry Liggett failed to show or the attendance could have swelled to 16. Next month we could hit a new high.
The photos above also are missing five faces. Carl Nelson, Al Hunsicker and Bill Canterbury were in another photo, but Carl had his eyes shut. And a photo of Ed and Norma Hanzel was a little fuzzy. Oh, well. Maybe next month.
Do you recognize her?
Do you recognize this sweet young woman?
Well, here’s the spiel from the July/August 1985 issue of the Sidebar where the photo appeared:
“Joining the copy desk is Gloria Irwin. Gloria comes to the Beacon Journal from the Times Leader in Wilkes-Barer, PA, where she served as copy desk chief. She previously worked as a reporter and Sunday editor for the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. Gloria received her B.S. in journalism from Ohio University. She enjoys reading, tennis, needlepoint, interior decorating and bicycling. She is single and lives in Cuyahoga Falls.”
Don’t know if Gloria reads the blog. If so, perhaps she will leave a comment.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Suchan remembers 1971 yule party
Tom Suchan remembers the 1971 yule party. See also the comment from Janis Froelich on the earlier post. Tom writes:
Yes, I remember the party. A lot of fun.
Here's an update on the kids:
Matt, our oldest, turns 40 next year. And that means I'm older than dirt. Professionally he helps keep the computers running smoothly at Cessna Aircraft here in Wichita. He and his wife, Dorothy, have four children, including a wonderful young lady, Juaquina, who they "adopted" when she was 18. (She's 28 now and still calls me Grandpa.) Dorothy teaches English at Andale High School, a suburb west of Wichita.
Matt's great love is soccer. After years of playing in AYSO and at Newman College, he now takes his weary bones on the road weekends to referee high school and college games.
Jeff is a project architect for Law-Kingdon, a Wichita firm. His specialty has been designing nursing homes for Alzheimer's patients. Currently he's getting into hospital additions and shopping malls all over the country. He is married to Diahann, and they have two children. She is a counselor and most recently has been working with ex-cons who have sexuality issues. (And there are a lot of them.) He is a graduate of Kansas State University, and it still throws me when I see KSU in a headline. I think it refers to Kent State.
I'll give you info about our other two .... after you publish a picture of them.
Yes, I remember the party. A lot of fun.
Here's an update on the kids:
Matt, our oldest, turns 40 next year. And that means I'm older than dirt. Professionally he helps keep the computers running smoothly at Cessna Aircraft here in Wichita. He and his wife, Dorothy, have four children, including a wonderful young lady, Juaquina, who they "adopted" when she was 18. (She's 28 now and still calls me Grandpa.) Dorothy teaches English at Andale High School, a suburb west of Wichita.
Matt's great love is soccer. After years of playing in AYSO and at Newman College, he now takes his weary bones on the road weekends to referee high school and college games.
Jeff is a project architect for Law-Kingdon, a Wichita firm. His specialty has been designing nursing homes for Alzheimer's patients. Currently he's getting into hospital additions and shopping malls all over the country. He is married to Diahann, and they have two children. She is a counselor and most recently has been working with ex-cons who have sexuality issues. (And there are a lot of them.) He is a graduate of Kansas State University, and it still throws me when I see KSU in a headline. I think it refers to Kent State.
I'll give you info about our other two .... after you publish a picture of them.
KR stock rises after backout
Knight Ridder (KRI) rose $1.07, or 2%, to $62.27 after the Los Angeles Times reported March 4 that two private investment firms are backing away from serious bidding for the company, which put itself on the block last November. It was $62.30 about noon today.
A consortium that includes Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., Blackstone Group and Providence Equity Partners is "unlikely" to offer much more than Knight Ridder's current share price, the Times said. The same iss true of another group made up of Bain Capital, Hellman & Friedman, Texas Pacific Group and Thomas H. Lee Partners, the newspaper reported.
Apparently, the combination of Gannett Co. (GCI) and privately held MediaNews Group remains interested, the Times said. McClatchy Co. (MNI) is also a suitor, the report said.
The next round of bids for Knight Ridder is due Thursday, according to the Times report.
A consortium that includes Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., Blackstone Group and Providence Equity Partners is "unlikely" to offer much more than Knight Ridder's current share price, the Times said. The same iss true of another group made up of Bain Capital, Hellman & Friedman, Texas Pacific Group and Thomas H. Lee Partners, the newspaper reported.
Apparently, the combination of Gannett Co. (GCI) and privately held MediaNews Group remains interested, the Times said. McClatchy Co. (MNI) is also a suitor, the report said.
The next round of bids for Knight Ridder is due Thursday, according to the Times report.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
A late yule party in 1971
It was March, 1971, but the procrastinating Akron Press Club decided to throw a Christmas party.The photos here were published in the April/May 1971 issue of Tower Topics, the employee publication of that era.
Dick McBane is holding his sailor-uniformed son, Roderick. Yes that is the same Roderick who was featured in a BJ Retirees blog post on Sep 18, 2005 which showed a photo of Roderick and his bride, Cindy.
Tom Suchan is shown with sons Matt and Jeff. Suchan is retired from the Wichita Eagle, but still living in Wichita.
Janis Froelich and Joyce Lagios are with Santa Dan Gooding. Janis still works at the Tampa Tribune covering growth and development in the downtown area.
The photos were taken by Paul Tople–still hard at work as a BJ photographer 35 years later. Anyone know what happened to Joyce Lagios and Dan Gooding?
Monday, March 06, 2006
Honored in 1991
Nearly 300 retrees, guests and honorees attended the annual Beacon Journal Service Awards Banquet at the Tangier Restaurant on Thursday, Nov.14, 1991. Those honored with 25 years of service were (pictured above) the late Donn F. Gaynor, Joan Rice, the late Joseph Amoroso, Sanford Levenson, Michael L. Porter, John Tobias, James Barber, Donald Reppart, Martha Lipford, Robert Leland, Nicholas Milazzo, Michsael Jewell and Richard L. McBane. Also honored were Cheryl S. Sheinen and Ronald Hine. The photos were published in the Sidebar of December 1991.Why we need the press
A nice column by Eric Newton of the Cincinnati Post:
Perhaps surprisingly in this day of write-it-yourself Web sites, there dwell in America some 125,000 human beings known as "general news journalists."
Hardly anyone likes them. The bloggers call them "mainstream media." Liberals call them "corporate media." Conservatives call them "liberal media." Everyone else just dismisses them as "THE MEDIA."
Truth is, it's easy to bash journalists. Hollywood paints them as a yammering, amoral horde. That's entertaining, but wrong. The boring reality is that most professional journalists actually have ethics. They're good people. They try to dig out facts and stick to them. They hope to keep their corner of the world a little more honest. We watch or read or listen to their work because we need news -- especially bad news -- to properly run our countries and our lives.
... Why should you know that journalists do honest work? Because journalists need you. When you read about a guy whose idea of public service is to hold down three tax-supported jobs at once (or about a $1 million helicopter bought with tax money to battle a gypsy moth problem that doesn't exist, or about 10-hour waits in emergency rooms), journalists need you. They need you to think about what you've learned, and, if warranted, to direct your elected representatives to fix it.
So journalists need you. But you need them, too. If journalists don't tell you about this stuff, who will? The system won't tell you, not even in America. That's why all successful democracies have had a free and independent media.
To learn more about the value of journalists, click on the headline to read the full column.
Perhaps surprisingly in this day of write-it-yourself Web sites, there dwell in America some 125,000 human beings known as "general news journalists."
Hardly anyone likes them. The bloggers call them "mainstream media." Liberals call them "corporate media." Conservatives call them "liberal media." Everyone else just dismisses them as "THE MEDIA."
Truth is, it's easy to bash journalists. Hollywood paints them as a yammering, amoral horde. That's entertaining, but wrong. The boring reality is that most professional journalists actually have ethics. They're good people. They try to dig out facts and stick to them. They hope to keep their corner of the world a little more honest. We watch or read or listen to their work because we need news -- especially bad news -- to properly run our countries and our lives.
... Why should you know that journalists do honest work? Because journalists need you. When you read about a guy whose idea of public service is to hold down three tax-supported jobs at once (or about a $1 million helicopter bought with tax money to battle a gypsy moth problem that doesn't exist, or about 10-hour waits in emergency rooms), journalists need you. They need you to think about what you've learned, and, if warranted, to direct your elected representatives to fix it.
So journalists need you. But you need them, too. If journalists don't tell you about this stuff, who will? The system won't tell you, not even in America. That's why all successful democracies have had a free and independent media.
To learn more about the value of journalists, click on the headline to read the full column.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Best blogging newspapers in U.S.
Fifteen undergraduates in journalism, two grad students, and one professor set out to determine the top blogging newspapers in the U.S. among major dailies. Jay Rosen and his Blue Plate Special team at New York University found six standouts, two honorable mentions and some wacky blogs. Number One, in their opinion, was the Houston Chronicle.
Here are their top six
1. Houston Chronicle (128 points)
2. Washington Post (69 points)
3. USA Today (38 points, 1 honorable mention)
4. St. Petersburg Times (29 points, 2 honorable mention)
5. Atlanta Journal-Constitution (23 points)
6. San Antonio Express-News (22 points, 1 honorable mention)
Blogs that scored the most points were easy to find, user friendly, current, with quality of writing and good linking. The Houston Chronicle even has blogs written by the newspaper’s readers
Click on the headline above to read more about how they were chosen.
