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Nov
5
Press Club of Cleveland hosts Fred Nance for its annual meeting, 11/14
Filed Under Announcements, Media | Comments Off
And non-members are welcome!
Why not make your debut as a rabblerouser? Come on! I do it all the time. Just ask Wendy Hoke.
Seriously, though, you can read the specifics about the Press Club here and the event here (a pdf) but the vitals are:
Wednesday, November 14, 2007 (next week)
Nighttown, 12387 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights
11:30am-1pm
There doesn’t appear to be a deadline, but the phone number to call is 440-899-1222 if you want to make a reservation over the phone (or check out the pdf for the little form to send in as a fax or by snailmail).
[The last Press Club event I went to was a welcome event for Susan Goldberg. No. Really.]
The info doesn’t tell us if Nance will talk about the Medical Mart, the convention center or the revenues they’re getting now from that new sales tax we didn’t vote for. But hey – that’s why you’re going to go, right?
Again, people who know me know: I’m going to be friendly, learn and make inroads in order to understand and then figure out what change is possible and work toward that change. If you want to do that, you need to attend events like these and learn and observe. There are few other successful ways to make a difference, certainly at the individual level.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 11:38 pm November 5th, 2007 in Announcements, Media | Comments Off
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Nov
5
An endorsement from WLST!
Filed Under Campaigning, Education, Elections, Women | Comments Off
Nancy Peppler for Cleveland Heights-University Heights School Board.
I don’t live in that school district, just like I don’t live in Jason’s, but whatever. And no, no one has paid me anything for either of them. Although Nancy did interview me more than 15 years ago for my first job after graduate school (and I got it, too).
But if that’s too much reason for bias, you can read the Sun Press’s endorsement here.
Nancy’s candidate website is here, one Cleveland Scene article is here and an earlier, more general one about the issues in that district is her. Here’s info on her running mate, Eric Coble.
I haven’t even spoken with Nancy in, probably, two? three? four? years so this “endorsement” (unusual use quote as opposed to scary quote) is probably either unknown to her (that my blog exists) or a surprise completely, or both.
Either way – Nancy is a die-hard advocate for kids. Always has been, always will be. We overlapped in social work school, we traveled together to many meetings in Columbus for child-caring agency work and in Washington, D.C. for the Child Welfare League. I would, without a doubt, vote her onto my school board if she were a candidate here. And knowing that she’s running in CH-UH, I can just tell you – they better be prepared to work hard and relentlessly. Because that’s my memory of how Nancy works.
Good luck, Nancy!
By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:21 pm November 5th, 2007 in Campaigning, Education, Elections, Women | Comments Off
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Nov
5
Here’s the list of the top 25 papers and their numbers. Here’s the story from Editor & Publisher.
With the business model under extreme pressure, publishers are also choosing to cut back on circulation in outlying areas and instead focus on “core” markets.
Of course, the trend points to fewer people reading the paper too as single-copy sales, considered a barometer of the industry, is decreasing at larger rates than the overall top line number — somewhere in the ballpark of 5%.
But for the first time, ABC also released comprehensive “audience” data — print readership, online readership, unduplicated reach, and monthly unique users — for roughly 200 papers. The industry is moving toward numbers that take into consideration all their products, including newspaper Web sites, not just paid circulation.
How ’bout visits to paid or unpaid blogs?
FYI:
PD Editor Susan Goldberg’s old paper:
Circulation at the San Jose Mercury News is showing signs of life. Daily was virtually flat at 228,537. Sunday inched up 0.3% to 252,404.
PD Editor Susan Goldberg’s current paper:
Losses at The Plain Dealer in Cleveland were minimal. Daily circulation declined slightly 0.8% to 334,195 while Sunday was flat at 445,795.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:55 pm November 5th, 2007 in Media, Wide Open | 1 Comment
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Nov
5
Scare quote-journalism, ethics and the rest of us (mini-Wide Open update)
Filed Under Blogging, Marketing, Media, Ohio, Politics, Tech, Wide Open, Writing | 1 Comment
The existence and timing of these articles might represent a convergence of some sort. But from where I’m slumping, it sure doesn’t sound, or, more accurately, read very harmonically:
Matt Dickman on his blog, Techno//Marketer: The blogger, journalist divide with references to you know what
Roldo, to be on CoolCleveland later this week but via Brewed Fresh Daily now: Roldo Bartimole weighs in on you know what
Bizarre editorial from the PD today: The do- it-yourself ‘press corps’ – an idea whose time has come in which they try to make a point with snark and irony, but miss. Since the DIY press corps is, you know, already here. That’s not the part that messed up FEMA. Most DIY press corps folks I know, aka political bloggers who do primary source reporting, would never do, have never done, what FEMA did, unless they were making an Onion-like take.
