Comments for From the editors http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:52:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 Comment on Fairness a main tenet of political coverage by RoyMpls http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2008/01/13/fairness-a-main-tenet-of-political-coverage/#comment-18 RoyMpls Tue, 19 Feb 2008 05:18:23 +0000 http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2008/01/13/fairness-a-main-tenet-of-political-coverage/#comment-18 I think "fairness" is a pretty worthless concept if you don't do any work to differentiate candidates' views or attitudes towards the issues they will be handling if they reach the highest office in the land. Do you think your readers will decide how to vote based on the placement of a photo on page one? In that case, how about a presidential coloring contest? Yes, it's a fun horse race. It's fun, fun, fun to see who's ahead in the polls, who won Nevada, who's going to win Wisconsin. How fun will it be living under a McCain presidency? No new taxes plus an unlimited commitment to war in the Middle East? Will that mean cuts to Social Security or just more borrowing and Chinese ownership of the country? If you don't cover the issues, McCain comes off like a nice grandfather-in-chief, Obama as an inspiring orator, and Clinton as, well, you get the idea. I am not cynical enough to believe that you just refuse to cover issues because it's in the best interests of your shareholders to maintain Republican rule. So... why then? Why can't you tell us what McCain would do to Iran? Or how Obama would profess to handle Osama. Or how Hillary would handle foreign trade? If you're covering the 35W bridge collapse investigations, you will mention that the bridge fell down back in August. You even mention that current bridge and road maintenance is running billions of dollars lower than Mn/DOT estimates of the need for maintenance. If you're covering the primaries, we're lucky to find out the current delegate count. Why is that? Budget cuts? Or do you think no one cares about leadership qualities, or issues? I just don't get it. -Roy I think “fairness” is a pretty worthless concept if you don’t do any work to differentiate candidates’ views or attitudes towards the issues they will be handling if they reach the highest office in the land.

Do you think your readers will decide how to vote based on the placement of a photo on page one? In that case, how about a presidential coloring contest?

Yes, it’s a fun horse race. It’s fun, fun, fun to see who’s ahead in the polls, who won Nevada, who’s going to win Wisconsin. How fun will it be living under a McCain presidency? No new taxes plus an unlimited commitment to war in the Middle East? Will that mean cuts to Social Security or just more borrowing and Chinese ownership of the country?

If you don’t cover the issues, McCain comes off like a nice grandfather-in-chief, Obama as an inspiring orator, and Clinton as, well, you get the idea.

I am not cynical enough to believe that you just refuse to cover issues because it’s in the best interests of your shareholders to maintain Republican rule.

So… why then?

Why can’t you tell us what McCain would do to Iran? Or how Obama would profess to handle Osama. Or how Hillary would handle foreign trade?

If you’re covering the 35W bridge collapse investigations, you will mention that the bridge fell down back in August. You even mention that current bridge and road maintenance is running billions of dollars lower than Mn/DOT estimates of the need for maintenance.

If you’re covering the primaries, we’re lucky to find out the current delegate count. Why is that? Budget cuts? Or do you think no one cares about leadership qualities, or issues?

I just don’t get it.
-Roy

]]> Comment on Welcome to the editors’ blog by Minnesnowta http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/02/welcome-to-the-editors-blog/#comment-16 Minnesnowta Mon, 19 Nov 2007 20:12:47 +0000 http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/02/welcome-to-the-editors-blog/#comment-16 I guess I would just have to reiterate much of what has already been said. I'm often confused as to why a story makes it above the fold when there are others that actually have more impact on our lives. Turning the Metro section into more of a regional section is too limiting. I want to know more than just what's happening in my backyard. I'm a resident of Minnesota, not just a corner of it. Like others, I've also noticed that stories are increasingly re-printed from other sources. That's fine as long you're using a vast variety of sources in an effort to control bias. It's also frustrating to see valuable space go to fluff pieces or an interesting picture instead of a story. The balance of reporting seems to indicate that the inner cities are just a series of decrepit neighborhoods and all the good stuff happens in the suburbs, which just isn't true. This may not fall under your umbrella, but I'm also disappointed in your use of Katherine Kersten. I understand wanting to balance columnists with a more conservative voice, but her style is inflammatory at best. She doesn't offer a different point of view, just anger. Perhaps this is the StarTribune's foray into shock journalism a la Bill O'Reilly or Rush Limbaugh. I don't think it's beneficial, though. Mostly, it's just divisive. I guess I would just have to reiterate much of what has already been said. I’m often confused as to why a story makes it above the fold when there are others that actually have more impact on our lives. Turning the Metro section into more of a regional section is too limiting. I want to know more than just what’s happening in my backyard. I’m a resident of Minnesota, not just a corner of it.