To see a list of the top 100 (listed by circulation) and their blogs, click here.
According to the list, the Beacon Journal has six blogs. I had real difficulty finding them, however, because they are not on the site map and unlike other newspapers, Ohio.com has no main blog listing [url]. There is one blog on Ohio.com for Diane Evans with no post on it since September. There also is a bad link on the BJ menu page. If you click on Discussion Boards, you go nowhere. The url apparently was at one time to Geocities, a site that has discussion boards. The BJ is now more into podcasts which are mp3 (sound) files you can download.
Here are their top six
1. Houston Chronicle (128 points)
2. Washington Post (69 points)
3. USA Today (38 points, 1 honorable mention)
4. St. Petersburg Times (29 points, 2 honorable mention)
5. Atlanta Journal-Constitution (23 points)
6. San Antonio Express-News (22 points, 1 honorable mention)
Blogs that scored the most points were easy to find, user friendly, current, with quality of writing and good linking. The Houston Chronicle even has blogs written by the newspaper’s readers
Click on the headline above to read more about how they were chosen.
To see a list of the top 100 (listed by circulation) and their blogs, click here.
According to the list, the Beacon Journal has six blogs. I had real difficulty finding them, however, because they are not on the site map and unlike other newspapers, Ohio.com has no main blog listing [url]. There is one blog on Ohio.com for Diane Evans with no post on it since September. There also is a bad link on the BJ menu page. If you click on Discussion Boards, you go nowhere. The url apparently was at one time to Geocities, a site that has discussion boards. The BJ is now more into podcasts which are mp3 (sound) files you can download.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Bids in the works for Knight Ridder
As a deadline nears for submitting bids for Knight Ridder, MediaNews and Gannett are working on a joint bid, according to a source familiar with the process.
Sources said the Sacramento-based McClatchy newspaper chain also is preparing a bid.
Knight Ridder has set March 9 as the deadline for potential buyers to submit bids, according to several sources. The San Jose company, which is the nation's second-largest newspaper company and owner of the Mercury News, put itself up for sale under pressure from shareholders. It is expected to announce a decision about whether to sell in mid-March.
Making a play for Knight Ridder is more complicated for the two teams of private equity firms who have entered the bidding process. These companies have less ability to cut costs than a media buyer. For instance, a media company could eliminate Knight Ridder's corporate staff and rely on its own staff while a private equity firm would need to retain or replace such operations.
Texas Pacific, Thomas H. Lee and Hellman & Friedman are “still evaluating” a bid but are expected to make an offer for Knight Ridder, according to industry sources. The Blackstone Group, Providence Equity Partners and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts have not made a decision about whether to bid, according to industry sources.
Click on headline to read full story by Pete Carey, The San Jose Mercury News
Sources said the Sacramento-based McClatchy newspaper chain also is preparing a bid.
Knight Ridder has set March 9 as the deadline for potential buyers to submit bids, according to several sources. The San Jose company, which is the nation's second-largest newspaper company and owner of the Mercury News, put itself up for sale under pressure from shareholders. It is expected to announce a decision about whether to sell in mid-March.
Making a play for Knight Ridder is more complicated for the two teams of private equity firms who have entered the bidding process. These companies have less ability to cut costs than a media buyer. For instance, a media company could eliminate Knight Ridder's corporate staff and rely on its own staff while a private equity firm would need to retain or replace such operations.
Texas Pacific, Thomas H. Lee and Hellman & Friedman are “still evaluating” a bid but are expected to make an offer for Knight Ridder, according to industry sources. The Blackstone Group, Providence Equity Partners and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts have not made a decision about whether to bid, according to industry sources.
Click on headline to read full story by Pete Carey, The San Jose Mercury News
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
From inside the clock tower
MEMORANDUM
TO: Beacon Journal newsroom
FR: Mizell Stewart III
RE: Sports Department news
DA: February 28, 2006
After nearly eight years at the helm of The Beacon Journal's award-winning sports department, Larry Pantages is stepping down.
Larry was appointed Deputy Sports Editor in 1991 and promoted to Sports Editor in April 1998. During his tenure, the sports staff has been recognized both statewide and nationally for outstanding enterprise reporting, game coverage, feature writing and commentary. The accolades include an Honorable Mention from the Associated Press Sports Editors for best Sunday sports section in the country in 2003 and four Top 10 APSE awards for enterprise reporting.
When it comes to important sports stories that are vital to our readers, The Beacon Journal sports staff has consistently outpaced the competition. From the return of the Cleveland Browns to the rise of LeBron James, Larry's perspective as a lifelong Akron resident and his background as a reporter and editor in the sports and business departments helped us bring those stories home like no one else.
He demonstrates outstanding planning and organizational skills. Even better, Larry has a keen eye for finding stories that others might miss, regardless of what section they eventually appear in.
Larry has worn many hats over more than 30 years at The Beacon Journal, including stints as a professional and high school sports reporter, a business reporter and columnist, deputy business editor and deputy sports editor. In every assignment, Larry has carried a positive attitude and the determination to serve readers to the best of his ability.
It is my hope that Larry will continue to be a vital part of our sports operation, and we are discussing what form that new role will take. We will be filling the position of sports editor internally. If you are interested in taking on that role, please contact me or Debra Adams Simmons by the end of the day on Thursday, March 2.
Blog passes 10,000 mark
Sometime in the last day or so, this blog passed the 10,000 mark in the number of visits. In the last seven days there were 153 or an average of 22 a day.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Comments from Larry Froelich
This comment comes from Larry Froelich who retired last year from the Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader:
I was just reading about the demise of Channels and it brings to mind what they've done with my job since I've retired. The H-L decided it no longer needed a news editor. Can you imagine?! Well, in today's newspaper environment maybe you can. I like to think that the job wouldn't have been eliminated so long as I were there. But as soon as I retired, they decided to rethink the entire News Desk operation, given a hiring freeze that seems to have ushered in a new Ice Age. Perhaps doing without a news editor (one experienced in handling a nighttime news operation with special emphasis on news judgment and news packaging, especially with regard to major breaking nation/world events) is workable for routine days. But just wait until there's another 9/11 or some similar breaking story. Where's the experience to pull those stories together on the fly? In short order, it won't exist. Actually, I think that like your Channels, the paper is deferring to 24/7 cable and the Internet for such coverage ... and so fewer readers will look to their paper for the detailed, in-depth coverage they used to get. That same downward spiral of expectations that Olesky refers to [in a comment on the post below about Channels.]
Larry Froelich
(859) 227-6376
I was just reading about the demise of Channels and it brings to mind what they've done with my job since I've retired. The H-L decided it no longer needed a news editor. Can you imagine?! Well, in today's newspaper environment maybe you can. I like to think that the job wouldn't have been eliminated so long as I were there. But as soon as I retired, they decided to rethink the entire News Desk operation, given a hiring freeze that seems to have ushered in a new Ice Age. Perhaps doing without a news editor (one experienced in handling a nighttime news operation with special emphasis on news judgment and news packaging, especially with regard to major breaking nation/world events) is workable for routine days. But just wait until there's another 9/11 or some similar breaking story. Where's the experience to pull those stories together on the fly? In short order, it won't exist. Actually, I think that like your Channels, the paper is deferring to 24/7 cable and the Internet for such coverage ... and so fewer readers will look to their paper for the detailed, in-depth coverage they used to get. That same downward spiral of expectations that Olesky refers to [in a comment on the post below about Channels.]
Larry Froelich
(859) 227-6376
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Do you really need Channels?
Beginning April 2, the Beacon Journal’s Channels TV magazine will be available by request only. A postcard was attached as a sticky note to Sunday’s magazine for subscribers to fill out and mail in.
The notice said:
“To continue uninterrupted delivery of the Channels TV magazine with your home-delivered subscription, complete and return this postage-paid card by Monday, March 27.”
There also was a notice printed atop the magazine.
Presumably those who don’t want the TV guide could save the newspaper money in paper and printing costs.
The notice said:
“To continue uninterrupted delivery of the Channels TV magazine with your home-delivered subscription, complete and return this postage-paid card by Monday, March 27.”
There also was a notice printed atop the magazine.
Presumably those who don’t want the TV guide could save the newspaper money in paper and printing costs.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Enjoy features Black Keys
Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney and guitarist Dan Auerbach were the cover feature story in this week’s Enjoy, the Beacon Journal entertainment tab.
The story by Malcolm X Abram with photos by Lindsay Semple tells about their work on their fourth record album at a studio in a West Akron basement. They also are preparing for a sold-out concert at the Agora in Cleveland on Saturday.
Read all about these Firestone High grads and see photos on Ohio.com by clicking on the headline above.
Carney is the son of Jim Carney and stepson of Katie Byard, both Beacon Journal reporters. .
The story by Malcolm X Abram with photos by Lindsay Semple tells about their work on their fourth record album at a studio in a West Akron basement. They also are preparing for a sold-out concert at the Agora in Cleveland on Saturday.
