June 21, 200816 yr its official, Scene and PD can fight to be the most suburbo- centered "news" paper. I love reading dining reviews for corporate owned restaurants in Hudson. Free Times was going to the dark side anyway so I guess I should not care.
June 21, 200816 yr I used to like the Free Times before it closed down a few years ago. That news/commentary line-up of John Gorman, Larry Durstin, Mansfield Frazier, Michael Gill, and the other black guy...can't recall his name...was really phenomenal. Didn't Roldo also write periodic articles, too? After the shutdown, they tried to start a website for their musings, but it never materialized. Ever since, good articles were few and far between. I can only recall a couple of articles by Michael Gill and Charu Gupta that I thought were good. I've never cared for Scene, though I admit that I skim the online version just to be aware of what they're publishing. Scene is the most anti-Cleveland publication out there.
June 21, 200816 yr "the other black guy".... What? Mansfield is African American, as is the other writer. If someone remembers his name, please post it. My favorite article of his that I can recall was on the blackout of 2003 and the ways he saw that it helped build community.
June 21, 200816 yr I'm bummed. While neither the Free Times nor the Scene is the epitome of journalism, there are definitely things I liked about both of them (in Scene's case, mostly Savage Love and derf.) I'm hoping the new publication will move away from Scene's muckraking pseudo-exposés and take on a different character.
June 21, 200816 yr ^ "Savage Love" is a syndicated column that comes from elsewhere. Therefore, you'll be able to find it online.
June 21, 200816 yr Just found out about this now. So if you're looking for something worthwhile to watch tonight... --- (From WKYC's Director's Cut Blog) Video Preview: Lake Erie - Beyond the Surface, Part 4 As the high definition leader in locally produced programming in Northeast Ohio, WKYC is proud to showcase our region's most important natural resource in a year- long effort. Lake Erie: Beyond The Surface is a thirty-minute HD special that airs on Saturday, June 21st, at 7pm, and is hosted by AM news anchor Mark Nolan. It is the last of four programs dealing with the fate and future of our great lake. Under the cold murky water of Lake Erie lie thousands of shipwrecks, evidence of our rich maritime heritage. For centuries, these waters have provided vital shipping lanes, abundant food, and the power to drive industry. But while the water's generosity seemed limitless, the lake itself was not. It's taken decades to reclaim this greatest of resources. We stand by the shores of a cleaner lake, but also at the crossroads of some key decisions. What does the future hold for this lake? Our region? Channel 3 explores the growth of international shipping, lakefront development, how Lake Erie will be managed to ensure its future, the newest environmental threat and the lake's role as a renewable energy resource.
June 26, 200816 yr I'm posting this here because of WMMS. This event was packed beyond belief...anyone else get a chance to go to this madness?? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- RoverFest Invades Downtown Cleveland June 25, 2008 Approximately 20,000 fans of Rover's Morning Glory packed downtown Cleveland on Friday, June 20 to celebrate RoverFest 2008. The morning show, based at WMMS/Cleveland, obtained permission to shut down West 6th Street and throw a massive party. "There were no national acts, no big name draws," said WMMS PD Bo Matthews. "These people came for one reason – to party with the biggest morning show this city has ever seen. I’ve never seen a radio event like this, ever." The event began at 4 p.m. and wrapped up just after midnight with a dozen girls being chosen for the 2009 Miss Morning Glory calendar. Listeners from the other markets rover is syndicated to; Memphis, TN and Rochester, NY; also made the trip to Cleveland to participate in RoverFest. Rover said, "I’m thrilled at the support of our fans, and with everyone at Clear Channel for helping to put this amazing event together." http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=763339
June 26, 200816 yr I saw the set up happening that morning, and I heard someone at the CVS near me talking about it. But I had no idea what a Rover was. I stopped listening to WMMS in the mid-1980s. I'm gettin' old... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
June 26, 200816 yr I saw the set up happening that morning, and I heard someone at the CVS near me talking about it. But I had no idea what a Rover was. I stopped listening to WMMS in the mid-1980s. I'm gettin' old... No, you're not. You just have more discerning tastes. Don't mourn the loss.
June 26, 200816 yr He's based in Cleveland and is syndicated to a 5-10 stations around the country. I don't know the exact number, but Scene/Free Times did an interesting story on the guy about two years ago.