Bill Sloat: Ohio Journalists and Campaign Contributions: Money flows to Democrats. Bill argues that since reporters often belong to a guild to which they can voluntarily make political contributions, then essentially aren’t reporters contributing to politicians, which would be apposite to what the PD says can be done? Or, they can give, but then they can’t write about the people supported by the Guild?
Cindy Zawadski on As Ohio Goes: Insight on the Plain Dealer and Diadiun She says it well: the PD’s reasoning for their position includes indefensible lapses in logic.
Jeff Jarvis: Where’s the digital union? The gist is captured in this quote he provides, from James Poniewozik’s Labor Cyberwars” or Why I’m like a TV Writer Except Poorer:
Writers and production staff at Time Inc. are covered by a union, which just finished a drawn-out contract renegotiation. (I’m covered by the union but not a member; Time Inc. is an open shop, meaning membership is optional.) A big point of contention between the union and management has been the fact the website’s editors and production staffs are not covered by the union–although union-covered magazine staff, like me, do work for the websites as well.
The deal the company and union reached: magazine staff (like me) can’t be compelled to work for the websites, and the company will not extend union coverage to the website staff. To me–and, for instance, Jeff Jarvis–it’s a worst-of-both-worlds settlement. Instead of treating the ever-more-important websites as if they were ever more important, the magazine staffers get the right to abstain from working for them, and the company gets to avoid, God forbid, having more unionized employees. . .[my emphasis]
Well, there is always the PD’s current suggestion of a solution: convince bloggers to provide content online for free, under independent contracts and then, when things go awry, paint the scenario as if it’s the same-old same-old employer-employee misunderstanding.
I’m sure everyone will buy that.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:20 pm November 5th, 2007 in Blogging, Marketing, Media, Ohio, Politics, Tech, Wide Open, Writing | 1 Comment
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Nov
5
‘Roots News: Zero competition result from bill championed as being for competition’s sake
Filed Under Blogging, Cleveland+, Economy, Government, Politics, Statehouse, Tech, Utilities | Comments Off
Bill Callahan has a bunch of must-read posts:
On the impact of SB 117, you know, that “in the name of competition is good” bill that became law, as pushed by AT&T. Except in reality, sounds like there is no discernible impact, or desired for that matter.
Then, on his Foreclosing Cleveland, I just think this is news we can use, or at least need to know and think about: the twenty Cuyahoga County zip codes with the largest numbers of these cases. Go there to see if it’s yours. There are some eyebrow raisers on the list.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 4:32 pm November 5th, 2007 in Blogging, Cleveland+, Economy, Government, Politics, Statehouse, Tech, Utilities | Comments Off
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Nov
5
Only Jewess problem w/Maxim is their exclusion of me
Filed Under Flip, Jewish, Women | 3 Comments
Oh, and that too.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 4:20 pm November 5th, 2007 in Flip, Jewish, Women | 3 Comments
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Nov
5
Vote for Jason
Filed Under Announcements, Blogging, Campaigning, Education, Government | 6 Comments
I didn’t give him any money, I don’t live in or send my kids to his school district, but if I thought anything I did would help him get on the Akron school board, I’d do more of it.
Because I’m a political blogger. And I like it.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 3:23 pm November 5th, 2007 in Announcements, Blogging, Campaigning, Education, Government | 6 Comments
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Nov
5
Miami Herald reporter gives Hillary $50, with editor’s blessing
Filed Under Campaigning, Elections, Government, Media, Politics, Tech, Wide Open | 6 Comments
**There is a comment below from a Henry Gomez – it is not the Plain Dealer Henry Gomez.
When the only ethical choice was to tell the campaign to let the reporter in without the donation, or not cover the event and instead, write about how the primary schedule fiascos are playing havoc with getting news to voters? Like the Ombuds did in the article noted below, but after the ethical violation?
This side effect of shifting some primaries and not others should have been the article, without the ethical violation and deceit, as you can read below.
Miami Herald reporter Evan S. Benn, under instruction from his editors, paid $50 last Sunday to the Clinton campaign to cover a fundraiser and rally by her husband, former President Bill Clinton. Benn said he tried to get in for free, presenting himself as a reporter, but was told the event was closed to the media and was turned away. He then made the minimum contribution to get in. Local television stations remained camped outside.
The Miami Herald’s decision to contribute was made after nearly a week of what, by all accounts, was a strong internal debate among editors and reporters. The concerns, which strike at the ethical core of a newspaper, were: fairness to readers and other candidates; paying for news; whether to sneak in; and what to do going forward.
Most people I talked with at the paper are queasy with the decision, although they signed on. I think The Miami Herald did the right thing.