Read all about these Firestone High grads and see photos on Ohio.com by clicking on the headline above.
Carney is the son of Jim Carney and stepson of Katie Byard, both Beacon Journal reporters. .
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Why not?
Corpus Christi editor shoots back at critics
After a week in which her paper drew both praise for breaking the story of Vice President Dick Cheney's hunting accident, and backhanded insults for being some kind of small-time rag, Corpus Christi Caller-Times Editor Libby Averyt has shot back with a column in which she defended her paper's reputation and said scooping larger, nationally-known competitors should not surprise anyone.
"While the White House press corps seemed stunned that the Caller-Times broke the story on Dick Cheney's hunting accident, our local readers expected it," Averyt declared in her piece that also ran online. "And we were glad to meet their expectations. Frankly, the newsroom had some difficulty understanding what all the hubbub was about last week. As national newscasters asked repeatedly why a local newspaper first reported the story instead of the White House press, we kept asking, 'Why not?' "
The Caller-Times, a 57,591-daily circulation paper owned by E.W. Scripps Co., gained international attention on Feb. 12 when its Web site first reported that Cheney had shot his friend, attorney Harry Whittington, during a hunting accident Feb. 11 on a nearby ranch.
... "We all heard our newspaper and this community falsely described as 'Podunk' and 'small town,' clearly proving that some of the national press had failed to do their homework," Averyt wrote.
[Source: Joe Strupp, Editor & Publisher]
After a week in which her paper drew both praise for breaking the story of Vice President Dick Cheney's hunting accident, and backhanded insults for being some kind of small-time rag, Corpus Christi Caller-Times Editor Libby Averyt has shot back with a column in which she defended her paper's reputation and said scooping larger, nationally-known competitors should not surprise anyone.
"While the White House press corps seemed stunned that the Caller-Times broke the story on Dick Cheney's hunting accident, our local readers expected it," Averyt declared in her piece that also ran online. "And we were glad to meet their expectations. Frankly, the newsroom had some difficulty understanding what all the hubbub was about last week. As national newscasters asked repeatedly why a local newspaper first reported the story instead of the White House press, we kept asking, 'Why not?' "
The Caller-Times, a 57,591-daily circulation paper owned by E.W. Scripps Co., gained international attention on Feb. 12 when its Web site first reported that Cheney had shot his friend, attorney Harry Whittington, during a hunting accident Feb. 11 on a nearby ranch.
... "We all heard our newspaper and this community falsely described as 'Podunk' and 'small town,' clearly proving that some of the national press had failed to do their homework," Averyt wrote.
[Source: Joe Strupp, Editor & Publisher]
Friday, February 17, 2006
Firm backs Guild bid for KR
The Newspaper Guild-Communications Workers of America announced Wednesday that the investment firm of California supermarket magnate Ron Burkle will help finance its attempt to buy nine unionized Knight Ridder newspapers.
San Jose-based Knight Ridder, the nation's second-largest newspaper company and owner of the Mercury News, is exploring a sale under pressure from major shareholders unhappy with the company's performance. Knight Ridder has said it is interested only in selling the company -- which includes 32 daily newspapers -- as a whole. That would force the union to buy the nine papers from whoever acquires Knight Ridder, if a sale goes through.
Burkle's Yucaipa Companies will provide major financing for the union's efforts to buy the newspapers. The union would not say how much money Yucaipa will give. Additional financing would come from banks and other sources.
``Yucaipa can certainly put up enough money to finance the deal,'' said Guild President Linda Foley. ``There's no question now that the deal can be done.''
[Source: Pete Carey, The San Jose Mercury News]
San Jose-based Knight Ridder, the nation's second-largest newspaper company and owner of the Mercury News, is exploring a sale under pressure from major shareholders unhappy with the company's performance. Knight Ridder has said it is interested only in selling the company -- which includes 32 daily newspapers -- as a whole. That would force the union to buy the nine papers from whoever acquires Knight Ridder, if a sale goes through.
Burkle's Yucaipa Companies will provide major financing for the union's efforts to buy the newspapers. The union would not say how much money Yucaipa will give. Additional financing would come from banks and other sources.
``Yucaipa can certainly put up enough money to finance the deal,'' said Guild President Linda Foley. ``There's no question now that the deal can be done.''
[Source: Pete Carey, The San Jose Mercury News]
Thursday, February 16, 2006
College editors suspended
College editors suspended for running Muhammad cartoons
Two editors at the University of Illinois student-run newspaper were suspended Tuesday for their decision to run a series of cartoons that have sparked outrage and violence around the Islamic world.
Editor-in-chief Acton H. Gorton said the Daily Illini's publisher suspended him and the newspaper's opinions sections editor, Charles Prochaska, for two weeks pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
Publisher and general manager Mary Cory released a statement Tuesday night saying a student task force will "investigate the internal decision-making and communication surrounding the publishing" of the cartoons.
The paper's editorial staff told readers in Monday's editions that the decision to run the cartoons was made by Gorton and Prochaska without their knowledge. While the staff apologized to the Muslim community, it stopped short of saying it disagreed with the decision. ...
The Daily Illini, which is independent of the university, ran six of the 12 cartoons first published in September in Denmark's Jyllands-Posten. In the Daily Illini's Feb. 9 edition, it led with the cartoon that has caused the greatest furor: a depiction of the Prophet Muhammad wearing a bomb as part of his turban.
{Source: The Associated Press via Editor & Publisher]
Guild Local 7 history sought
A Kent State University student doing a documentary on Local One is looking for an Akron guild retiree to talk about union topics and history. If you're interested, e-mail Paula Schleis (pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com) so she can make arrangements for you to speak with him.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Check out 1959 news staff
This is the second post on the 1959 Beacon Journal Directory of Employes. This post covers more than 100 employes in tne News Department. In earlier times there was no telephone directory of employees printed in booklet form. This one was printed on one newspaper size broadsheet about 15 by 23 inches. This copy was revised on September 15, 1959. Our thanks to Calvin Deshong who provided the sheet to us We will try to reprint the list of employes for each department.This list begins with Ben Maidenburg and ends with Ted Walls in the photo deparment. The list is too long to post on the blog, but you can see a copy of it by clicking on the headline above.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Muslims decry Bok cartoon
Several Northeastern Ohio Muslims and community leaders met Friday in Cuyahoga Falls to express their concerns about the controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that have ignited outrage and violence.
At issue are the caricatures published in the European press -- work that many U.S. newspapers decided against publishing. The group also took issue with a cartoon inked by Beacon Journal editorial cartoonist Chip Bok.
Bok said he did not draw his cartoon with intentions of offending Muslims and has defended his right to free press.
But Muslims on Friday said Bok's cartoon was disrespectful and demeaning.
The level of hurt, they said, was deeper since it was in the local paper.
“The Beacon Journal has not published the Danish cartoons. However, on Feb. 5, the Akron paper published a Bok cartoon depicting a pixilated picture of Muhammad on CNN. A couple in the cartoon said, ``Well, no wonder Muslims are upset. Muhammad looks like he's on acid.''
The editorial cartoon has prompted several letters in response. Also on Friday afternoon, there was a demonstration outside of the newspaper's East Exchange Street building.
Click on the headline to read the full story.
At issue are the caricatures published in the European press -- work that many U.S. newspapers decided against publishing. The group also took issue with a cartoon inked by Beacon Journal editorial cartoonist Chip Bok.
Bok said he did not draw his cartoon with intentions of offending Muslims and has defended his right to free press.
But Muslims on Friday said Bok's cartoon was disrespectful and demeaning.
The level of hurt, they said, was deeper since it was in the local paper.
“The Beacon Journal has not published the Danish cartoons. However, on Feb. 5, the Akron paper published a Bok cartoon depicting a pixilated picture of Muhammad on CNN. A couple in the cartoon said, ``Well, no wonder Muslims are upset. Muhammad looks like he's on acid.''
The editorial cartoon has prompted several letters in response. Also on Friday afternoon, there was a demonstration outside of the newspaper's East Exchange Street building.
Click on the headline to read the full story.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Only 11 attend BJ lunch
There were only 11 at the monthly BJ Retirees luncheon at Papa Joe’s restaurant on Wednesday, Feb 8.
Printers were Gene Daniels, Cal Deshong, Ed Hanzel and wife Norma, Carl Nelson and Bob Pell. Newsroom types were Bill Canterbury, Art Cullison, Tim Hayes, Sandy Levenson and John OIesky.
Printers were Gene Daniels, Cal Deshong, Ed Hanzel and wife Norma, Carl Nelson and Bob Pell. Newsroom types were Bill Canterbury, Art Cullison, Tim Hayes, Sandy Levenson and John OIesky.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Teaming up to acquire KR
MediaNews Group is discussing a possible alliance with Gannett, the nation's largest newspaper chain, to acquire Knight Ridder, which put itself up for sale under pressure from shareholders.
Sources confirmed that MediaNews, a privately held Denver-based newspaper chain, is in talks with Gannett regarding Knight Ridder, the nation's second-largest newspaper company. MediaNews, the seventh-largest newspaper publisher, needs partners to finance a bid for Knight Ridder and has already teamed up with three private equity firms. Gannett canceled two days of meetings with Knight Ridder that were to take place last week.