June 26, 200816 yr I really can't stand their shtick. I did happen by it and got to watch some band f' up "In the Meantime" by Spacehog. I rapidly proceeded on my way.
June 26, 200816 yr I really can't stand their shtick. I did happen by it and got to watch some band f' up "In the Meantime" by Spacehog. I rapidly proceeded on my way. X, you have been on a roll this past week! LOL
June 26, 200816 yr Well I live on West Sixth....so I couldn't miss it. But I did avoid it. Great to see all the people out on the street, but not my type of event, and the trash the next morning was disgusting.
June 26, 200816 yr Every Saturday & Sunday morning has a certain scent on West Sixth - sweat, alcohol, makeup - and generally some paper strewn across the street that is usually cleaned by the DCA ambassadors by 10am. However this time there were empties everywhere, broken glass, and just an inordimate amount of trash everywhere - paper, bottles, cigarette butts.
June 27, 200816 yr you guys kid, but that event was BAD. We saw it on the way to the goodtime, and then we thought why not check what ever it is on the way home? Until this thread I did not know what it was. Anyway it was a horror scene. People getting wasted on cheap sub beer ( for when bud is too classy), arguing, leering, littering. No food. The only displays I saw were for strip clubs. It looked like a dirt and trash hurricane went through there.
June 27, 200816 yr ^So THAT'S what we saw on the U.O. convoy through downtown? clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
June 27, 200816 yr Well, the PD did have a home prices rising story on the front page like two days ago: Cleveland area housing prices up first time in year http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2008/06/home_prices_continue_to_fall.html Actually, I was confused this morning between the differences between the two stories. Here was today's story on the business front: http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/stories/index.ssf?/base/business-7/1214555413201560.xml&coll=2
June 30, 200816 yr Rover: From what I've heard, he's a very poor man's Howard Stern. As a very poor man, I am insulted. I prefer to think of him as a ridiculously stupid man's Howard Stern.
July 1, 200816 yr Rover: From what I've heard, he's a very poor man's Howard Stern. As a very poor man, I am insulted. I prefer to think of him as a ridiculously stupid man's Howard Stern. very funny. I have 3 months of free sirius radio and I had not listened to howard since he moved. There is no comparison. Howard, although offensive at times, is still extremely entertaining. I have a hard time listening to Rover for more than a few minutes at a time. He can be tolerated, but his cohosts....not so much.
July 2, 200816 yr I have not listened since he went to paid radio, plus I do not "commute" anymore. Sort of liking howard stern if one of those few things I am deeply ashamed of along with: a love of fried things, a bad reality show which shall remain nameless, or liking a little nip much of tequillia.
July 10, 200816 yr This is in regards to this morning's article in the PD, noted in Cleveland population discussion thread. What is new in this story? What warrants a big scary headline like what the PD put on the front page of this morning's paper? Seems to me there was equal opportunity for the PD to start the article with the improving news it reported in the second half of the piece. But instead the PD saw fit to keep beating us all over the head with its rolled up, scary newspapers to tell us something. It's not the news they're trying to tell. It's clear to me it's something else. I don't know what it is yet, but now I am certain they have an agenda and are using their paper to set the stage for it. Perhaps they want the GOP to play a bigger role here? Perhaps they want local governments to merge? Perhaps they want the county government reformed? Perhaps they want all these things and more to happen, and need the pressure that comes from bad news to force change. Whatever it is, it's becoming more and more apparent to me that the PD wants it pretty damn badly. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 10, 200816 yr What did the PD headline say? We lost about 13,000 people here in Broward County (Ft. Lauderdale). Our headline: Goodbye to Broward One-Time Boom Towns Shrinking Shocking headlines = paper sales but I'm not sure executives in the media understand the damage it does to a community. Perhaps they do and have an agenda or they just will do anything to sell papers in age of the internet.
July 10, 200816 yr You could be on to something there KJP but I think they also are just catering to those who still buy their paper? I think if the PD were to headline an article like the one today in a positive light -- City Population Loss Lowest in 20 Years or something like that, it would freak out 80% of their subscriber base.
July 10, 200816 yr ^^^They have a poll on there front page: Q. Do you believe a revived downtown will lure residents back to Cleveland? Latest Poll Results: Yes 44.1% No 45.5% Too early to tell 10.4% Negative leaning poles and big scary headlines are being used as a galvanizing force, and I agree with KJP, the repetition does start to seem like there is an agenda. To what real end, too soon to be sure...
