Cleveland.com has a headline asking: Are Sen. Sherrod Brown and Rep. Marcy Kaptur communists? by Sabrina Eaton

 

I will be reading their site less often.

I agree the e-version is a very poor work in progress. I'm actually more comfortable with an e-version than a paper version (that's how I get all my periodicals now), and I find the PD's version unworkable. It constantly lags, or shuts down the app, it's difficult to navigate, you can't jump to an article from links and I still haven't figured out what half the 'features' they include at the bottom are supposed to do, and you can't download the edition to read offline (or if you can, I can't figure it out)

 

They need to scrap it and start over. There are plenty of proven online publishing software packages that this shouldn't be so difficult. Just look to the NYTimes or WSJ. Either of those are light years beyond what the PD offers right now.

And the changes to the Sun News have been terrible, as well.  Less local news and more crap from parts of the county that I simply do not care about.  The Sun Press used to exclusively cover Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights, Beachwood, and University Heights, and have a nice mix of stories from these cities.  Now I'm getting nonsense about things going on in North Olmsted and Brecksville.

 

I seriously hope that the N-H and ABJ come up with a strategy/product to take advantage of the PD's stupidity.

I just found out today that Sun Newspapers won't be covering west-side neighborhoods of Cleveland that are adjacent to Lakewood and Fairview Park -- neighborhoods like Edgewater, Cudell, Jefferson, West Park, etc.

 

Sun offered me freelancing positions in inner-ring suburbs, but I declined. If Sun won't cover Cleveland anymore, then I won't write for Sun anymore.

 

Thus ends a 20-year run for me in writing for Sun Newspapers. It is a shame because the fastest growing areas of Cuyahoga County are in the center of Cleveland, yet no media outlet except for perhaps Freshwater Cleveland seem to realize this tectonic shift. Those who fail to change with the times will be changed by the times. There is a huge growth market here that is being so badly neglected news-wise that it makes me sick. If someone recognizes this shortcoming and wants to do something about it, give me a shout. I'd love to help you.

I don't know what the Akron Beacon-Journal's financial position is, but they could easily make a play for Cleveland and strike a surprise blow for regionalism at the same time, or just print two different editions. I'm one of those annoying young people who doesn't get the paper, but all my relatives do, and they are PISSED at the PD...and even I would subscribe to an upstart for awhile just to poke them in the eye.

 

I mean, I almost think when media markets are this badly disrupted, it's worth a venture investment despite the massive risk, almost just for the novelty of being the guys who 'brought back' the newspaper. It's never going to be the thick bundle of paper it was, but eliminating daily delivery just seems stupid to me from a business perspective.

^ I haven't read the ABJ in a year or so. But my last impression of the physical tree-sourced newspaper is that it's a glorified auto dealership flyer. Even the Sports page was only like three pages. Can you imagine not providing a bigger sports section...in Northeast Ohio! On the other hand I check the online ABJ sports section for Akron and Kent football.

I just found out today that Sun Newspapers won't be covering west-side neighborhoods of Cleveland that are adjacent to Lakewood and Fairview Park -- neighborhoods like Edgewater, Cudell, Jefferson, West Park, etc.

 

Sun offered me freelancing positions in inner-ring suburbs, but I declined. If Sun won't cover Cleveland anymore, then I won't write for Sun anymore.

 

Thus ends a 20-year run for me in writing for Sun Newspapers. It is a shame because the fastest growing areas of Cuyahoga County are in the center of Cleveland, yet no media outlet except for perhaps Freshwater Cleveland seem to realize this tectonic shift. Those who fail to change with the times will be changed by the times. There is a huge growth market here that is being so badly neglected news-wise that it makes me sick. If someone recognizes this shortcoming and wants to do something about it, give me a shout. I'd love to help you.

 

Is the Plain Press still around?

I just found out today that Sun Newspapers won't be covering west-side neighborhoods of Cleveland that are adjacent to Lakewood and Fairview Park -- neighborhoods like Edgewater, Cudell, Jefferson, West Park, etc.

 

Sun offered me freelancing positions in inner-ring suburbs, but I declined. If Sun won't cover Cleveland anymore, then I won't write for Sun anymore.