It was unclear whether Gannett, based in McLean, Va., was planning on a joint bid with MediaNews to buy all of Knight Ridder, or if the two would divide up Knight Ridder's 32 newspapers in the event of a successful bid.
Sources also said one private equity team -- Texas Pacific, Thomas H. Lee, and Hellman & Friedman -- is returning for another round of meetings with Knight Ridder this week.
Source: Pete Carey, The San Jose Mercury News
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Knight Ridder delays annual meeting
By Editor & Publisher
With the possible sale of all or parts of its business looming, Knight Ridder revealed Thursday that it has cancelled its annual shareholders meeting scheduled for April 18. The news came in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) after the markets closed.
During a board meeting on Jan. 29, directors voted to cancel the shareholder meeting until "a future date, to be determined," said the filing. Under the company's former bylaws, the board had to set the date and time for shareholder meetings in April or May. That requirement has been removed giving the board more flexibility.
Additionally, members voted to close any loopholes that might prevent Knight Ridder executives from receiving compensation should a sale of the company occur.
An "Executive Income Security Agreement" provides benefits for senior management in the event there is a change of control and executives are terminated "without cause" or for "good reason."
The board voted on Sunday to amend the agreement "in order to resolve a potential ambiguity." That grey area involves if the executives are eligible for retirement or early retirement, which could prevent them from collecting benefits.
The board authorized the company to clarify the agreement to ensure executives are compensated regardless if they are eligible for retirement. A full copy of the text is found here http://www.knightridder.com/investor/sec_filings.html
With the possible sale of all or parts of its business looming, Knight Ridder revealed Thursday that it has cancelled its annual shareholders meeting scheduled for April 18. The news came in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) after the markets closed.
During a board meeting on Jan. 29, directors voted to cancel the shareholder meeting until "a future date, to be determined," said the filing. Under the company's former bylaws, the board had to set the date and time for shareholder meetings in April or May. That requirement has been removed giving the board more flexibility.
Additionally, members voted to close any loopholes that might prevent Knight Ridder executives from receiving compensation should a sale of the company occur.
An "Executive Income Security Agreement" provides benefits for senior management in the event there is a change of control and executives are terminated "without cause" or for "good reason."
The board voted on Sunday to amend the agreement "in order to resolve a potential ambiguity." That grey area involves if the executives are eligible for retirement or early retirement, which could prevent them from collecting benefits.
The board authorized the company to clarify the agreement to ensure executives are compensated regardless if they are eligible for retirement. A full copy of the text is found here http://www.knightridder.com/investor/sec_filings.html
Western Union quits sending telegrams
Because I am old enough to recall sending stringer news by telegram, I believe this qualifies as a post on this blog.
After 145 years, Western Union has quietly stopped sending telegrams.
On the company's web site, if you click on "Telegrams" in the left-side navigation bar, you're taken to a page that ends a technological era with about as little fanfare as possible:
"Effective January 27, 2006, Western Union will discontinue all Telegram and Commercial Messaging services. We regret any inconvenience this may cause you, and we thank you for your loyal patronage. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact a customer service representative."
The decline of telegram use goes back at least to the 1980s, when long-distance telephone service became cheap enough to offer a viable alternative in many if not most cases. Faxes didn't help. Email could be counted as the final nail in the coffin.
Western Union has not failed. It long ago refocused its main business to make money transfers for consumers and businesses. Revenues are now $3 billion annually. It's now called Western Union Financial Services, Inc. and is a subsidiary of First Data Corp.
The world's first telegram was sent on May 24, 1844 by inventor Samuel Morse. The message, "What hath God wrought," was transmitted from Washington to Baltimore. In a crude way, the telegraph was a precursor to the Internet in that it allowed rapid communication, for the first time, across great distances.
Western Union goes back to 1851 as the Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company. In 1856 it became the Western Union Telegraph Company after acquisition of competing telegraph systems. By 1861, during the Civil War, it had created a coast-to-coast network of lines.
Other company highlights:
* 1866: Introduced the first stock ticker.
* 1871: Introduced money transfers.
* 1884: Became one of the original 11 stocks tracked by the Dow Jones Average.
* 1914: Introduced the first consumer charge card.
* 1964: Began using a transcontinental microwave beam to replace land lines.
* 1974: Launched Westar I, the first U.S. dedicated communications satellite.
On Jan. 26, the last day you could send a telegram, First Data announced it would spin Western Union off as an independent, publicly traded company.
After 145 years, Western Union has quietly stopped sending telegrams.
On the company's web site, if you click on "Telegrams" in the left-side navigation bar, you're taken to a page that ends a technological era with about as little fanfare as possible:
"Effective January 27, 2006, Western Union will discontinue all Telegram and Commercial Messaging services. We regret any inconvenience this may cause you, and we thank you for your loyal patronage. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact a customer service representative."
The decline of telegram use goes back at least to the 1980s, when long-distance telephone service became cheap enough to offer a viable alternative in many if not most cases. Faxes didn't help. Email could be counted as the final nail in the coffin.
Western Union has not failed. It long ago refocused its main business to make money transfers for consumers and businesses. Revenues are now $3 billion annually. It's now called Western Union Financial Services, Inc. and is a subsidiary of First Data Corp.
The world's first telegram was sent on May 24, 1844 by inventor Samuel Morse. The message, "What hath God wrought," was transmitted from Washington to Baltimore. In a crude way, the telegraph was a precursor to the Internet in that it allowed rapid communication, for the first time, across great distances.
Western Union goes back to 1851 as the Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company. In 1856 it became the Western Union Telegraph Company after acquisition of competing telegraph systems. By 1861, during the Civil War, it had created a coast-to-coast network of lines.
Other company highlights:
* 1866: Introduced the first stock ticker.
* 1871: Introduced money transfers.
* 1884: Became one of the original 11 stocks tracked by the Dow Jones Average.
* 1914: Introduced the first consumer charge card.
* 1964: Began using a transcontinental microwave beam to replace land lines.
* 1974: Launched Westar I, the first U.S. dedicated communications satellite.
On Jan. 26, the last day you could send a telegram, First Data announced it would spin Western Union off as an independent, publicly traded company.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Times-Picayune editor honored
Jim Amoss, editor of The Times-Picayune in New Orleans, is Editor & Publisher's 2006 Editor of the Year.
In an unprecedented 10-page profile for the February 2006 issue, E&P's Mark Fitzgerald reveals that Amoss is being honored for directing his newsroom in its remarkable coverage "before, during, and after Hurricane Katrina hit" the editor's hometown of New Orleans last August.
The story recalls the newspaper's extensive past reporting on the city's vulnerability, especially the "Washing Away" series by reporters John McQuaid and Mark Schleifstein that predicted with eerie accuracy the horrific consequences of poor emergency preparedness planning by local, state, and federal governments. It also notes that the Times-Picayune reported on levee failures right after Katrina struck -- at a time all other news organizations were saying New Orleans had "dodged a bullet."
Times-Picayune journalists accomplished all this, E&P notes, despite being forced to evacuate their newsroom and produce a paper on the fly with help from two other Louisiana dailies, The Courier in Houma and The Advocate in Baton Rouge.
In an unprecedented 10-page profile for the February 2006 issue, E&P's Mark Fitzgerald reveals that Amoss is being honored for directing his newsroom in its remarkable coverage "before, during, and after Hurricane Katrina hit" the editor's hometown of New Orleans last August.
The story recalls the newspaper's extensive past reporting on the city's vulnerability, especially the "Washing Away" series by reporters John McQuaid and Mark Schleifstein that predicted with eerie accuracy the horrific consequences of poor emergency preparedness planning by local, state, and federal governments. It also notes that the Times-Picayune reported on levee failures right after Katrina struck -- at a time all other news organizations were saying New Orleans had "dodged a bullet."
Times-Picayune journalists accomplished all this, E&P notes, despite being forced to evacuate their newsroom and produce a paper on the fly with help from two other Louisiana dailies, The Courier in Houma and The Advocate in Baton Rouge.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
KRI profit down 22 percent
Knight Ridder Inc., which is seeking a buyer under pressure from its largest shareholders, reported a 22 percent decline in fourth-quarter earnings Tuesday from the same period a year ago, which included earnings from two newspapers the company no longer owns.
KRI earned $83.3 million, or $1.24 a share, in the three months ended Dec. 25, down from $107.2 million, or $1.38 a share, in the same period a year earlier.
The latest results came in two cents a share ahead of the expectations of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial. The year-ago figures include 13 cents per share in earnings from newspapers in Tallahassee, Fla., and Detroit that Knight Ridder doesn't own any more.
There were reports in Business Week, Reuters, San Jose, ABC and others. Check your ticker for latest stock price.
KRI earned $83.3 million, or $1.24 a share, in the three months ended Dec. 25, down from $107.2 million, or $1.38 a share, in the same period a year earlier.
The latest results came in two cents a share ahead of the expectations of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial. The year-ago figures include 13 cents per share in earnings from newspapers in Tallahassee, Fla., and Detroit that Knight Ridder doesn't own any more.