The issue was created by a novel situation, unforeseen by most ethical guidelines.
Hmmm. Really now?
Bloggers face it all the time. Welcome to our world.
When Barack Obama came to Columbus in June 2006 and bought a table for bloggers, I didn’t judge the bloggers who went and sat at that table, but I did choose to buy a separate seat and then went and sat with them during the Q&A Obama gave us.
If the Clinton event was closed to the media, it was closed to the media. So – what was the reporter going to do with whatever he learned as an attendee?
Isn’t the Herald now encouraging and promoting and re-drawing the line, saying that it’s okay for reporters to go into “closed to the media” events without revealing that they are…media?
Listen to the discussion at the Herald and check out what still isn’t ethical:
The deliberations at The Miami Herald began when political writer Beth Reinhard caucused with her editor, Jay Ducassi. As the two later described it to me, he argued that with 2,000 attendees planned, the Clinton event was newsworthy, even if the newspaper had to contribute. Then Ducassi sent his recommendation up the line.
Then the debate broke out. John Voskuhl, deputy metro editor, made cogent opposing arguments. He questioned how important it was to cover someone who wasn’t actually the candidate. He later told me: “This one was 50 bucks. What would we do as a news agency when the next one is $150, or $250 or $500?”
Reinhard and Ducassi wavered, particularly when they thought about having to defend themselves later in the fierce blogosphere that might take the contribution out of context. But in the end, those opposed came around to the argument that covering the event first-hand was necessary to inform readers of rare local Democrat primary developments.
Executive Editor Anders Gyllenhaal gave the final greenlight. Reinhard went to Orlando for an important Republican debate. Benn was asked if he was comfortable with the assignment. ”I would have had a problem if I had been asked to sneak in, representing myself as a member of the catering staff,” he said. He wasn’t. He did not tell the person who sold him the ticket that he was a reporter, nor was he asked. He said that he and an Associated Press reporter (whose company made the same decision to contribute) took notes openly. [my emphasis]
Oh yeah? Well, Jeff Coryell and I, in addition to the other two bloggers, blogged in a partisan nature, openly.
I am telling you: the line Susan Goldberg has tried to draw hasn’t been tenable, let alone believable, from the beginning. It would be more honest to say either 1) we bowed to pressure or 2) we just don’t like what Wide Open is turning out to be rather than say we giving Jeff an ultimatum because they’re paying us a pittance and therefore we could besmirch the PD reputation.
Now what, for the Herald?
Well, the appropriately respected Poynter Instiute said, according to the Herald article:
There has been little reader response so far. So, I called Robert M. Steele, a journalism professor and ethics expert at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg. ”I’m very uncomfortable with the thought of news organizations buying their way into campaign events,” he said. “Disclosing it doesn’t make it go away. It’s still a campaign contribution.”
But, the Herald doesn’t care:
He is right, and The Miami Herald’s own written guidelines prohibit staffers from working or contributing to political campaigns. But guidelines are just that: guidelines. There comes a time for editorial judgment, and that is what was called for in this unusual situation.
The issue now is what to do going forward. Bill Richardson will come soon for a ”fundraiser.” The reporters and editors I talked to are not totally clear on what the policy will be, which indicates a need for a written directive. For Gyllenhaal, it’s simple. ”We’ll be going to anything that looks like a rally,” he said, and The Miami Herald will pay if it has to. He later qualified that by saying the paper would take into account the importance of the candidate and the event, and if the paper appeared to be paying inordinately for any one candidate.
I think this approach best serves the reader. We will all now monitor how the paper lives up to its word.
Guidelines are only guidelines, hm? Unusual situations?
Does the PD have any idea as to what their choice about Wide Open has wrought? Does the Herald?
And “real” journalists (yes, scare quotes) worry about the blogs and bloggers because we have no editors?
With editors like those…
By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:23 pm November 5th, 2007 in Campaigning, Elections, Government, Media, Politics, Tech, Wide Open | 6 Comments
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Nov
5
The Society of Professional Journalists has an event this Wednesday evening:
Nov. 7 – SPJ After Work: Local News, Next Steps (The Sequel)
“Backpack” and “Citizen” journalism, the pressure on “old media” to become “new media” and the impact of all of these trends on news will be on the table for discussion by a panel of Cleveland news professionals Wednesday, Nov. 7, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at The Little Bar, 614 Frankfort Court, in the Warehouse District of downtown Cleveland.The cost is $15 for SPJ members and $20 for non-members for “Happy Hour” pizza, snacks and a cash bar. RSVP by 5 p.m., Nov. 5, to Tom Moore, SPJ chapter secretary-treasurer, at 440-333-7382 or sending an e-mail message to tmoore56@msn.com
Among those confirmed for the panel are David Molpus, executive editor of Ideastream WVIZ/WCPN; Dan Salamone, news director of WOIO/WUAB-TV19/43, Elizabeth McIntyre, assistant managing editor/news, and Jean Dubail, assistant managing editor/online for The Cleveland Plain Dealer. John Carroll University’s Dick Hendrickson will moderate. Come and enjoy the networking with fellow journalists and other writers, then join the discussion.
