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Topic: Dlyan Owes Explantion, Who did I insult and the rest of us< Next Oldest | Next Newest >
 Post Number: 31
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PostIcon Posted on: Aug. 26 2003,4:04 pm  Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE

Albert Lea News? I call it distrorted information.
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 Post Number: 32
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PostIcon Posted on: Aug. 26 2003,4:12 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE

Here is my view on the local rag, I mean paper:


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The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.
-Albert Einstein-

Some of what is said here (myself included) is about as tolerable as listening to someone vacuum a cat.
-nphilbro-
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 Post Number: 33
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PostIcon Posted on: Aug. 26 2003,5:05 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE

I grew up with a fellow that became the editor of a local daily news paper.  We got together a number of years ago at a wedding of one of our friend's kid.  At that time the Freeborn County Shopper had gone after being declaired the offical paper for local government notices.  My friend the editor was somewhat knowledgable about what was going on but wanted my input on it.  In my friends opinion he did not see this as being good for the newspaper business and he was worried about this becoming a trend.

Shortly after our visit, owners of The Albert Lea Tribune bought out the Shopper.  At the time I thought that action interesting.

Just a few weeks ago, our county officals stated that they were not going to post board minutes in the paper.  Not being a great thinker, I said to my self, now isn't that interesting.
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PostIcon Posted on: Aug. 26 2003,5:13 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE

Yep... monopolies are always good for the bottom line because the paper can control add rates.

Now there's another choice...the peoples forum at albertlea.com... :rockon:
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 Post Number: 35
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PostIcon Posted on: Aug. 27 2003,9:14 am Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE

I met with the Publisher of the Tribune, Christine Moser yesterday.  Also sitting in was Advertising Director Mr. True, who asked to join us to "learn the ropes (?)".  Contrary to prior arrangement, Dylan did not join us, though he was in the building.  The :40 minute conversation went exactly along the lines of the unpublished letter to the editor I published under the heading "Dylan has a sock puppet?"--excerpted below:

"You are guaranteed freedom of the press, Mr. Belden.  Along with that freedom comes a responsibility--to REPORT the news--ALL of the news, ACCURATELY AND OBJECTIVELY.  By this standard, the Tribune has failed--and the citizens realize it.  The GREATEST ASSET A NEWSPAPER HAS is its CREDIBILITY--and the Tribune has sacrificed it.  When a newspaper can no longer be trusted to give an objective accounting of the news, it ceases to be a newspaper--it is little more than an advertising shopper.

The Tribune has consistently refused to report what really goes on at County Board meetings--not having a reporter in attendance--relying instead on minutes tendered to them--until the current controversy exposed how meetings were REALLY conducted.  The Tribune, through its columnists and editorials, (most recently David Rask Behling, who managed to offend 1/4 of the County!) condoned and defended the status quo.  You have consistently refused to print letters to the editor from individuals who take opposite positions from what the paper has printed--a violation of the trust of objectivity placed with you.

The recent shutdown of the Tribune Forum was the last straw.  By your own words, you said it was second only to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune in activity, with 10,000 posts, compared to 500 for Austin.  There were well over 230 registered members, and countless unregistered members, reading the Forum every day--a source of discussion in groups all around the County.  The Forum was the ONLY means for these members to communicate--but it was SO EFFECTIVE that it brought public scrutiny to County Board actions.  One would think you would be PROUD to host such a medium for change--BUT YOU SHUT IT DOWN.  It certainly wasn't for COST--it costs virtually NOTHING to host a Forum.  You said it was "due to abuses by members"--but members recall only two posts that had objectionable material in them, and they can be caught by your "auto-censor" that screens for objectionable words.  TWO posts out of 10,000!  No, it wasn't shut down because of "abuses"--IT WAS SHUT DOWN BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE BECOMING CRITICAL OF THE TRIBUNE, AND OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT!  It would be interesting to let people judge for themselves whether or not the Forum was truly abusive--BUT YOU'VE DESTROYED THE EVIDENCE!  The new Forum, paid for by the users, and self-censoring, is up at albertlea.com"

Ms. Moser was aware of the former Forum, and of this one.  I made the point that there was a REASON that the former forum was so popular--it was because it was NEEDED in the community!  Nobody I know can't wait to get their hands on the printed version of the paper, but obviously, there is a GREAT DEAL of interest in the doings in the County on the FORUM--just because it is RELEVANT, UNCENSORED, and breaks news instead of printing what's handed to it.