There were reports in Business Week, Reuters, San Jose, ABC and others. Check your ticker for latest stock price.
Interesting place to meet
I'm sure that there's a joke or a bit of philosophy here, but I think I'll just relay the information and everyone can interpret it for himself:
I ran into retired BJ printer Al Hunsicker today -- at our prostate doctors' office.
Usually, Al and I get together with other BJ retirees at 1 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month at Papa Joe's in the Valley.
Our prostate doctors don't even serve us lunch.
Sigh.
I ran into retired BJ printer Al Hunsicker today -- at our prostate doctors' office.
Usually, Al and I get together with other BJ retirees at 1 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month at Papa Joe's in the Valley.
Our prostate doctors don't even serve us lunch.
Sigh.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Olesky's 25-year watch
This photo was taken in 1983 for the 15-year anniversary of my employment at the Beacon Journal, retiree John Olesky reports. . This was when the BJ held dinners for the various anniversary milestones. I still have the excellent watch presented to me as a 20-year employee.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Sherman's march on Knight Ridder
The February/March 2006 issue of Columbia Journalism Review has an insightful, in-depth article by senior writer Charles Layton on how Naples, Florida, money manager Bruce S. Sherman muscled Knight Ridder—the nation’s second-largest newspaper company—into putting itself up for sale.
The idea for the title “Sherman’s March” could have been picked up from an earlier blog post in which we likened Sherman to another man by the same name– Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman. That Sherman said “war is hell.” Sherman S. is a modern-day comparison as the Scourge of Knight Ridder as Layton refers to him.
Layton, like many others, tried but did not get an interview with Sherman. It is difficult to find much about him by Googling. You can learn more about Chicago’s famous chef by the name Bruce Sherman. Layton says the Bruce from Naples looks a little like Regis Philbin. You can check our Many Faces to form your own opinion.
If you go to the Private Capital Management web site, however, there is a menu item for News/Articles where you can find a 33-page booklet in Adobe Acrobat format (pdf) which contains a Q&A interview of Sherman by Peter J. Tanous for his 1977 book “Investment Gurus.” There you can read Sherman’s thinking in his own words. (Caution: Don’t try to download it with a dial-up provider because it will take more than an hour)
Here, for background, are a few graphs of Layton’s article:
On July 19, the board of directors of Knight Ridder, the country's second-largest newspaper chain, held a most unusual meeting. It was at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel near the top of San Francisco's Nob Hill, and it was unusual because, as the 10 board members convened, representatives of Knight Ridder's three biggest shareholders were camped outside the door, waiting to air their gripes about the company's stock performance.
This meeting would mark the start of an insurrection that ultimately would force the board to put Knight Ridder up for sale, threatening the future quality of its journalism and causing tremors throughout the newspaper industry. One restive shareholder in particular, Bruce S. Sherman of Naples, Florida, was the instigator and ringleader.
Sherman (or rather, the institutions and rich individuals whose wealth he manages) owned about 19 percent of Knight Ridder – a huge stake, far larger than anyone else's. He had been accumulating it for five years, starting with less than a million shares and adding more as his investment group attracted new clients.
When Sherman first began buying the stock in 2000, it was selling in the low to mid $50s.
On the day of the board of directors meeting, Knight Ridder shares were selling at $62. Sherman owned 13 million of those shares, for which he had paid, in the aggregate, about $65 a share. He was under water on the stock.
Not only was Sherman losing his shirt on these stocks, they were a drag on his whole enterprise.
This sale, if it happens, will constitute the first big-time hostile takeover of a U.S. newspaper company. But maybe not the last. Some on Wall Street are hoping it could trigger a broader wave of consolidation, with all of the investment banking deals, lawyers' and consultants' fees and stock windfalls that this implies. Many who work at newspapers – especially those belonging to Knight Ridder – worry now about their careers and the future of their profession. The assumption is that whoever buys Knight Ridder will make drastic cost cuts, to the detriment of good journalism and the company's long-term strength – a sad end for an organization whose 32 daily papers, including the Philadelphia Inquirer, Miami Herald and San Jose Mercury News, have won 60 Pulitzers over three decades. But for Sherman, the sale is an exit strategy. It could bail him out of a tough spot, maybe with a decent profit.
If you are a BJ-type and wonder if JSK is rolling over in his grave, you will want to click on the headline to read all of Layton’s very good article.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
SPJ issues call for debate
Society of Professional Journalists calls for national debate
on sale of Knight Ridder newspapers
INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists and its Northern California Chapter call for an urgent national conversation about how to preserve public-service journalism in light of the likely sale of the Knight Ridder newspaper company.
Knight Ridder, the nation’s second-largest newspaper chain, put itself out to bid last November. To satisfy the demands of a few major shareholders seeking larger short-term profits, the company may be swallowed whole by another conglomerate or broken up by speculators in early 2006. To finance the multibillion-dollar deal, new owners would be under heavy pressure to slash investment in newsgathering and reporting.
News media play a vital role in ensuring a robust and transparent democracy, a role that is too important to be compromised by the quest for profits. SPJ believes that both journalists and the public need to discuss openly the societal implications of these kinds of business decisions, as several groups have done in recent weeks.
We acknowledge that newspapers cannot serve their democratic role unless they stay in business. But the increasing corporate pressure to squeeze additional returns out of already profitable newspapers, at rates exceeding the margins in most other industries, has skewed the balance between journalism and commerce. SPJ and the NorCal Chapter believe that those directing the production of news have an ethical obligation to readers every bit as significant as their fiduciary accountability to shareholders.
Much of the newspaper industry has fared poorly under financial pressures similar to those dogging Knight Ridder. Layoffs, buyouts and hiring freezes shrank the newspaper industry by at least 2,100 jobs in 2005. These same pressures are affecting alternative weekly newspapers and the ethnic press.
Though there is disagreement about what should happen to Knight Ridder -- whose 32 daily newspapers, various Web sites and weekly publications provide news to millions of readers -- there is broad consensus within the journalism community that it should not be allowed to fall into the hands of those unwilling to guarantee the continuity of public-service journalism.
Journalists in particular have an obligation to invite discussion on this topic. The SPJ Code of Ethics urges journalists to “clarify and explain news coverage and invite dialogue with the public over journalistic conduct.” We call on reporters, editors, columnists and editorial writers to write about the planned sale and solicit ideas from community leaders and readers, who have a significant stake in the civic-minded management at their local newspapers.
A national conversation about how Knight Ridder newspapers can maintain their journalistic integrity under escalating profit pressures should send a message to investors not to ignore the social value of their investments -- either now or in future battles over media ownership. Such a dialogue would also help journalists fulfill their ethical responsibility to be accountable to their readership. And it would help that readership participate, as we believe the Constitution envisioned, in preserving a free, vibrant and competitive press.
For further information about the proposed Knight Ridder sale, visit www.spj.org/norcal.
The Society of Professional Journalists works to improve and protect journalism. SPJ is dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, and based in Indianapolis, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed public, works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists, and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Knight Ridder plans layoffs, cutbacks
Knight Ridder Inc., the second biggest U.S. newspaper group, plans job cuts, benefit reductions and smaller editions to boost profit margins, United Press International reported Tuesday.
The company, which put itself up for sale last year under shareholder pressure, is telling private-equity investors of plans to trim costs, the Wall Street Journal said Tuesday.
KRI executives plan to increase annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to about $825 million over the next 18 months, up 20 percent from 2004.
The 32-paper company reportedly has made presentations to MediaNews and Texas Pacific Group.
Editor and Publisher noted on Wednesday that the San Jose Mercury-News had confirmed a report in the Wall Street Journal that Knight Ridder is telling prospective buyers that its profits can be sharply increased by cutting jobs and benefits and reducing the size of some of its 32 newspapers.
Pete Carey, reporting for the Knight Ridder-owned Mercury-News, writes, "All interested parties have signed confidentiality agreements. But leaks of the company's projections already have begun.
"The figures Knight Ridder is giving potential buyers are similar to those in a Morgan Stanley research report published in November. The report, by analyst Douglas Arthur, said an outside buyer could reduce costs by $150 million a year through a 5% reduction in the workforce, cutting labor costs and chopping corporate overhead."
Knight Ridder spokesman Polk Laffoon told the San Jose paper that KR's financial advisers had prepared "a wide array of information about the company, including its cost structure. ... They reflect various options reviewed with people who have expressed interest in possibly bidding on the company. These options offer a variety of approaches to operational issues,'' he said.
"Whatever actions are taken would very much depend on the individual bidder, and any savings achieved would not be achieved overnight," Laffoon told the paper.
See the UPI report
The E&P story
The San Jose report
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Thrity keeps on writing
You must click on the headline above to learn what former BJ reporter Thrity Umrigar has been doing. In a word it is “writing” which is what Thrity does.
We need only list two reviews of her latest story, “The Space Between Us,” to give you a glimpse.
Umrigar is a skilled storyteller, and her memorable characters will live on for a long time. ---Washington Post
Part of what makes "The Space Between Us" so engrossing is its ability to make readers feel empathy for its subjects. ---San Francisco Chronicle
But you must visit her web site. Don’t miss the great interview of her. She gives the BJ a plug as a still great newspaper. And also see the articles–especially the one titled “Good Night, Fran.:” Her book-signing dates list Thursday, Jan 26, at Borders in the Falls.