 

Thus ends a 20-year run for me in writing for Sun Newspapers. It is a shame because the fastest growing areas of Cuyahoga County are in the center of Cleveland, yet no media outlet except for perhaps Freshwater Cleveland seem to realize this tectonic shift. Those who fail to change with the times will be changed by the times. There is a huge growth market here that is being so badly neglected news-wise that it makes me sick. If someone recognizes this shortcoming and wants to do something about it, give me a shout. I'd love to help you.

 

How about Neighborhood News?  They recently expanded their coverage to Maple Heights and Bedford when those local papers shut down.  My ex girlfriend wrote for them for a long time, and recently went back. 

Is the Plain Press still around?

 

Yes.

 

How about Neighborhood News?  They recently expanded their coverage to Maple Heights and Bedford when those local papers shut down.  My ex girlfriend wrote for them for a long time, and recently went back. 

 

I'd never heard of them until now! I like them. http://www.theneighborhoodnews.com/

 

But I'd like to cover downtown and the west side. I'm writing some articles just to keep it up. Here's one of them: http://neo-trans.blogspot.com/

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2013/09/dick_feagler_journalism_legend.html

 

Dick Feagler, journalism legend, retires from WVIZ

 

He was among the best. Old school. Honest. A true journalist (as opposed to the bozos today). Plus Feagler and Friends was a great show, especially when he moderated the discussions rather than one-on-on interviews (my god did they replay that Kucinich episode over and over).

 

And his book "Feagler's Cleveland" is incredible. I read it without blinking at Tommy's earlier this year; I'm sure Mac's Back's books still has a few copies left.

 

 

Meh. I hope he has a long and happy retirement, but he struck me as 'old Cleveland', i.e. the folks that live in the burbs, and complain about how Cleveland 'isn't what it used to be'. Maybe he wasn't, but he sure pandered to that 'nostalgia porn' group.

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2013/09/dick_feagler_journalism_legend.html

 

Dick Feagler, journalism legend, retires from WVIZ

 

He was among the best. Old school. Honest. A true journalist (as opposed to the bozos today). Plus Feagler and Friends was a great show, especially when he moderated the discussions rather than one-on-on interviews (my god did they replay that Kucinich episode over and over).

 

And his book "Feagler's Cleveland" is incredible. I read it without blinking at Tommy's earlier this year; I'm sure Mac's Back's books still has a few copies left.

 

Feagler was THE Cleveland journalist.  I don't think anyone else really compared.  Dorothy Fuldheim was more icon than reporter for much of her career.

 

Though I wonder if he ever inspired a mayoral candidate to buy his own paper...

 

http://www.cleveland.com/naymik/index.ssf/2013/09/frank_jackson_and_ken_lanci_sh.html#incart_river

Meh. I hope he has a long and happy retirement, but he struck me as 'old Cleveland', i.e. the folks that live in the burbs, and complain about how Cleveland 'isn't what it used to be'. Maybe he wasn't, but he sure pandered to that 'nostalgia porn' group.

 

There's some truth to that, but he was always respectful and often constructive about it. 

 

Those who want to bring the city back might want to listen to the concerns of that group.  You're going to need some of them, at least.

Meh. I hope he has a long and happy retirement, but he struck me as 'old Cleveland', i.e. the folks that live in the burbs, and complain about how Cleveland 'isn't what it used to be'. Maybe he wasn't, but he sure pandered to that 'nostalgia porn' group.

 

He was most definitely that person. He knew a lot about what features the old city had, but knew little about the current city. He seemed disinterested to learn. So it is good that he retired. A few more need to go.

Meh. I hope he has a long and happy retirement, but he struck me as 'old Cleveland', i.e. the folks that live in the burbs, and complain about how Cleveland 'isn't what it used to be'. Maybe he wasn't, but he sure pandered to that 'nostalgia porn' group.

 

He was most definitely that person. He knew a lot about what features the old city had, but knew little about the current city. He seemed disinterested to learn. So it is good that he retired. A few more need to go.

 

Do any of us really know when it's time to go?

Meh. I hope he has a long and happy retirement, but he struck me as 'old Cleveland', i.e. the folks that live in the burbs, and complain about how Cleveland 'isn't what it used to be'. Maybe he wasn't, but he sure pandered to that 'nostalgia porn' group.

 

There's some truth to that, but he was always respectful and often constructive about it. 

