We in the news business either develop thick hides or move on.On some days incoming e-mails and phone messages left over night are so vitriolic that you’re not sure that "kill the messenger" is a figure of speech. We in the news business either develop thick hides or move on.On some days incoming e-mails and phone messages left over night are so vitriolic that you’re not sure that "kill the messenger" is a figure of speech. This story didn’t reflect the reader’s world or political view. That headline was sensational or insensitive. We didn’t show proper respect for the police department or the president. We’re un-American. Why didn’t we put the real news on the front page rather than that fluff. Or all we do is push bad news on the front page. We’re not fair and balanced, etc., etc. One time a profane caller threatened in a voice mail to dig up all the dirt he could and expose me the way the newspaper has exposed others.While I’m no saint, I laughed at that one. Married 38 years to the same woman. Don’t gamble. Sober most of the time. My run-ins with the law have saddled me with a record of three speeding tickets. And I’ve been known to utter an oath or two. Now you know.The truth of the matter is that most communication from readers comes from angry readers. But a funny thing happened when I started this series of columns.I got nice notes from people."…reading the daily newspaper is important to me. I appreciate the Trib’s balance of local and global news stories," wrote Mary Warren of Tempe."The gift of news and opinion through the print media and e-media is precious. It cautions the majority and the powerful and makes room for the minority and the vulnerable…. Thank you, Jim and everyone else, for having the courage to sustain the print media and freedom of speech.," e-mailed Mike Durham.Here was Peter O’Malley’s comment made on my blog:"At age 63 I look back to a virtually unbroken record of reading the newspaper every day. The habit was inculcated within me by observing my mother’s daily assignment of informing herself on what’s going on…."My mother, now 93 years old, relies on a daily shot of the Trib to start each day. Even as dementia clouds her full understanding, it always surprises me when the light goes on and she asks, ‘Did you read about those serial killers?’"Now it so happens that the debut of this series coincided with the capture of the serial killers and the launch of the Tribune’s series on a family of Katrina refugees. Both sparked a rare measure of reader praise that was forwarded around the newsroom."Thank God I find the Tribune in my driveway every morning. At least someone can give me the true story," said a Venter."The Tribune is obviously more in touch to the needs of its readership than the ‘other’ Valley newspaper," wrote Cecil Kirk of Scottsdale.See, we’re just like you. We like to know that somebody notices what we do and cares.But here’s the thing. The nice comments were from people who read the newspaper.Ted Weisenburger nailed the issue in his comment on my blog:"Today’s children have formed no such (newspaper) habits. They are entertained by TV, Internet, computer games etc., and as they grow up they tend to rely on those same sources for information. "In other words, newspaper reading will continue to decline as the older readers pass out of the picture. I don’t believe there is really any way to reverse that."I hope he is wrong. But he may not be.I approach this issue on what would happen on two levels:What if the Arizona Republic succeeded in putting the Tribune of business.Doing so would be good for their business. If they had a print monopoly, they could raise ad rates, subscription rates and they could cut costs by decreasing the staff they’ve deployed in the East Valley.You do the business math and tell me whether they would pay as much attention to the East Valley if they had no competition. And you tell me what side they would take on issues that put East Valley cities at odds with the city of Phoenix. Competition is good. It results in higher quality news coverage and low costs. That’s why the Valley has benefited from the battle between America West (now U.S. Airways) and Southwest Airlines. If you like the Tribune and believe competition is good, then you need to tell your neighbor. In the long run, you’ll be doing us and yourself a favor.End of altar call. And back to the more fundamental question: What if Ted is right and the days of print newspapers are numbered by the passing of generations?Internet news organizations, perhaps including the Tribune’s, will probably become more vital along side TV and radio. But if current patterns continue, news consumers will go to the Web for breaking news and essential information. TV will continue to offer breathless breaking news stories.Missing will be news features that help us become better neighbors. Gone will be investigative stories that take more than three minutes to be told. Stronger will be special interests.Endangered will be local trend stories that help us connect the dots. Informed opinion and reputable stories that help you make sense of local governments and community issues will be hard to come by. Do you agree with Ted? If you do, do you see any way of preserving the community building and checks and balances roles that newspaper have traditionally played?