If you have never clicked on a blog headline now is the time to start.
Friday, January 20, 2006
Discount the discount?
From the Jan. 20 Hot Type, the BJ newsletter:
Airport Fast Park extends discount
Airport Fast Park has extended its discount rate of $7 per day for Knight Ridder affiliates into 2006. To take advantage of this rate, staff members need to sign up at www.airportfastpark.com and enroll under “Frequent Parker,” listing the Beacon Journal as the company. The discount rate applies to business and personal travel.
-------------------------
That's what I paid when I parked my van at Fast Park while Paula and I flew out to California in December. Without a BJ discount. It sounds a lot like the doctor who said that the cold would last two weeks if you treated it, and 14 days if you didn't. $7 a day for BJ folks or $49 for 7 days for those of us without a discount.
Airport Fast Park extends discount
Airport Fast Park has extended its discount rate of $7 per day for Knight Ridder affiliates into 2006. To take advantage of this rate, staff members need to sign up at www.airportfastpark.com and enroll under “Frequent Parker,” listing the Beacon Journal as the company. The discount rate applies to business and personal travel.
-------------------------
That's what I paid when I parked my van at Fast Park while Paula and I flew out to California in December. Without a BJ discount. It sounds a lot like the doctor who said that the cold would last two weeks if you treated it, and 14 days if you didn't. $7 a day for BJ folks or $49 for 7 days for those of us without a discount.
Found on an old hard drive
Art work by the late Joe Grace was hanging in the library at Cuyahoga Falls some years ago and Tom Moore shot some photos. He found them recently, he says, on an old hard drive and passed them along to the BJ Retirees blog. Here are two of the best.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
BJ directory from 1959
There are a lot of familiar names on this 1959 Beacon Journal Directory of Employes. In earlier times there was no telephone directory of employees printed in booklet form. This one was printed on one newspaper size broadsheet about 15 by 23 inches. This copy was revised on September 15, 1959. Our thanks to Calvin Deshong who provided the sheet to us We will try to reprint the list of employes for each department starting this month with the 144 employees listed in the composing room. The list begins with William J. Church, foreman, and then continues alphabetically to the end with Donald H. Zarle. The list is too long to post on the blog, but you can see a copy of it by clicking on the headline above.Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Burbach leaving, Mizell returning
Beacon Journal managing editor Mike Burbach is leaving the Beacon at the end of next week to become the editorial page editor in St. Paul. Former assistant managing editor Mizell Stewart is coming back to the Beacon to take his place. Susan Kirkman has been named managing editor for online services. The changes were announced at a newsroom meeting Wednesday morning.
BJ becomes historic site
This article and photo reprinted from Tower Topics issue of May-June, 1982
What started out as an overcast May day soon brightened as the plaque dedicated to the memory of John Shively Knight honoring the Beacon Journal as a Historic Site was unveiled.
The National Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi, recognizes people or events of outstanding significance in the history of American journalism. On May 25, two journalism greats were honored - the Beacon Journal as a great newspaper and John S. Knight, who made it great.
During the hour long ceremony attended by about 400 people, friends and co-workers paid tribute to Mr. Knight through their speeches and words of praise. But all agreed that JSK probably did more for journalism, newspapering, setting standards, and reaching goals than any other person.
"His column (Editor's Notebook) was given the accolade of the Pulitzer Prize. To those of us who've taken an active role in the Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi, John Knight's record has distinguished him as a giant," said Charles Novitz, national president of Sigma Delta Chi.
After the dedication of the plaque, Mayor Roy Ray hosted a luncheon for several community leaders, employees and friends who came from far and near to be a part of this historic event.
To conclude this memorable day, the John S. Knight Awards banquet was held at the Tangier. This year, instead of naming a new recipient for the award, Mr. Knight and winners during the past 15 years were honored. Past winners have included:
1974 - Ben Maidenburg, Robert Dix
1975 - Eddie Butler, Murray Powers
1976 - Frances B. Murphey
1977 - Kenneth Nichols, Loris Troyer
1978 - James L. Jackson, Clayton G. Horn
1979 - Elinor M. Taylor, Philip J. Dietrich
1980 - Albert E. Fitzpatrick, Angelo R. Sicuro
1981 - Kenneth F. Cole, Robert Lane
This was a proud day for Akron, a proud day for the Beacon Journal and a proud day for honoring the memory of the man who made it all happen, John Shively Knight.
Remember Page Dump Request?
“I thought this page dump request might be an interesting look at a piece of ancient history, John Olesky writes. "We had to fill out the page dump request, and then the APS-4 folks (Cal Deshong and others) would dump the page into film.That was long before the filming was done from the newsroom.”Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Note from Craig Wilson
Dear Post Card Pals,
I've enjoyed mailing cards to all of you for many years. But right at the moment, I have an itty bitty problem. I have experienced "a shower of small strokes affecting the visual portion of the brain." The doctors hope as time passes I may regain some degree of reading comprehension. You know how much I enjoy reading the Akron Beacon Journal. "Discover" Magazine is my monthly remedial physics lesson.
I have gotten though two-thirds of David McCullough's biography of the late president, Harry Truman. A marvelous in-depth look at an average, modest American who made the monumental decision in 1945 that saved so many 18 year olds, including me, from a horrendous invasion of Japan.
I can no more make sense of printed words. I can walk carefully. Call me at any time at 330-745-3358, I love to share stories. My memory is mostly intact. I do not have Alzheimers. Despite her walking problems, my wife, Elizabeth, and I hope that after a few life style adjustments, we will be back in touch with fascinating post cards and a few fascinating photos and dubious commentary.
Love to all,
I've enjoyed mailing cards to all of you for many years. But right at the moment, I have an itty bitty problem. I have experienced "a shower of small strokes affecting the visual portion of the brain." The doctors hope as time passes I may regain some degree of reading comprehension. You know how much I enjoy reading the Akron Beacon Journal. "Discover" Magazine is my monthly remedial physics lesson.
I have gotten though two-thirds of David McCullough's biography of the late president, Harry Truman. A marvelous in-depth look at an average, modest American who made the monumental decision in 1945 that saved so many 18 year olds, including me, from a horrendous invasion of Japan.
I can no more make sense of printed words. I can walk carefully. Call me at any time at 330-745-3358, I love to share stories. My memory is mostly intact. I do not have Alzheimers. Despite her walking problems, my wife, Elizabeth, and I hope that after a few life style adjustments, we will be back in touch with fascinating post cards and a few fascinating photos and dubious commentary.
Love to all,
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Plain Dealer publisher retiring
After nearly 46 years of service, Alex Machaskee, president, publisher and chief executive officer of The Plain Dealer, is announcing his retirement.
"I am eager to have more time to spend with my family, travel and play music, all things that I love and cannot find enough time to work into a hectic schedule," he said in a written statement.
Machaskee, 68, recognized for his commitment to civic affairs, boundless energy and religious faith, will serve as publisher until a successor is chosen.
Plain Dealer Editor Doug Clifton, who was hired at the newspaper in 1999, said, "Alex has been both a wonderful boss and a supportive friend. I've worked for him just under seven years. My only regret is that it wasn't 20."
"His absence will be sorely felt, both in the newspaper and in the community," Clifton said.
Machaskee, born in Warren, worked as a sports reporter and general assignment reporter for The Tribune Chronicle in Warren before joining The Plain Dealer in 1960.
Before becoming Plain Dealer publisher in 1990, he rose from promotions director, assistant to the publisher, director of labor relations and vice president and general manager.
Click on headline for complete story in Plain Dealer.
"I am eager to have more time to spend with my family, travel and play music, all things that I love and cannot find enough time to work into a hectic schedule," he said in a written statement.
Machaskee, 68, recognized for his commitment to civic affairs, boundless energy and religious faith, will serve as publisher until a successor is chosen.
Plain Dealer Editor Doug Clifton, who was hired at the newspaper in 1999, said, "Alex has been both a wonderful boss and a supportive friend. I've worked for him just under seven years. My only regret is that it wasn't 20."
"His absence will be sorely felt, both in the newspaper and in the community," Clifton said.
Machaskee, born in Warren, worked as a sports reporter and general assignment reporter for The Tribune Chronicle in Warren before joining The Plain Dealer in 1960.
Before becoming Plain Dealer publisher in 1990, he rose from promotions director, assistant to the publisher, director of labor relations and vice president and general manager.
Click on headline for complete story in Plain Dealer.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Frank E. Bush dies
[He was a former Maintenance Department manager at the BJ.]
NORTON -- Frank E. Bush, 82, died Jan. 13, 2006, at Sunrise at Bath.
He was born Aug. 27, 1923, in Wadsworth, to William E. and Mildred A. (Roberts) Bush. He was a resident of Norton and worked for P.C.A. and the Beacon Journal, and was the founder and owner of Accent Custom Marble. He was proud to be a World War II veteran of the U.S. Army; he fou
ght in the Battle of the Bulge and was the recipient of two Purple Hearts and a Medal of Honor. He was a member of Barberton Moose Lodge 759 and of the Doylestown American Legion Post 407.
