The J showed less integrity than a Hollywood tabloid and less honor than when it used maniacal shock jock Don Imus to criticize Bill Richardson (really, former lead story, front page).
Dragging out its designated slanderer, Leslie Linthicum (infamous for her unflattering two-part “biography” of the Governor), the rag’s front page bashed Bill Richardson for the THIRD day in ONE week—not with fact, not with real news--but with innuendo from another shock jock--that paragon of hysterical hyperbole, James Carville.
Surely, the front page could be used for something more newsworthy than the ravings of a man whose only job seems to be bald faced (or “headed” in his case) ad hominem in pursuit of ever more lucrative TV “commentary” jobs.
It might be lost on an unknowing reader that Carville has less credibility than Imus.
It might be lost on the uncritical J regular, that Bill Richardson is not only a good guy, but a good governor.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Disrespecting our fallen soldiers
The front page lead stories for yesterday’s Journal (J):
-- the lead - UNM “close” to extending basketball coach’s contract (that should win a Pulitzer.)
-- two mayhem stories about murderers
-- yet another Richardson bashing – this one featuring “Judas” comments about his lack of loyalty for backing Obama and more crap from the Mayor
ON PAGE A-6 (no kidding), was the story commemorating the 4,000th death in Iraq. Heaven forbid that the J might have run a SERIES about the incredible cost in MEN (including 30,000 seriously wounded and unknown hundreds of thousands of Iraqis), not to mention TREASURE ($3 Trillion and counting – bankrupting this country)
On Monday, the J ran a small front page story about the 4,000th death, but larger and higher were stories about:
-- no increase in tuition at CNM (really - no increase is a front page story)
-- more bashing Bill Richardson - quoting the Mayor, etc., and the
-- LEAD STORY on Monday was (ready for this?) DNA testing your DOG - to find out his breeding makeup (I AM NOT KIDDING! - the lead story)
SOOO, that's how the J recognized the milestone of 4,000 brave men who have died in an absolutely useless war.
Whatta tabloid!
Now, compare that to the PBS Frontline commemoration of this momentous event.
This Frontline may have been the most impressive documentary I have ever seen. The number of sources and the careful construction of this four hour epic is incredible.
Even more amazing is the conclusion left with the viewer that basically three people conspired to create the rationale and atmosphere that led us to war and, then, the same triad completely screwed up the occupation.
History will hammer Cheney, Wolfowitz and Rumsfeld who lied, circumvented the normal chains of command and, of course, manipulated poor, sad, ill-equipped George W.
What was amazing to me is the number of people in the administration and military willing to go on camera about this disaster.
I talked a normal "regular guy" type of neighbor into watching it -- his first Frontline -- he just sent me this reaction:
"If there were any justice in this World, they would try Cheney,
Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz as war criminals. If I had a son or daughter
that got killed or injured in that %$#@ *&%$, I am not so sure that I could keep myself from hunting down one of those &%$#@."
If you did not see it, you might owe it to yourself as a citizen/media educator to find it and watch.
-- the lead - UNM “close” to extending basketball coach’s contract (that should win a Pulitzer.)
-- two mayhem stories about murderers
-- yet another Richardson bashing – this one featuring “Judas” comments about his lack of loyalty for backing Obama and more crap from the Mayor
ON PAGE A-6 (no kidding), was the story commemorating the 4,000th death in Iraq. Heaven forbid that the J might have run a SERIES about the incredible cost in MEN (including 30,000 seriously wounded and unknown hundreds of thousands of Iraqis), not to mention TREASURE ($3 Trillion and counting – bankrupting this country)
On Monday, the J ran a small front page story about the 4,000th death, but larger and higher were stories about:
-- no increase in tuition at CNM (really - no increase is a front page story)
-- more bashing Bill Richardson - quoting the Mayor, etc., and the
-- LEAD STORY on Monday was (ready for this?) DNA testing your DOG - to find out his breeding makeup (I AM NOT KIDDING! - the lead story)
SOOO, that's how the J recognized the milestone of 4,000 brave men who have died in an absolutely useless war.
Whatta tabloid!
Now, compare that to the PBS Frontline commemoration of this momentous event.
This Frontline may have been the most impressive documentary I have ever seen. The number of sources and the careful construction of this four hour epic is incredible.
Even more amazing is the conclusion left with the viewer that basically three people conspired to create the rationale and atmosphere that led us to war and, then, the same triad completely screwed up the occupation.
History will hammer Cheney, Wolfowitz and Rumsfeld who lied, circumvented the normal chains of command and, of course, manipulated poor, sad, ill-equipped George W.
What was amazing to me is the number of people in the administration and military willing to go on camera about this disaster.
I talked a normal "regular guy" type of neighbor into watching it -- his first Frontline -- he just sent me this reaction:
"If there were any justice in this World, they would try Cheney,
Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz as war criminals. If I had a son or daughter
that got killed or injured in that %$#@ *&%$, I am not so sure that I could keep myself from hunting down one of those &%$#@."