I again made my case for "harder" news, for investigative reporting, for comparison articles (I used the comparison between the Freeborn County Collaborative and the Steele County versions, suggesting that the two be compared, and let readers decide), I asked that the paper take an educational tack for its readers, that they come up with a balance for Behling,

Christine asked why I posted articles about the County, and not the City--I said that as a contractor for the City, while it would be legal for me to offer opinions, I felt it would not be proper.  She asked "with all the controversy going on with the County government, do you think there is a difference between it and the City?  Since the question was about COUNTY government, I told her--"The difference between the City and County government is the way business is conducted.  The City operates with an agenda, published well in advance, with a pre-agenda meeting, all facts in front of Council members, meetings are held at night, where the public can attend, and the meetings are broadcast.  By comparison, the County meetings are a "free-for-all", held at 8:30 on a Tuesday morning (when most people cannot attend), not well attended by the media, and NOT broadcast.  It is easy for the County to slip something by when nobody is looking".

Moser and True were attentive, they took notes, and while no promises were made, I had a good feeling about the meeting.  Several more people have appointments--here's your chance to weigh in with your thoughts--call 373-1411 to schedule an appointment, or to give your thoughts by phone.  I really do believe she is listening--whether she has the power to make changes is unknown.


Edited by jimhanson on Aug. 27 2003,9:16 am

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"If you want to anger a Conservative, tell him a lie.  If you want to anger a LIBERAL, tell him the TRUTH!"
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PostIcon Posted on: Aug. 27 2003,9:41 am Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE

Well, no one can say you didn't take action and did what you could do. They can't complain about that!  :D
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PostIcon Posted on: Aug. 27 2003,11:34 am Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE

Nice post Jim. I just came from my meeting with Ms. Moser and Kevin, their ad director. First off, let me say how nice it was for them to meet with us, it was the smart thing to do of course, but they didnt have to. For that thanks. Our meeting lasted about an hour, Ms. Moser seemed to me that she really was interested in what I had to say, she took notes and asked some questions. I pointed out the illegal meetings that was attended by one of their reporters, who by the way isnt at the Tribune any longer, and the fact that he was seen at Phillys every weekend with two or three commissioners. She understood that this was a problem and it made the paper look bad. I asked how can an elected official just make a call to the paper and have his story printed word for word without ever checking the truthfulness of it? I'm talking about Nelson calling the socalled state authority on open meetings. Anyway, they listened to what I had to say, looked at some material I had brought to show them how far out of line Belden can be, and they both agreed that they could do better, and that they are going to do their best to see that it does get better. I for one believe her. I have been one of the papers biggest critics, but I am willing to give her a chance. I did tell her that if it turns out you are just meeting with us to make us think you care, and nothing gets done to change things at the paper, that the next step for me would be to go door to door asking people to cancel their paper, go to the advertisers and tell them that we will boycott their stores and products. For now I believe these things can wait, at least until she has a chance to do some things differently at the Tribune. You might say they are on probation. But for now, I truely think that she cares, that she thinks we had legitimate questions, and that she will do everything in her power to make things better at the Tribune. She did say one thing about the Tribune forum I thought was interesting. I told her I thought Belden had a right to post on his forum, but that it just didnt work, that he just pissed people off. She said he should have never posted in the forum, just like she would never do it, it was his mistake to do it in the first place. She also said that he should be able to take the heat a little better. So you see, she wasnt just there to defend Belden, she knows he has made a lot of mistakes. But like I said, as long as she is the boss and does the things she told me today that she would do, I am more than willing to give her the chance. But, this is the last chance.

Edited by hoosier on Aug. 27 2003,11:35 am

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The power of accurate obsvervation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it.

George Bernard Shaw

The devil begins with froth on the lips of an angel entering into battle for a holy and just cause.  Grigory Pomerants

We have crossed the boundary that lies between Republic and Empire.  Garet Garrett
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PostIcon Posted on: Aug. 27 2003,11:51 am Skip to the previous post in this topic.  Ignore posts   QUOTE

It looks like Dylan done (pissed off) censored the wrong people!  :O
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