He was preceded in death by brothers, Jake, Don, and Richard Bush; sisters, Betty Ann Naglic and Marcene Johnson. He is survived by wife, Betty Bush of Norton; son, Tim (Lesley) Bush of Norton; and the loves of his life, granddaughters, Ali and Maci; sisters, Helen Brown of Cleveland and Doris Galehouse of Arizona; sister-in-law, Hilda (Ted) Gaynor of Barberton; brother-in-law, Delbert (Connie) Rauschenberg of Sterling; numerous nieces and nephews; and special niece, Chris.
The family would like to express a special thanks to the staff of Sunrise at Bath for all their love and care.
Funeral services will be Monday, 10 a.m., at Zak-Monbarren Funeral Home in Doylestown, with Pastor Bill Randall officiating. Burial at Chestnut Hill Cemetery. Friends may call on Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Northern Ohio Hemophilia Foundation, One Independence Place, 4807 Rockside Rd. Suite 380, Cleveland 44131; or to a charity of choice. (Zak-Monbarren, 330-658-2211.)
[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH Saturday, January 14, 2006, page B4, col. 2]
NORTON -- Frank E. Bush, 82, died Jan. 13, 2006, at Sunrise at Bath.
He was born Aug. 27, 1923, in Wadsworth, to William E. and Mildred A. (Roberts) Bush. He was a resident of Norton and worked for P.C.A. and the Beacon Journal, and was the founder and owner of Accent Custom Marble. He was proud to be a World War II veteran of the U.S. Army; he fou
ght in the Battle of the Bulge and was the recipient of two Purple Hearts and a Medal of Honor. He was a member of Barberton Moose Lodge 759 and of the Doylestown American Legion Post 407.He was preceded in death by brothers, Jake, Don, and Richard Bush; sisters, Betty Ann Naglic and Marcene Johnson. He is survived by wife, Betty Bush of Norton; son, Tim (Lesley) Bush of Norton; and the loves of his life, granddaughters, Ali and Maci; sisters, Helen Brown of Cleveland and Doris Galehouse of Arizona; sister-in-law, Hilda (Ted) Gaynor of Barberton; brother-in-law, Delbert (Connie) Rauschenberg of Sterling; numerous nieces and nephews; and special niece, Chris.
The family would like to express a special thanks to the staff of Sunrise at Bath for all their love and care.
Funeral services will be Monday, 10 a.m., at Zak-Monbarren Funeral Home in Doylestown, with Pastor Bill Randall officiating. Burial at Chestnut Hill Cemetery. Friends may call on Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Northern Ohio Hemophilia Foundation, One Independence Place, 4807 Rockside Rd. Suite 380, Cleveland 44131; or to a charity of choice. (Zak-Monbarren, 330-658-2211.)
[Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, OH Saturday, January 14, 2006, page B4, col. 2]
Friday, January 13, 2006
3 first-born daughters
Cathy Strong in New Zealand is a grandmother now. Her oldest daugnter, Rebecca, had a gorgeous daughter on Dec 28 --the same day Cathy’s late father was born 89 ye
ars previously.
Here’s a closeup photo of Katie-Belle, whose full name is Katalina Isabelle Mary Hewson. She had to get a passport this week, so it was difficult getting a full-front picture, with eyes open and no one else's hands in the pix.
The other photo is of the three generations of first-born daugters. Katie-Belle is first born, in the arms of her mother Rebecca, Cathys’ first born, and far right is Cathy who was the first born of six sisters. This photo was taken when Katie-Belle was about 20 minutes old.
“The family has closed in on her and (father) Dion and we all seem to own the baby” Cathy reports. “My youngest daughter tells her friends she can’t go out on a camping/drinking weekend with them 'because we have a baby now..' ”
“Oh yes…… that youngest daughter Amanda has really fallen on her feet as a journalist. She completed her studies in November, and has so many job opportunities. There is even a bidding war going on. She is very strong in economics, science, and world events, so the big media are keen for those skills. All of our students are sought after, because the newspapers just can’’t get trained journalists to apply. Pay is lousy, of course, but these new bright journalist grads can be picky about their jobs……. And select on whimsical things like where they want to live, or which newspaper is nearest the surf beach, etc.”
ars previously.Here’s a closeup photo of Katie-Belle, whose full name is Katalina Isabelle Mary Hewson. She had to get a passport this week, so it was difficult getting a full-front picture, with eyes open and no one else's hands in the pix.
The other photo is of the three generations of first-born daugters. Katie-Belle is first born, in the arms of her mother Rebecca, Cathys’ first born, and far right is Cathy who was the first born of six sisters. This photo was taken when Katie-Belle was about 20 minutes old.
“The family has closed in on her and (father) Dion and we all seem to own the baby” Cathy reports. “My youngest daughter tells her friends she can’t go out on a camping/drinking weekend with them 'because we have a baby now..' ”
“Oh yes…… that youngest daughter Amanda has really fallen on her feet as a journalist. She completed her studies in November, and has so many job opportunities. There is even a bidding war going on. She is very strong in economics, science, and world events, so the big media are keen for those skills. All of our students are sought after, because the newspapers just can’’t get trained journalists to apply. Pay is lousy, of course, but these new bright journalist grads can be picky about their jobs……. And select on whimsical things like where they want to live, or which newspaper is nearest the surf beach, etc.”
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Craig Wilson home from hospital
Note from Elizabeth Wilson:
Craig is home. He had what the doctor calls "a shower of small strokes involving the visual portion of the brain." Craig is not able to read. There may be small improvement with time.
Craig is home. He had what the doctor calls "a shower of small strokes involving the visual portion of the brain." Craig is not able to read. There may be small improvement with time.
Eddi Parker makes page A1
Eddi Parker, formerly on the LifeStyle staff at the Beacon Journal, made Page A1 of the newspaper on Thursday, Jan 12, 2006
There was a photo of Eddi showing a photo of her late father Murray Parker and quotes from her in a story by Rick Armon on plans to raze Parker’s old complex called the Hillcrest Inn in Green Twp.
“Eddi Parker can't visit the Hillcrest Inn anymore, “ Armon wrote. “She can't even drive by. It's just too painful.”
The sprawling complex -- a labor of love that her father built in stages starting more than 60 years ago -- is vacant and in disrepair. Windows are broken or missing. Some doors are boarded over. And gaping holes exist where room air conditioners used to be.
The Hillcrest site has a colorful past that includes stints as a pastoral home, chicken farm, hotel and country western bar, and even an illegal gambling house.
The East Turkeyfoot Lake Road property, which includes 14 acres near Cottage Grove Road, was purchased at a Summit County foreclosure auction late last year for $400,000. Developers Rick Williams and John Chlebina plan to raze the buildings and literally shave down the pronounced hill for future development, according to the city.
Read all about it by clicking on the headline above.
And there are more links on Ohio.com to previous articles about the place.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
The English language
The English Language. Have you ever wondered why foreigners have trouble with the English Language?. Let's face it. English is a crazy language. There is no egg in the eggplant No ham in the hamburger. And neither pine nor apple in the pineapple. English muffins were not invented in England. French fries were not invented in France. We sometimes take English for granted But if we examine its paradoxes we find that Quicksand takes you down slowly, Boxing rings are square. And a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig. If writers write, how come fingers don't fing. If the plural of tooth is teeth. Shouldn't the plural of phone booth be phone beeth, If the teacher taught, Why didn't the preacher praught. If a vegetarian eats vegetables. What the does a humanitarian eat? Why do people recite at a play, Yet play at a recital? Park on driveways and Drive on parkways. You have to marvel at the unique lunacy. Of a language where a house can burn up as it burns down. And in which you fill in a form by filling it out. And a bell is only heard once it goes! English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race (Which of course isn't a race at all) That is why when the stars are out they are visible, but when the lights are out they are invisible, and why it is that when I wind up my watch it starts, but when I wind up this observation, it ends.
Craig Wilson suffered strokes
Doctors at Barberton Citizens Hospital are trying to determine how and why Craig Wilson suffered a series of small strokes, his wife Elizabeth said this morning. Craig is conscious and you can call him at the hospital, she said.
Is 13 an unlucky number?
Is this any way to start out the new year 2006? These are all the mugs, most of them old and ugly, I was able to pull from 12 images sent to me of the Retirees Lunch at Papa Joe’s in the Valley on Wednesday, Jan 11. There were 13 at the lunch including those above plus Al Hunsicker, Gene McClellan and Harry Liggett.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Recovering from knee surgery
I am recovering from my knee surgery remarkably well. My meniscus was torn (it's a shim between knee parts) so Dr. Acus trimmed off the smaller portion to where it tore loose and saved the rest for my knee to use.
I'm amazed at how quickly I have recovered from the Jan. 3 surgery (I had Dr. Acus wait from August to Jan. 3 because the Mountaineers played football till the Jan. 2 Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia and I wasn't about to miss Mountaineer Field games for something like knee surgery; I finished watching the Sugar Bowl on TV & listening to the lockerroom interviews at 2 a.m. and got up at 5 a.m. to go to my surgery). I started driving 5 days after the surgery.