 

Those who want to bring the city back might want to listen to the concerns of that group.  You're going to need some of them, at least.

 

Not in a million years.  I know that "group" very well.  He grew up in the same neighborhood as my mom and graduated from John Adams shortly after her.  It is that "group" that abandoned the city (including my mom) and then harped about it for the next 50 years complaining "what it had become".  It gets so tiresome to hear them say over and over what this use to be like when I personally place much of the blame on them.

What you call abandoned, others might call chased out (like my grandparents from Buckeye), especially as they saw what was happening to schools, neighborhood culture and crime levels.

 

Regardless, the show Feagler & Friends was light and never cynical towards Cleveland. His writing was more varied.

What you call abandoned, others might call chased out (like my grandparents from Buckeye), especially as they saw what was happening to schools, neighborhood culture and crime levels.

 

 

 

The "chasing" occurred 10-15 years after the "abandoning".  The abandoning lead to the chasing.

Meh. I hope he has a long and happy retirement, but he struck me as 'old Cleveland', i.e. the folks that live in the burbs, and complain about how Cleveland 'isn't what it used to be'. Maybe he wasn't, but he sure pandered to that 'nostalgia porn' group.

 

There's some truth to that, but he was always respectful and often constructive about it. 

 

Those who want to bring the city back might want to listen to the concerns of that group.  You're going to need some of them, at least.

 

Not in a million years.  I know that "group" very well.  He grew up in the same neighborhood as my mom and graduated from John Adams shortly after her.  It is that "group" that abandoned the city (including my mom) and then harped about it for the next 50 years complaining "what it had become".  It gets so tiresome to hear them say over and over what this use to be like when I personally place much of the blame on them.

 

Agreed.

Here's a terrific website with countless pictures, names and memories of Cleveland television going back into it earliest years.

 

But most of the photos are from the 1970s and later, which brought back lots of memories for me!

 

http://neohiotvmemories.wordpress.com/

From Twitter....

 

Michelle J. McFee ‏@mjarboe  2h

Summary: PD newsroom moving to Tower City. New media company taking over our space. Some depts leaving #CLE for Brooklyn printing facility.

 

Eric Wobser ‏@ericwobser  1h

@mjarboe will you be in Tower City or Brooklyn?

 

Michelle J. McFee ‏@mjarboe  3m

@ericwobser Tower City. Skylight Office Tower. Glad reporters are staying downtown -- my job would be a lot harder if we moved out.

Does Forest City still own the Skylight Office Towers? If so, I wonder if this could set up a conflict of interest in the future between the PD's reporters and Forest City, whenever the next big project requiring tax subsidies is pitched.  Just a thought... since the PD seems to favor Forest City.

 

Does Forest City still own the Skylight Office Towers? If so, I wonder if this could set up a conflict of interest in the future between the PD's reporters and Forest City, whenever the next big project requiring tax subsidies is pitched.  Just a thought... since the PD seems to favor Forest City.

 

I'm pretty sure FC shed everything except Terminal Tower itself... Or at least had it all for sale. Maybe I'm wrong ... I can't quite remember.

Maybe, but they intentionally defaulted on their loan and then bought the note on the cheap for one of those buildings relatively recently.

From Twitter....

 

Michelle J. McFee ‏@mjarboe  2h

Summary: PD newsroom moving to Tower City. New media company taking over our space. Some depts leaving #CLE for Brooklyn printing facility.

 

Eric Wobser ‏@ericwobser  1h

@mjarboe will you be in Tower City or Brooklyn?

 

Michelle J. McFee ‏@mjarboe  3m

@ericwobser Tower City. Skylight Office Tower. Glad reporters are staying downtown -- my job would be a lot harder if we moved out.

 

Even I'll say this makes sense.  The reporter media has a strong reason to be down there that the opinion media does not share.

  Dick Feagler knew that the war in Iraq was unjustified and he spoke out about it.

What the heck? I was really enjoying these guys ( well, not so much the afternoon guy , but everyone else)

 

Oh well. Viva Zapata!

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20131211/FREE/131219936?template=mobile&X-IgnoreUserAgent=1#ATHS

What the heck? I was really enjoying these guys ( well, not so much the afternoon guy , but everyone else)

 

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20131211/FREE/131219936?template=mobile&X-IgnoreUserAgent=1#ATHS

 

Most people interested enough in that (or any other) specific genre have internet or satellite radio now. 