July 10, 200816 yr I don't know, guys - I'm always willing to hop on the "secret agenda" bandwagon, but I think they are simply catering to their customers. I don't know why shocking headlines = paper sales, but in this case wouldn't "City Population Loss Lowest in 20 Years" be the shocking headline in today's Cleveland. Right now the PD has feeding it's readership a seemingly never ending diet of negativity. I don't even get the PD but I know I'd be shocked if I saw a headline like that on the news stand. As far as that poll -- I don't know who runs that site. They feature PD content but I am not sure if PD managers decide what the poll is or how it is to be phrased. But that is terribly skewed phrasing. "Do you believe1 that a revived2 downtown will lure3 back to Cleveland? 1 "Believe" is the strongest word they could have used here, and implies doing so requires a suspension of logic and rationality. "Do you really believe this? I mean, REALLY?" It is much easier to respond "yes" to "Do you think X?" than "Do you believe X?" 2 "a revived" is ambiguous, especially given the "to early to tell" response option. If downtown is not already somewhat revived, (though it is, I would say) how can it be "too early" to say if it would have a hypothetical positive effect on total population? If it IS undergoing a revival, they hide it by using "a revived" downtown. Not "the revived" downtown. 3 Lure. Like fish to worms who stupidly bite on sharp hooks, or a kid to a stranger with candy, so too might residents be lured back into the scary city. Where it is implied they will meet a similar fate.
July 10, 200816 yr Outside of people on this board, do people really NOT SEE that the PD is a low-brow piece of shit borderline tabloid?? What if the PD actually changed to, I don't know, REPORT THE NEWS? IN AN UNBIASED MANNER? LIKE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO? Are people really THAT stupid?
July 10, 200816 yr What if the PD actually changed to, I don't know, REPORT THE NEWS? IN AN UNBIASED MANNER? LIKE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO? Hey, whenever you find that media outlet that does, let me know.
July 10, 200816 yr Outside of people on this board, do people really NOT SEE that the PD is a low-brow piece of sh!t borderline tabloid?? What if the PD actually changed to, I don't know, REPORT THE NEWS? IN AN UNBIASED MANNER? LIKE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO? Are people really THAT stupid? The answer to your first and last questions is of course... yes.
July 10, 200816 yr What if the PD actually changed to, I don't know, REPORT THE NEWS? IN AN UNBIASED MANNER? LIKE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO? Hey, whenever you find that media outlet that does, let me know. I know. It's true. I was going to say The New York Times, but even though they're probably the closest, they definitely swing left. It's just a bit more veiled than most outlets, I guess. With the PD it just seems so blatant. But then I have the question .. would a truly un-biased, literately significant newspaper be attractive to the general populace of Cleveland? I know it would attract some people, but I don't know if it would really survive, unfortunately.
July 10, 200816 yr What is new in this story? What warrants a big scary headline like what the PD put on the front page of this morning's paper? We suffered the GREATEST LOSS OF ALL BIG CITIES in the country. That's news. Even if it is the smallest loss in total people in a while, we did lose the highest percentage of any big city in the country. It's not the news they're trying to tell. It's clear to me it's something else. I don't know what it is yet, but now I am certain they have an agenda and are using their paper to set the stage for it. I don't see it. You know how newspapers work. It's not one person writing the headline every time. There are rarely deep-seeded agendas. It's more often finding something that fits in the space with the size, shape, breaks and everything else that needs to work to make a headline. I will say having an inordinate amount of over-educated and not-from-around-here staffers makes them less likely to worry about hurting feelings. But I can't believe in a conspiracy. But then I have the question .. would a truly un-biased, literately significant newspaper be attractive to the general populace of Cleveland? I know it would attract some people, but I don't know if it would really survive, unfortunately. Unfortunately, no newspapers seem to have figured out how to survive. I'm sure if you asked the staff of the PD, they would believe they were a completely unbiased newspaper. And if you created another paper, fresh from any corporate/political/personality influences, you'd find that somebody would think it was a biased rag worthy of fish wrapping within a few weeks. It's just the way it goes.
July 10, 200816 yr I kind of agree with you AMN. I think the biggest media bias isn't anti-Cleveland, it is pro-fear. It sells papers. It makes them feel important. It makes people look to them for guidance.