 Truth & Consequences (last in series)September 18th, 2006, 2:13 pm · 5 Comments · posted by Jim Ripley5 CommentsLeave a Reply |
Hi, my name is Karen and I am a young stay at home mom of three boys. I am 27 years old (where did the time go) so I guess that I do not fit the sterotype of your typical reader. Among my circle of friends I am a rareity. Everyone knows that I start my day with the paper and look forward to rceiving it every day. I am active in PTO and local political and community events.
I am writing to tell you that for me at least the paper is not a lost art. In grade school we had a paper in the classroom every day and I have fond memories of sitting in my granpa’s lap while he read to me from the paper on Sunday mornings. I love reading and to this day read about three books a month. I also don’t follow the convential wisdom and hoopla that most of the media portray today. I am glad to read that you hate you seem to dispise the Republic as much as me. I have coined that paper “The Arizona Repulsive.”
I guess I just want you to know that there are people out there that enjoy the paper that are of the younger set. I think a love of learning and reading is what keeps me coming back. I hope by my example that my children will appreciate the written word and look for more depth in stories, news, events, and life as I have. Keep on printing!!!!! The Prendergast Family thanks you.
Of course the comments to the Newspaper Website are going to be positive, since most people reading the paper like it.
Newspapers like this are dead. It is nothing but a corporate tool and as such is easily discredited in the modern age of instant fact checking and sourcing.
For example, you ran some opinion piece on “The Emergency Room Crisis” not once in your Politicaly Correct piece did you mention:
A) Illegal Alliens use Emergency Rooms as Primary Card
B) Illegal Alliens have destroyed California’s Emergency Care system
I mean come on, PATHETIC. Good luck selling subscriptions to your declining elderly base.
Your newspaper is filled with garbage to distract Americans. Where is the real news besides wire feeds?
How about an expose on the North American Union? Do you not think the destruction of 230 years of American Soverignty is not important? Do you not think that explaining that the radical demographic shifts are a byproduct of the policies that are implementing this.
We are on to you Ripley. You can hide the truth of the treason to protect your political friends and corporate masters.
http://www.spp.gov
If you want to prevent The Arizona Repuke newspaper from putting the Tribune out of business, I suggest you differentiate your paper more so from The Arizona Repuke.
Both papers have the same wire source, print the same stories, contain the same glossy ad inserts. But the Tribune needs to be less neutral when it comes to the moral and political issues affecting its readers.
If the Tribune is going to grow with the East Valley, then you had better take the stance that East Valley residents take. And it’s not the one The Arizona Repuke has taken.
Growth comes from families, children, future generations. The Repuke’s endorsement of higher taxes, abortion, reduction of religion in society, alternate lifestyles with the latter to be taught in schools to children, are not accepted by the majority or East Valley residents!
If the Tribune wants growth in readership, then take a stronger stand for moral and political positions which are for the betterment of families and their children.
The Tribune, I believe, is neutral when it comes to political or moral issues. The result? Oh hum! Another milquetoast paper whose owners want to “just get along” to obtain their usual return on investment. Don’t cause any waves. We have to protect our ROI!
The East Valley Tribune should be to the Washtingon Times as The Arizona Repuke is the The Washington Post. Expecailly in the Phoenix Metro Area with tow of the largest cities in Arizona.
If not, the EV Tribune will, in addition to competition from internet and other sources, be conceived as useless drivel, slowly losing readership due to a lukewarm we-don’t-care-attitude-and-can-print-the-same-stories-as-our-competitors-but-summarized-because-we-can-only-afford-less-paper-due-to-our-lower-readership.
Start bashing the Arizona Republic Editorials! Start bashing their Editors! Start taking the opposite politically liberal and immoral/ammoral stance which The Arizona Repuke takes!
That will start competition for the East Valley Tribune! Quit being such a milquetoast paper.