If you did not see it, you might owe it to yourself as a citizen/media educator to find it and watch.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Journal gives porn, not news
"That is why our press was protected by the First Ammendment, the only business in America specifically protected by the Constitution, not primarily to amuse and entertain, not to emphasize the trivial and the sentimental, NOT TO SIMPLY GIVE THE PUBLIC WHAT IT WANTS, but to INFORM, to arouse, to reflect, to state our dangers and our opportunities, to indicate our crises and our choices, to lead, mold, educate and sometimes even anger public opinion."
John F. Kennedy
The page one lead story on today's Journal is about a professor who sent porn to another, beneath the screaming headline, "NMSU Porn Investigation." The second lead is a fluff story about a 95 year-old basketball coach.
I am sure Kennedy is sighing, as are we.
John F. Kennedy
The page one lead story on today's Journal is about a professor who sent porn to another, beneath the screaming headline, "NMSU Porn Investigation." The second lead is a fluff story about a 95 year-old basketball coach.
I am sure Kennedy is sighing, as are we.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
What War?
Yesterday's Journal achieved a new record in its campaign to play down the war in Iraq so that we can avoid distractions and get to the important business of electing a Republican President.
Section A did not mention the war in Iraq. At all.
After all, there is nothing important about a war that has cost 4,000 U.S. lives and three trillion dollars so far. Is there?
Section A did not mention the war in Iraq. At all.
After all, there is nothing important about a war that has cost 4,000 U.S. lives and three trillion dollars so far. Is there?
Exxon vs Alaska: Before the Supreme Court, But Not in the Journal
Continuing Series: Stories not covered in any meaningful way by the Journal (J)
"I thought the most telling moment of the last seven years occurred last week when the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was, literally, almost weeping that Exxon was being treated unfairly by a jury in Alaska."
James Carville, Meet the Press, 03-02-08
Interested? The Journal is not.
"I thought the most telling moment of the last seven years occurred last week when the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was, literally, almost weeping that Exxon was being treated unfairly by a jury in Alaska."
James Carville, Meet the Press, 03-02-08
Interested? The Journal is not.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Silly Season: Journal Fluff Hits New High
The Journal must really be going broke because it is silly season on their front page.
Front page of the Journal (J) today:
- woman finds wallet (top article-above the fold)
- deaf basketball player
- man shoots himself twice?
- an Arizona law
Really, one must calmly assess the situation and ask, "IS THERE NO OTHER FREAKING NEWS OUT THERE?
Because of the J's headlong race to irrelevance, I am starting a new seriew: "UNTOLD STORIES." It will suggest stories that our ONLY "newspaper" might have put on its front page.
Today's suggestion: "The Human Toll Approaches 4,000: the 3,973 guys who have died in this senseless, unbelievably expensive war?"
Front page of the Journal (J) today:
- woman finds wallet (top article-above the fold)
- deaf basketball player
- man shoots himself twice?
- an Arizona law
Really, one must calmly assess the situation and ask, "IS THERE NO OTHER FREAKING NEWS OUT THERE?
Because of the J's headlong race to irrelevance, I am starting a new seriew: "UNTOLD STORIES." It will suggest stories that our ONLY "newspaper" might have put on its front page.
Today's suggestion: "The Human Toll Approaches 4,000: the 3,973 guys who have died in this senseless, unbelievably expensive war?"
Award! I made Kent Walz's Trash Can
Breaking news: I am in Kent Walz's trash can . . . yup, banished! How, you ask?
It took the Albuquerque Journal more than a week to write an article about the defeat of SunCal's TIDD bonding bill which would have funneled over $700 Million to the CA development company. So, I wrote this (the whole message):
"I note that it took the Journal a week to get out this news. (It takes such a long time for horses to make the trip from Santa Fe.) Or, if your into conspiracy theories, maybe they had to check with their SunCal masters."
Kent Walz, an editor wrote me the following (quoted exactly):
sun cal masters? really bob......you know better....your intellectual dishonesty is shocking. Don't bother to respond. You had your say. This is mine. In a time pressured world, i've added your emails to the auto delete category.
The satirical tone of my message and freedom of speech notwithstanding, I hit a major Walz nerve. His anger makes me wonder why. Hmmm . . . let's see.
As of Wednesday (with the death of the Tribune), the Journal now has a monopoly. Maybe the responsibility of being ABQ's only newspaper is stressing Kent out.
It took the Albuquerque Journal more than a week to write an article about the defeat of SunCal's TIDD bonding bill which would have funneled over $700 Million to the CA development company. So, I wrote this (the whole message):
"I note that it took the Journal a week to get out this news. (It takes such a long time for horses to make the trip from Santa Fe.) Or, if your into conspiracy theories, maybe they had to check with their SunCal masters."
Kent Walz, an editor wrote me the following (quoted exactly):
sun cal masters? really bob......you know better....your intellectual dishonesty is shocking. Don't bother to respond. You had your say. This is mine. In a time pressured world, i've added your emails to the auto delete category.
The satirical tone of my message and freedom of speech notwithstanding, I hit a major Walz nerve. His anger makes me wonder why. Hmmm . . . let's see.
As of Wednesday (with the death of the Tribune), the Journal now has a monopoly. Maybe the responsibility of being ABQ's only newspaper is stressing Kent out.
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