Like others, I’ve also noticed that stories are increasingly re-printed from other sources. That’s fine as long you’re using a vast variety of sources in an effort to control bias. It’s also frustrating to see valuable space go to fluff pieces or an interesting picture instead of a story.

The balance of reporting seems to indicate that the inner cities are just a series of decrepit neighborhoods and all the good stuff happens in the suburbs, which just isn’t true.

This may not fall under your umbrella, but I’m also disappointed in your use of Katherine Kersten. I understand wanting to balance columnists with a more conservative voice, but her style is inflammatory at best. She doesn’t offer a different point of view, just anger. Perhaps this is the StarTribune’s foray into shock journalism a la Bill O’Reilly or Rush Limbaugh. I don’t think it’s beneficial, though. Mostly, it’s just divisive.

]]> Comment on Today’s front page by mplsbf http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/15/todays-front-page/#comment-17 mplsbf Fri, 16 Nov 2007 13:36:55 +0000 http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/15/todays-front-page/#comment-17 And *today's* (Friday's) front page took another step in the march toward the Star Trib becoming the Twin Cities Advertiser. Granted, the weather strip isn't a huge loss, though as a bicyclist I do find it handy before setting out. But an ad on the front page?? I know the economics are rough, but that's no way to keep a customer base. I too, having subscribed the whole 27 years I've lived here, am getting closer to dropping the Star Trib in favor of a real newspaper--the NYT. And *today’s* (Friday’s) front page took another step in the march toward the Star Trib becoming the Twin Cities Advertiser. Granted, the weather strip isn’t a huge loss, though as a bicyclist I do find it handy before setting out. But an ad on the front page?? I know the economics are rough, but that’s no way to keep a customer base. I too, having subscribed the whole 27 years I’ve lived here, am getting closer to dropping the Star Trib in favor of a real newspaper–the NYT.

]]> Comment on Welcome to the editors’ blog by linda http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/02/welcome-to-the-editors-blog/#comment-15 linda Thu, 15 Nov 2007 01:11:38 +0000 http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/02/welcome-to-the-editors-blog/#comment-15 After reading the previous comment I will add that my elderly mother is disappointed about the Sunday TV guide and the little puzzle that was in it. That and the coupons are the reason she buys the Sunday paper. I did not mean to say because I live in Moorhead that my city should be covered,just that I miss state news. I really liked Chuck Haga's coverage and consider the Strib our state newspaper. I like the reviews as we often go to things in Mpls and like to know what is happening there. Much of the paper seems light and fluffy these days. After reading the previous comment I will add that my elderly mother is disappointed about the Sunday TV guide and the little puzzle that was in it. That and the coupons are the reason she buys the Sunday paper.
I did not mean to say because I live in Moorhead that my city should be covered,just that I miss state news. I really liked Chuck Haga’s coverage and consider the Strib our state newspaper.
I like the reviews as we often go to things in Mpls and like to know what is happening there.
Much of the paper seems light and fluffy these days.

]]> Comment on Welcome to the editors’ blog by Disappointed http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/02/welcome-to-the-editors-blog/#comment-14 Disappointed Tue, 13 Nov 2007 18:51:59 +0000 http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/02/welcome-to-the-editors-blog/#comment-14 Judging by the critical nature of these comments and the growing reluctance of the Strib to tolerate criticism in its pages, I'm betting this site goes dark soon. I couldn't help but comment on the elimination of the Sunday TV Guide (ok - it's not the real TV Guide but you know what I mean). How shortsighted!! That's the main reason many folks get the Sunday paper. I've read that you'll soon have some online TV Guide capability but only online. It is mysterious to me why you would push people away from a subscription they are paying for towards a free online product. I'm guessing this will accelerate the decline in paid subscriptions. Judging by the critical nature of these comments and the growing reluctance of the Strib to tolerate criticism in its pages, I’m betting this site goes dark soon.

I couldn’t help but comment on the elimination of the Sunday TV Guide (ok - it’s not the real TV Guide but you know what I mean). How shortsighted!! That’s the main reason many folks get the Sunday paper.

I’ve read that you’ll soon have some online TV Guide capability but only online. It is mysterious to me why you would push people away from a subscription they are paying for towards a free online product.

I’m guessing this will accelerate the decline in paid subscriptions.