 

 

 

 

Such a bummer about 87.7.  I am in their target demo and I refuse to pay for internet radio and I am a regular listener.  I don't think it had to do with lack of profitability but more of a larger demo opportunity.  Hopefully someone fills the void (99.1 is decent but a bit bland with poor reception throughout the city).

I liked 87.7. I'm also not willing to pay 15/month for SiriusXM, even if I got the radio for free. Well, back to 24/7 NPR.

^you can get satellite radio for much less than that.  $30/6 month trial, then $75 for a year

Anyone see last Sunday's PD? Huge spread on the top fold of the front page about OSU football. the PD is supposed to be the paper of the city of cleveland, yet the most important story in the city--or the world--is a football game of a college no less of a school that is not even in Cleveland. The PD is such an embarrassment for the City.

Anyone see last Sunday's PD? Huge spread on the top fold of the front page about OSU football. the PD is supposed to be the paper of the city of cleveland, yet the most important story in the city--or the world--is a football game of a college no less of a school that is not even in Cleveland. The PD is such an embarrassment for the City.

 

Greater Cleveland  is Ohio State Buckeyes territory as far as college football goes, just as much as Columbus is.  There isn't really a D-I team in the metro area, Akron and Kent being just outside it.

=Greater Cleveland  is Ohio State Buckeyes territory as far as college football goes' date=' just as much as Columbus is. [/quote']

 

Fine--OSU can claim CLE as part of its territory. But the main team in CLE is the Browns. And, more importantly it shouldn't be the big, top story of the paper---that the college football team lost a game--even if it was a team in CLE, like CWRU. it reflects very badly upon CLE. Imagine if someone from out of town, in a hotel lets say, woke up to read the city's local paper and that's what he/she saw.

 

^But it had National Championship implications, and there are a lot of people with ties to Ohio State in the CLE area.

 

In NOLA, LSU football often dominates Times-Picayune coverage, it doesn't mean the Saints are forgotten

Top25 FBS Football is really it's own sport. Even if CSU and John Carroll were the equivalent of Akron/Kent, Cleveland would still be OSU territory, and the PD would report on it.

Yeah not a big deal, even though Ohio State is overrated.

Top25 FBS Football is really it's own sport. Even if CSU and John Carroll were the equivalent of Akron/Kent, Cleveland would still be OSU territory, and the PD would report on it.

 

I'm not saying the PD shouldn't report on OSU sports, but its not front page--full top half of the page--material.  Maybe that's fine for Columbus's paper, but not in Cleveland.  (Even if was a CSU/John Carroll team, its still not full top half front page material.)

I don't see what the issue is.  OSU is the OHIO State University and NEO is particularly fond of its football team.  I can think of countless other examples..... such as UNC hoops being a much bigger deal in Charlotte than the NBA Bobcats.

NEO is particularly fond of its football team.

 

It is? I can't think of ONE person in Cleveland who cares about OSU football.

 

But that's not the point. Nor is what happens in the Carolinas.

 

The point is that a college football game---especially one where nothing spectacular--like 50 touchdowns or something truly record-breaking like that---happens, does not belong above the fold on the front page of the main NEWS paper in Cleveland. 

 

10 years ago, there was never anything about OSU football in the paper, now the paper seems obsessed with it and other sports.

 

 

you're lying to yourself if you believe either of those statements.

let me restate---not one person that I KNOW well gives a crap about OSU football.  And why would they? You make it seem like some cross-cutting thing like "Food" or "the US Presidency" or even "snow".  Obviously I think i hit some nerves here so I guess YOU care about OSU football--which is fine. my point is not that people don't care about it---obviously alumns, students, parents of students, etc. may care about it---but it unfitting of Page 1 of the PD above the fold---covering margin to margin. That's all.

I know of at least 5 people that live in Cleveland that care about osu. And I live in Pittsburgh.

 

Isn't the Sunday newspaper front page reserved for features, in depth, and softer news anyway? Was there a pressing story that they missed covering by covering the game?

 

I am fine with reporting on it on the front page, but they treat it like "man lands on moon"

Sports must be a big part of the PD readership.  If you measure by the comments on Cleveland.com, sports must rule the site.  A big news story gets a couple hundred comments at best, but if the Browns announce they will start Weeden, the comments go into the thousands. 