Maybe the Wide Open debacle was created to give them something to talk about.
I can’t go, but if you do, don’t beat up on Jean too much. He’s not the main perpetrator of all that went wrong. Not that he doesn’t find fault with what happened, on his end, but people name-calling him out is just misguided.
As for the scare quotes around “citizen” – sheesh. Here’s one definition of a scare quote:
Scare quotes are quotation marks placed around a word or phrase from which you, the writer, wish to distance yourself because you consider that word or phrase to be odd or inappropriate for some reason. Possibly you regard it as too colloquial for formal writing; possibly you think it’s unfamiliar or mysterious; possibly you consider it to be inaccurate or misleading; possibly you believe it’s just plain wrong. Quite often scare quotes are used to express irony or sarcasm:
- The Serbs are closing in on the “safe haven” of Gora^@de.
The point here is that the town has been officially declared a safe haven by the UN, whereas in fact, as the quote marks make clear, it is anything but safe.
You can read other defintions here and here.
FWIW, I guess I’m in a resigning kind of mood. I just emailed the SPJ Cleveland Pro chapter about how I go about resigning from the board. I was surprised that they invited me on in the first place and have been letting my connection to it languish since the national took the side of publishers against freelancers (then withdrew that position after freelancers raised a ruckus, thank you, Wendy Hoke, in a recent lawsuit case but now, when I see the info in the regular newsletter, it looks very “stuck” to me – and yes, you should be scared by those scare quotes.
I know what it’s like to deal with stuck people, because I just expended a lot of energy working to get something – an online political site – unstuck. You can listen here to Susan Goldberg defend staying stuck (though I’m sure she doesn’t see her position that way).
This issue of being stuck would probably be a great place to start on Wednesday evening: how is it that some in journalism, traditional, MSM “old media” journalism get it, and others have to use scare quotes when they think about new media and citizen journalism?
Why is the word “citizen” so scary when placed before the word “journalism”?
Now that thought – that some people find citizens scary – scares me.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 12:27 pm November 5th, 2007 in Blogging, Media, Tech, Wide Open | 1 Comment
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Nov
5
You can read it here.
What it sounds like, reads like when someone gets it (no surprise since Jeff Jarvis, as he writes in the post, oversaw Cleveland.com when he worked at its parent company – I assume that’s Advance; John Ettorre has written the history before I just don’t remember it all):
This should be a new relationship. It should be about discovering and joining in a conversation. I saw another sign of this at the BBC the other day when staffers kept fretting about filling a blog, as if it were a show rundown or a blank page. I told them to stop looking it that way and instead to take the advice I’m giving my students: Find the conversation. Join in. Contribute to it — indeed, contribute journalism, answering questions, finding facts, fact-checking the ones that are there. But to do that — beware — you have to talk at a human level with other humans with opinions (who don’t want to talk to a closed door).
I can’t imagine the emotions and thoughts Wide Open 1.0′s failure must evoke for him.
FYI: Check out Jarvis’s disclosure section. Great idea. I’m particularly fond of how he describes his politics, because it’s how I describe myself all the time:
I am a liberal: a centrist leaning left. I have voted for Democrats in most elections. Nonetheless, I piss off Democrats for not always agreeing with them and for linking to those with whom they disagree. But that is why I like the blogosphere so much: because I end up talking with people whose opinions often don’t align with mine….I believe in separation of church and state but I’m not nutty about it; it’s OK to say Merry Christmas, but it’s not OK to bring prayer to school or religious dogma to the FCC. I am pro-choice, though have no idea what I would do if faced with that choice myself….I support Israel’s right to exist. I am in favor of government funding for research, including stem-cell research.
Then, check out the NYT freelancer questionnaire and his answers. Did Jean Dubail or anyone else at the Plain Dealer ever consider such a thing for us? As someone who has written and been paid for PD op-eds, I never saw one of those. The existence at the PD of something like that would at least give the paper a teensy shred of credibility as they continue to stand their ground, rather than say, you’re right – we don’t get it, we don’t want to get it or, at the very least, we’re not ready to get it yet even if we see it.
If anyone who would need me to make disclosures should ever pay me to do anything, I’m going to have to ask Jarvis to be a first-reader of my disclosure section.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 7:39 am November 5th, 2007 in Blogging, Media, Wide Open | 1 Comment
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