Prophet, seer and sportswriter
It's been a weekend of missteps, fumbles and embarrassments for The Salt Lake Tribune.In a story in Sunday's paper on young LDS women being urged to "treasure virtue," a headline writer wrote:
Church President Gordon MonsonGordon Monson is, of course, a Trib sports columnist. Thomas S. M
and other speakers offer advice.
onson is the Mormon church's president (though Gordon would have given a more interesting speech to the Mormon maidens).As demanded by several callers, the headline writer has been cast into Outer Darkness, otherwise known as the Trib break room.
Then KTALK's "Inside Utah Politics" talk show, with hosts Sen. Howard Stephenson and Rep. Greg Hughes, took The Tribune to task for not reporting that KSL environmental reporter John Daley has posted online messages criticizing Sarah Palin, praising Barack Obama and generally leaning left on green issues. Daley is also married to a SUWA attorney. Stephenson and Hughes actually have a point, though how a TV reporter can disclose such conflicts is difficult to imagine.
Stepheson also nailed me for joking in my blog: "Here's something Utah Taxpayers Association lobbyist Sen. Howard Stephenson can get behind: The Salt Lake Tribune reorganized as a non-profit." Stephenson, whom I pretty sure has a sense of humor, indignantly claimed that he has opposed special tax breaks for industry. Then the lobbyist/senator stole my lame joke from the same blog that newspapers are already non-profits (rim shot).
I will join the headline writer for coffee in the break room.
Finally, in a moment of cosmic justice, The Tribune arrived this morning with an advertisement "wrapped" down the left side. You 372 remaining subscribers saw it, everyone else can walk to the nearest newspaper stand. The wrapper obscured the Trib's masthead to trumpet:
Utah's Most Trusted News and Information SourceImmediately under that headline is a picture of the front page of the Deseret News.
Ouch. The Tribune will no doubt print a correction on tomorrow's wrapper.
7 Comments:
Wow, seems as if your business has bigger problems than just declining ad sales and subscriptions, Glen. These issues have to do with things like, oh you know, basic writing, editing, and ethics.
In reply to anonymous: meh. Those virtues went out the window when Web 2.0 dragged its sorry carcass through the front door. They've been replaced by the fetid flies of speed, commotion value, and lack of informed sources.
Glen, No apologies necessary, most of us older residents are familiar with the vintage old tribune, they just don't do newspapers like they use too.....the good news is Pelosi is preparing a bailout as we speak for the trib and others ...your incompetence is about to be rewarded with incompetent Washington Bureacrats who think act and vote just like you, incompetently!!
Glen,
Still, the Tribune is an excellent read. It does have typos, some factual errors, some syntax and grammar problems, to say nothing about spelling issues.
It's not the same wonderful paper it was 15-20 years ago. Great reporters, great editors, great story selection and everyone in the newsroom having a blast doing it. In some cases, literally a blast as in "hic."
The people in the newsroom today, I believe, are mostly scared about tomorrow, the other shoe, the pink slip. It's a rough world right now for journalists.
But I still support the Trib. The ugly thought - and it could well happen - is if SLC becomes a one-newspaper town, does anyone really believe it will be the one not owned by the Mormon church?
A very ugly thought. Tell Singleton to get his ass in gear and either make the move to the internet - where it will all be within a couple of years - or sell it to someone who knows what to do with it.
Honestly, I blame him for the disaster awaiting the Tribune. He has always been a very greedy punchbowl turd. An ugly, very little man.
My hope is that someone with some money can bring this once great newspaper back into being.
Hang it there, Glen. You are doing a super job with your humor and spot-on watchdog work of all things Utah (Mormon).
Do continue to write on-line. The pressman may have to find other work but good, imaginative, trustworthy writers are hard to find. Underline and bold type trustworthy.
I like the tribune. I find no reason to have somebody deliver it to my house. The 1950s are long gone. I have an excellent printer for online coupons, and articles worth printing.
If there were some outstanding reason I would pay for an online subscription. But what, pray tell, is so unique about the Tribune that I would pay for this one source when there are so many alternatives?
Old Man: When was the last time you saw the New York Times or WashPost write about Church President Gordon Monson? THAT's why you need the local paper, dummy.
Regarding KSL reporter John Daley, it's not surprising that Stephenson et al are working to discredit him on his environmental writing. Yes, Daley is married to Heidi Macintosh,a SUWA attorney. Daley never covers any issues in which SUWA is involved, nor, to my memory has he covered Southern Utah land issues (such as the recent omnibus wilderness bill), in which there might be any question about him having conflict.
These legislators are picking fly specks from the pepper. Daley is a pro.
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