Yes.  The impressions (eyeballs) and web traffic for sports content is much higher than anything else.  And when a big part of their revenue is tied to monetizing those web impressions via banner ads, it's no surprise that they play up the sports stuff.  Plus, now that they are "digital first" company, they are forced to repurpose the stuff for the web into the print side.

let me restate---not one person that I KNOW well gives a crap about OSU football.  And why would they? You make it seem like some cross-cutting thing like "Food" or "the US Presidency" or even "snow".  Obviously I think i hit some nerves here so I guess YOU care about OSU football--which is fine. my point is not that people don't care about it---obviously alumns, students, parents of students, etc. may care about it---but it unfitting of Page 1 of the PD above the fold---covering margin to margin. That's all.

 

Can you see any justification in putting a story about any of the three Cleveland professional sports teams participating in the postseason "above the fold"?  If yes, then I think there's a good argument to be made for giving the same treatment to a story about Ohio State football competing in postseason play.

Can you see any justification in putting a story about any of the three Cleveland professional sports teams participating in the postseason "above the fold"?  If yes, then I think there's a good argument to be made for giving the same treatment to a story about Ohio State football competing in postseason play.

 

I consider OSU a Columbus team. I know that Cleveland has the second-most OSU alumni of any city, but the level of fan excitement for OSU in Cleveland isn't anywhere near as much as it is in Columbus -- or for Cleveland's three pro teams. In fact, I consider the amount of love and attention that OSU gets in Columbus is obsessive and dysfunctional -- so much so that I find myself cheering against OSU just because the support for OSU is way too over the top. And to keep this on media, I was hearing from Cleveland-based media reps who attended the Big 10 championship game. They were in the press box with Columbus-based media assigned to cover the Buckeyes. Several members of the Cleveland media later said they were unnerved by the amount of cheering for the Buckeyes, and them complaining when questionable calls went against the Buckeyes. What happens when scandals and other less troubles affect OSU? Will their local media be able to report about them objectively, or even report about them at all with the potential for community pressure against them??

 

I am fine with reporting on it on the front page, but they treat it like "man lands on moon"

 

I have the PD's front section from the moon landing, BTW. As well as for the astronauts' return/splashdown. If anyone knows of any collectors, I'm interested in selling these originals (they are good condition) for the right price.

I consider OSU a Columbus team. I know that Cleveland has the second-most OSU alumni of any city, but the level of fan excitement for OSU in Cleveland isn't anywhere near as much as it is in Columbus -- or for Cleveland's three pro teams. In fact, I consider the amount of love and attention that OSU gets in Columbus is obsessive and dysfunctional -- so much so that I find myself cheering against OSU just because the support for OSU is way too over the top. And to keep this on media, I was hearing from Cleveland-based media reps who attended the Big 10 championship game. They were in the press box with Columbus-based media assigned to cover the Buckeyes. Several members of the Cleveland media later said they were unnerved by the amount of cheering for the Buckeyes, and them complaining when questionable calls went against the Buckeyes. What happens when scandals and other less troubles affect OSU? Will their local media be able to report about them objectively, or even report about them at all with the potential for community pressure against them??

 

I think that Ohio State transcends Columbus, but I'm a fan of the school living here in Cleveland.  However based on that belief, if one can justify placing a Browns, Cavaliers, or Indians story "above the fold," then as I mentioned previously I think that an argument could be made for giving the same treatment to the Buckeyes.

 

In regards to your concern for objectivity, I guess that could be a concern, but I'm apathetic (again, speaking as a Buckeye fan) about it because I suspect that very little media objectivity exists in Tuscaloosa, Tallahassee, Austin, Baton Rouge, College Station, Norman, Knoxville, Athens, etc.

In regards to your concern for objectivity, I guess that could be a concern, but I'm apathetic (again, speaking as a Buckeye fan) about it because I suspect that very little media objectivity exists in Tuscaloosa, Tallahassee, Austin, Baton Rouge, College Station, Norman, Knoxville, Athens, etc.

 

Which probably creates conditions for all kinds of sports-related abuses to occur -- not on the Penn State level which hopefully was a very extreme case. But moreso on the Ohio State tattoos scandal that took a non-Columbus media outlet to break the story.