It doesn't feel much worse after the surgery than it did before the surgery.
Dr. Acus -- 437 Portage Trail in Cuyahoga Falls -- told me on my Jan. 11 follow-up visit that everything went so well that I will not need rehab, just be sure to flex the knee regularly. The knee is sore, but I expect to be back to normal in another week or so.
John Olesky
I'm amazed at how quickly I have recovered from the Jan. 3 surgery (I had Dr. Acus wait from August to Jan. 3 because the Mountaineers played football till the Jan. 2 Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia and I wasn't about to miss Mountaineer Field games for something like knee surgery; I finished watching the Sugar Bowl on TV & listening to the lockerroom interviews at 2 a.m. and got up at 5 a.m. to go to my surgery). I started driving 5 days after the surgery.
It doesn't feel much worse after the surgery than it did before the surgery.
Dr. Acus -- 437 Portage Trail in Cuyahoga Falls -- told me on my Jan. 11 follow-up visit that everything went so well that I will not need rehab, just be sure to flex the knee regularly. The knee is sore, but I expect to be back to normal in another week or so.
John Olesky
Craig Wilson in hospital
Craig Wilson has been admitted to Barberton Citizens Hospital. His wife,. Elizabeth, said she is not sure what is wrong, but it might have been a stroke. We are awaiting further word from her.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
KR to meet potential buyers next week
Here are excerpts from a story by Pete Carey and Chris O’Brien in the San Jose Mercury News on Saturday:
Knight Ridder will begin meeting with potential buyers next week in the next step of offering itself for sale under pressure from unhappy shareholders.
The presentations for potential buyers will take two or three days each and the entire process could last two to three weeks, according to people familiar with the situation.
A Knight Ridder spokesman declined to comment Friday.
As previously reported, Gannett, the nation's largest newspaper company, and McClatchy, another large chain, have both expressed interest. The MediaNews Group of Colorado is also considering a deal, possibly teaming up with one or more private equity partners.
The Blackstone Group, Providence Equity Partners and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts have made an initial bid as a team. Other possible bidders include Spectrum Equity Partners, Thomas H. Lee Partners, the Texas Pacific Group and Madison Dearborn Partners.
A final round of bids and a decision by Knight Ridder's board is at least two months away. Legal and financial issues could add months more before the culmination of a sale, say sources knowledgeable about such deals.
The company could decline all offers if it finds them inadequate.
Knight Ridder's largest shareholder, Private Capital Management of Naples, Fla., is leading the shareholder move to force a sale of the company. PCM owns 19 percent of Knight Ridder's stock. It demanded in a letter Nov. 1 that the company put itself up for sale.
Knight Ridder's stock closed at $64.39 Friday, up 1 percent, or 64 cents a share. The stock was at $53.38 a share the day before PCM made public its demand for a sale. PCM paid an average of $65 a share for its Knight Ridder stock.
Click on the headline for the complete article.
Single-copy price for BJ to double.
There will be no change in home delivery prices for the Beacon Journal, but starting Monday the price of the Monday through Saturday newspaper will increase from 25 to 50 cents at all retail and vending locations. The price for seven days a week will go to $4.50, but the home delivery price will remain at $3.65. This will bring the single-copy price in line with other major newspapers in the area.
It also will cost more to send mail starting Sunday. The cost of sending a first-class letter will increase two cents to 39 cents and the rate for postcards will go up a penny to 24 cents.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Broas named Fort Wayne publisher
Knight Ridder announced today the appointment of Steven T. Broas as president and CEO, Fort Wayne Newspapers, and publisher of The News-Sentinel, effective an. 9. He replaces Mary Jacobus, who resigned in December.
Broas, 43, is currently director of retail development on the Knight Ridder corporate marketing staff -- a position he has held for one year. Prior to that, he served for four years as vice president/advertising for The Kansas City Star. He had come to The Star in November 1994, and worked his way up through a variety of sales positions.
Broas is a 1986 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh with a bachelor of science in journalism with an advertising emphasis. He is on the Sales Force Advisory Board of the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University. He and his wife, Laurie, are both Midwestern natives, and they look forward to this opportunity to live in that part of the country.
[SOURCE Knight Ridder Web Site: http://www.knightridder.com]
Books by BJ staffers
The following books are available at the Beacon Journal public service counter. Staff members and retirees are eligible for a 25 percent discount as noted below.
By Terry Pluto .
Faith and You, $15.90 including tax (reg. $21.20). Please note: This latest book by Pluto may no longer be available.
Everyday Faith, $15.90 including tax (reg. $21.20).
View From Pluto: Collected Sportswriting About Northeast Ohio, $17.24 including tax (reg.$19.88)
False Start: How the Browns Were Set Up to Fail, including tax (reg. $21.20)
Bob Dyer .
Cleveland Sports Legends: The 20 Most Glorious and Gutwrenching Moments of All Time, $15.90 including tax (reg. $21.20)
Omar! My Life on and off the Field, with Omar Vizquel $17.24 including tax (reg. $19.88)
By Chip Bok
A Look Bok: The Recent History of the United States in Political Cartoons, hardcover, $19.32 including tax (reg. $25.77); softcover, $12.14 including tax (reg. $16.21)
Bok! The 911 Crisis in Political Cartoons, hardcover, $18.62 including tax (reg. $21.48); softcover, $10.33 including tax (reg. $11.92)
By David Lee Morgan Jr.
LeBron James: The Rise of a Star, $11.92 including tax (reg. $15.89)
By John Murphy, Kathleen Kochanski, Angela Schumacher
The Akron Family Album, A photographic memoir of Akron 1900-1970, $20.69 including tax (reg. $26.51)
By David Giffels and Steve Love
Wheels of Fortune: The History of Rubber in Akron, softcover,$13.48 including tax (reg. $15.55)
[From the Dec 22, 2005 issue of Hot Type]
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Bloom work selected for tour
A self-portrait entitled, "Diva," by newsroom features writer Connie Bloom, who only recently discovered her gift for fabric art, has been selected to go on tour with a Quilting Arts magazine exhibit in 2006. The quilt was posted on the magazine's web site during the week of Dec 18. Quilting Arts is the only magazine devoted to nontraditional fiber art such as Bloom's. Bloom's “Diva” quilt is a tongue-in-cheek portrait of a granny type with beaded eyes and a cheap plastic in her hair. Bloom entered the piece in the magazine's Creative Self-portraits Contest, which received 500 from around the world. Only 75 were selected for year-long tour. Bloom will be teaching art quilting at A Piece in Time, Manchester Road, this winter. Stitchers who are interested can contact her at 330-996-3568.[Published in the Dec 22, 2005 issue of Hot Type]
Perhaps there is ‘A Way Out’
The endless flood of articles about the problems of the newspaper industry have become tiring to this blogger, and I assume to you too. When we tell you to click on the headline to go to a web site where you can read the full story you just might be saying “to hell with it.”
Hopefully we can start devoting more posts to old Tower Topics and less to news biz problems.
However, here’s a paragraph that hopefully will cause you to click on the headline. It is the conclusion of a scholarly article by Douglas McCollam in the Columbia Journalism Review titled “A Way Out?”:
“What newspapers really need, above all else, is ownership that values journalism and understands that the work of gathering, writing, and publishing the news is an inherently inefficient business that is in a period of profound transition. The private press baron of the past might have been a blowhard propagandist with the ethics of a wharf rat, but at least he loved the trade. Compared with the lineup of bloodless managers and mandarins currently squeezing the life out of journalism, Charles Foster Kane looks pretty damn good. So while there is no guarantee that the private ownership of today would recognize the value of journalism, it has already been established that Wall Street does not. Maybe it’s time we took our chances.”
Monday, January 02, 2006
State of Journalism 2006
The Louisville Courier Journal on Monday published a good Q&A interview by columnist Pam Platt with Bill Kovach on the “State of Journalism, 2006.”
Kovach's 43-year journalism career as a reporter and editor began in Tennessee, first at the Johnson City Press-Chronicle and then at the Nashville Tennessean. He next worked at The New York Times, capping his 18 years there as its Washington bureau chief. He left The Times for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution; that paper won two Pulitzer Prizes in the two years he was its editor. He also served as curator at Harvard University's Nieman Foundation for Journalists. Among his published works, Kovach is the co-author, with Tom Rosenstiel, of The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect.
Kovach is the chairman of the Committee of Concerned Journalists (Web site, journalism.org), a consortium of journalism practitioners and academics whose goals include "to clarify and renew journalists' faith in the core principles and function in journalism" and "to create a better understanding of those principles by the public."
Platt e-mailed the questions to Kovach, and he sent back answers.
One of his conclusions I liked was:
“What is right is that the large majority of practitioners still believe their purpose is to provide citizens the timely, independent information they need in order to make informed decisions in the economic and political marketplaces of their lives what's wrong is that MSM is still too often content to maximize profit and not invest in the research and training necessary to develop a new economic base that takes advantage of the opportunities technology has made available."
Kovach also said he likes blogs. Read all of his answers by clicking on the headline.
Pam Platt is public editor of The Courier-Journal. Call her at (502) 582-4600 or e-mail her at pplatt@courier-journal.com.
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