July 10, 200816 yr What is new in this story? What warrants a big scary headline like what the PD put on the front page of this morning's paper? We suffered the GREATEST LOSS OF ALL BIG CITIES in the country. That's news. Even if it is the smallest loss in total people in a while, we did lose the highest percentage of any big city in the country. AMN, don't know if I agree with your statement "That's news", it's recycled news at best -- yes Cleveland suffered the biggest loss (in raw numbers not percentage) but Cleveland has been losing and often leading in population loss for decades. This part of the article: "Cleveland's rate of decline slowed in 2007, a year when several major cities -- including Baltimore and St. Louis -- saw rates of decline accelerate. And the numerical loss was the lowest in five years." is the real news IMO and should have been the lead in the article as well as the headline.
July 10, 200816 yr Thanks Redbrick. Population loss is not news. Starting finding some new angles to the story, like the one you noted and which the PD buried in the story. I don't see it. You know how newspapers work. It's not one person writing the headline every time. There are rarely deep-seeded agendas. It's more often finding something that fits in the space with the size, shape, breaks and everything else that needs to work to make a headline. I will say having an inordinate amount of over-educated and not-from-around-here staffers makes them less likely to worry about hurting feelings. But I can't believe in a conspiracy. I didn't say conspiracy. But there are some ways that some papers do business, slant their coverage, and cater to certain readers, etc. The New York Times is left of center. The Wall Street Journal is right of center. The Plain Dealer is kneejerk negative in some cosmetic, pretentious attempt to be journalistic hard-asses. And the alternative weeklies here in Cleveland hate the Plain Dealer with a murderous passion. As for Sun, it is of course suburban in coverage and content, and that includes all the other prejudices and stereotypes that come with being suburban. The suburban mindset is very much alive at Sun. That's where I'll leave my comments on that subject... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 11, 200816 yr Look at how the Tribune started the article on a positive note, continued on the positive for paragraphs, then mentioned are 50% +/- population decline just as an aside but counterattacked it with info about empy nesters and YPs returning to the city proper. You don't even care about the "bad" facts--it actually makes you feel prouder-or more excited-to see the growth and change that this city is making! :clap: The PD technique is the complete opposite! What a shame we have here in Cleveland... :oops: Something so refreshing as this article and it comes from 300+ miles away... http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/green/chi-express-busjul11,0,2044717.story
July 11, 200816 yr The Plain Dealer is kneejerk negative in some cosmetic, pretentious attempt to be journalistic hard-asses. I think this is the best I've ever heard it put - the general sense I get from the PD in one sentence.
September 15, 200816 yr The Good. The Bad. The Ugly. What do you think? Too much? Too little? Just right. Stories that need to be covered? Please use brief quotes or links to specific articles. The discussion is now open.
September 15, 200816 yr I personally am frustrated with the Cleveland press in general, specifically the PD. I really wish another print media outlet would rise up that would be a true competitor to the PD, one that reports the news factually, gives a broader international scope, which I think is sorely lacking, and isn't so sensational/pedestrian. I'm not sure if that's what you were looking for, but I'm feeling the need to vent.
September 15, 200816 yr I agree with you jpop. Luckly we have UO to fill in most of the gaps; however, what the pd does not cover can usually be found in the neighborhood rags, blogs and newsletters. there are also sites like Plugged in Cleveland that do a decent job covering events
September 15, 200816 yr This thread appears superfluous to this thread.... http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,13110.0.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 15, 200816 yr This thread appears superfluous to this thread.... http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,13110.0.html Can you merge? Rather, please merge.
September 17, 200816 yr I was talking to a PD reporter recently who said they were called into "the principal's office" for a scolding on how they're covering Cleveland. When I asked who the principal was, the reporter said "Ken Silliman" -- Mayor Frank Jackson's chief of staff. Silliman gave the PD some suggestions of stories to cover. We'll see if there's any changes to their coverage..... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 17, 200816 yr While on principle I don't like the idea of the administration telling the paper what to cover (it just wreaks of Bush administration-type tactics), if any entity deserves such a talking to it certainly is the PeeDee. When they seem to be so biased one way, I don't think we can blame the city for trying to exert its muscle to get a little positive coverage once and a while.
September 17, 200816 yr ^I may be a jerk, but I bet the PD will actually take the negative spiteful path and now eliminate anything good about the city from the paper for the next few weeks.
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