]]> Comment on Welcome to the editors’ blog by Rabdit http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/02/welcome-to-the-editors-blog/#comment-13 Rabdit Tue, 13 Nov 2007 00:56:37 +0000 http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/02/welcome-to-the-editors-blog/#comment-13 Although national and international news can be obtained from other sources (Internet, television, weekly news magazines, monthly foreign policy magazines, etc.), the newpaper has a unique role to play in delivering this news. The newspaper can provide relatively rapid response to developing stories, along with discussion of the implications of what is happening. The newspaper can also provide the reader with connections to related developments. Internet news sites and television provide only cursory overviews of national and world events, more or less in real time. Magazines can provide some additional depth of coverage, but these cannot generally respond with coverage of breaking events as quickly as can be done in a newspaper. National and international news coverage and analysis should be a strong and major focus of the Star Tribune in my opinion. I do think that the Star Tribune overdoes coverage of "celebrity" entertainment news. The entire inner front page of the newspaper is full of worthless drivel. Somehow it does not bother the editors that celebrity information is in oversupply in all media, from the Internet to newspapers to magazines, yet the editors are only concerned about "duplication" of national and international news coverage in the Star Tribune! The Star Tribune could really differentiate itself by running well-written, compelling stories about the events unfolding in our nation and world, while providing the connections to show how those stories are relevant to the everyday lives of its readers. If written well and organized in a readable fashion (unlike the current paper format, where the pages are cluttered), I'll bet that it would be possible to both inform and delight current readers AND increase readership. Although national and international news can be obtained from other sources (Internet, television, weekly news magazines, monthly foreign policy magazines, etc.), the newpaper has a unique role to play in delivering this news. The newspaper can provide relatively rapid response to developing stories, along with discussion of the implications of what is happening. The newspaper can also provide the reader with connections to related developments. Internet news sites and television provide only cursory overviews of national and world events, more or less in real time. Magazines can provide some additional depth of coverage, but these cannot generally respond with coverage of breaking events as quickly as can be done in a newspaper. National and international news coverage and analysis should be a strong and major focus of the Star Tribune in my opinion.

I do think that the Star Tribune overdoes coverage of “celebrity” entertainment news. The entire inner front page of the newspaper is full of worthless drivel. Somehow it does not bother the editors that celebrity information is in oversupply in all media, from the Internet to newspapers to magazines, yet the editors are only concerned about “duplication” of national and international news coverage in the Star Tribune!

The Star Tribune could really differentiate itself by running well-written, compelling stories about the events unfolding in our nation and world, while providing the connections to show how those stories are relevant to the everyday lives of its readers. If written well and organized in a readable fashion (unlike the current paper format, where the pages are cluttered), I’ll bet that it would be possible to both inform and delight current readers AND increase readership.

]]> Comment on Welcome to the editors’ blog by Gary Eagen http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/02/welcome-to-the-editors-blog/#comment-12 Gary Eagen Mon, 12 Nov 2007 03:44:54 +0000 http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/02/welcome-to-the-editors-blog/#comment-12 Dear Nancy Barnes, What's more important the right mix of local and national news or what doesn't get into the media news. I'm referring to the newspaper and television. This past week a vote was taken in the House and past whether to impeach Vice-President Chenney. It's in Rep Conyers hands now if the judiciary committee will proceed with an investigation. Twenty years ago or less that would have been on the front page plus the three major tv networks. It wasn't even mentioned on any of them nor in your newspaper. Why? The belief is that the cooporate heads are making the decision of what will read and heard over the tv. Thanks GE Dear Nancy Barnes,
What’s more important the right mix of local and national news or what doesn’t get into the media news. I’m referring to the newspaper and television. This past week a vote was taken in the House and past whether to impeach Vice-President Chenney. It’s in Rep Conyers hands now if the judiciary committee will proceed with an investigation. Twenty years ago or less that would have been on the front page plus the three major tv networks. It wasn’t even mentioned on any of them nor in your newspaper. Why? The belief is that the cooporate heads are making the decision of what will read and heard over the tv. Thanks GE

]]> Comment on Welcome to the editors’ blog by harcoyle http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/02/welcome-to-the-editors-blog/#comment-11 harcoyle Mon, 12 Nov 2007 03:12:27 +0000 http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/02/welcome-to-the-editors-blog/#comment-11 The other night I checked my igoogle site before going to bed. I saw, on BBC, that England was worried about major flooding. I saw, on Reuters, that Bhutto was being detained. I saw, on NPR, an article about the unrest in Burma. I checked the Startribune site and saw no mention of any of these issues around the world. Yes, I can get world news at other sites, and no, I won't find anything about the Twin Cities suburbs there, generally. But after 25 years of getting the Star Tribune and expecting to get the majority of my news from it I am disappointed. Must Minnesota be this myopic? I want world news, and I still want it in print. I don't know what I need to subscribe to or if I can get it delivered, but I'll be shopping. The other night I checked my igoogle site before going to bed. I saw, on BBC, that England was worried about major flooding. I saw, on Reuters, that Bhutto was being detained. I saw, on NPR, an article about the unrest in Burma. I checked the Startribune site and saw no mention of any of these issues around the world.

Yes, I can get world news at other sites, and no, I won’t find anything about the Twin Cities suburbs there, generally. But after 25 years of getting the Star Tribune and expecting to get the majority of my news from it I am disappointed. Must Minnesota be this myopic? I want world news, and I still want it in print. I don’t know what I need to subscribe to or if I can get it delivered, but I’ll be shopping.

]]> Comment on Welcome to the editors’ blog by loyal reader http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/02/welcome-to-the-editors-blog/#comment-10 loyal reader Mon, 12 Nov 2007 02:49:31 +0000 http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/02/welcome-to-the-editors-blog/#comment-10 Today's front page carried a New York Times article with this paragraph: "Polls show that two-thirds of Americans disapprove of the way the president is handling the war in Iraq; in a recent survey by the New York Times/CBS News, a majority said Bush's troop buildup was having no effect, or making things worse, despite evidence to the contrary." Everything after the word "worse" is different from the original New York Times version: "Polls show that two-thirds of Americans disapprove of the way the president is handling the war in Iraq; in a recent New York Times/CBS News survey, a majority said Mr. Bush’s troop buildup was having no impact, or making things worse. The White House pays close attention to military families, an important constituency, yet surveys, including a New York Times/CBS News poll in September, have also shown an erosion of support for the war among them." Question: Who at the Star Tribune decided to replace the mention of military families' eroding approval with a reference to unspecified "evidence to the contrary" which Americans are presumed to have ignored in their disapproval of war strategy? If this kind of sleight of hand is standard editing practice in the news section, I will indeed be relying on the Star Tribune a lot less. Today’s front page carried a New York Times article with this paragraph: “Polls show that two-thirds of Americans disapprove of the way the president is handling the war in Iraq; in a recent survey by the New York Times/CBS News, a majority said Bush’s troop buildup was having no effect, or making things worse, despite evidence to the contrary.”

Everything after the word “worse” is different from the original New York Times version: “Polls show that two-thirds of Americans disapprove of the way the president is handling the war in Iraq; in a recent New York Times/CBS News survey, a majority said Mr. Bush’s troop buildup was having no impact, or making things worse. The White House pays close attention to military families, an important constituency, yet surveys, including a New York Times/CBS News poll in September, have also shown an erosion of support for the war among them.”

Question: Who at the Star Tribune decided to replace the mention of military families’ eroding approval with a reference to unspecified “evidence to the contrary” which Americans are presumed to have ignored in their disapproval of war strategy?

If this kind of sleight of hand is standard editing practice in the news section, I will indeed be relying on the Star Tribune a lot less.

]]> Comment on Welcome to the editors’ blog by cnau http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/02/welcome-to-the-editors-blog/#comment-8 cnau Sun, 11 Nov 2007 17:09:07 +0000 http://ww3.startribune.com/blogs/editors/2007/11/02/welcome-to-the-editors-blog/#comment-8 Yes, I almost canceled my subscription of 40 years the day the editorial page contained editorials from small towns around MN and even some of the news items. Cut and paste news is something I can do. I really don't care about increased local news or small town MN news; most of what you're offering for specific local coverage has been covered in my weekly area newspaper. I don't want a magazine format for a NEWS paper. Locally, I do want intelligent reviews of movies, theater, music, art, and dance. And good analysis of the political scene. Even my local weekly is of little interest to me except for the crime report. Last week I picked up the NY Times to see if I could supplement national and international news. To see that other readers are pining for more such coverage and you are intending to respond is heartening and feeds a healthy democracy. Don't dumb down anymore. In fact, reverse some of what you've implemented. I use computers a lot, but prefer to read the paper in the morning with my coffee too. Yes, I almost canceled my subscription of 40 years the day the editorial page contained editorials from small towns around MN and even some of the news items. Cut and paste news is something I can do. I really don’t care about increased local news or small town MN news; most of what you’re offering for specific local coverage has been covered in my weekly area newspaper. I don’t want a magazine format for a NEWS paper. Locally, I do want intelligent reviews of movies, theater, music, art, and dance. And good analysis of the political scene. Even my local weekly is of little interest to me except for the crime report. Last week I picked up the NY Times to see if I could supplement national and international news. To see that other readers are pining for more such coverage and you are intending to respond is heartening and feeds a healthy democracy. Don’t dumb down anymore. In fact, reverse some of what you’ve implemented. I use computers a lot, but prefer to read the paper in the morning with my coffee too.

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