Posted on

Some common sense warranted in emotional debates

A suburban New York newspaper ignited a massive debate recently when it published names and home addresses of local gun owners. The Journal News in White Plains had attained the information through a public information request for the more than 33,000 names from the local governments in Westchester and Rockland counties in the wake of the December 14 Sandy Hook, Conn., school shooting.

Some gun owners reacted predictably by writing and calling the paper saying they would boycott TJN advertisers. Others went much farther by threatening employees of the newspaper with harm. The names, addresses and phone numbers for the paper’s workers were also published online.

The debate over the right for the public’s access to open government records versus the press publishing some of those records remains healthier than ever. When a Facebook friend, a former reporter with whom I worked, asked for fellow FB member input regarding the use of such data used by TNJ he received various opinions including that of my own.

My experiences in having,on numerous occasions, retrieved open records information from government entities gave me a particular insight as to whether the New York publication erred in publishing identifying information about its area gun owners.

The use of public information as a journalist is obviously a double-edged sword. While the government does not keep, at least I hope they don’t, information based on who works for a particular newspaper there are plenty of sources of information out there for one who seeks it which can be used to identify someone. The Internet and other computer-aided means of gathering data has made retrieving such information much, much easier for the media as well as the public in general. With most local and state governments as well as the federal government scads of personal information can be accessed. Databases — some free while others not — exist for information such as license registration as well as criminal and various civil records. Many of the folks I know who use computers frequently check free records for registered sex offenders who might live in the neighborhood.

But as I shared with my Facebook compadre there are times when records should be made public by a media outlet and other times not. I was taught to give as full an identity as possible when identifying those who were involved somehow in a criminal activity. Maybe sometimes I went overboard but I tried to give my readers as complete a picture as possible. I found though that the media — I’m speak specifically about managers — often wrongly use public data just because they can.

While I have found a number of public information items useful I did not always use them mostly because they had no to limited news value. I am particularly peeved when I view 911 tapes from a crime or emergency. While some of this information is newsworthy, too often it appears used only because it shows sensational emotion. I feel the names and addresses of the New York gun owners falls into the category of having little use toward news value and appears to be used more from the emotional reaction of the tragic events of the more than 20 fatalities in the Sandy Hook shooting.

That said I feel publishing the identifying information of TNJ employees and threats of physical harm was nothing but mean-spirited. There are less juvenile ways of making known one’s displeasure of news content. It is time people, both news providers and consumers, start using some common sense.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on

All in the family: It’s good to have a famous name in media

Our celebrity-crazed culture already brings millions upon millions of dollars for being able to play ball or run really fast or even swim really fast. I have no real problem with that. The majority of athletes who rise to the top and get the megabucks generally devote their lives, their souls and even their bodies to their sport. There are entertainers who are, at least in the minds of some, terrific at their art who also may be paid very handsome sums for acting or performing music. It can be a bit murky in many cases as to whether certain movie or small screen stars or recording artists are really worth what they are paid.

Some folks get paid for their name and their name alone, although those who hire them always seem to find some virtue that is worth fortune and acclaim. It is at this point where paying celebs because they are celebs makes me more than uncomfortable.

For years now celebrities’ names have begun showing up on the “best-seller” lists for various books, mostly in the non-fiction genre. There were tell-alls, or some essays concerning the certain passions of the rich and famous, even celebrity fitness and cookbooks. Maybe some of these celebrity-penned works were purchased by publishers for the “authors” writing abilities. More than often that wasn’t the case. The celebrity book, many times these days, are not even written by your famous celebrity. It might be the book was written by your favorite “celebrity ghost writer.” The latter — folks like Mickey Herskowitz come to mind — may have started out the hard way and were later picked by publishers to put a celebrity’s voice into words.

Perhaps it was only a matter of time that jobs — especially those in media — were handed out to famous people or even the kids of the famous. There was understandable grousing when Luke Russert began working for NBC News on TV journalist spots not long after his Dad, the fabulous Tim Russert, died suddenly. Russert, now 27, began working on special spots such as covering youth issues during the 2008 elections. He now pops up everywhere including as a fill-in anchor on shows such as MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports.”

Just maybe young Russert inherited some of his late Dad’s broadcasting chops. Luke did study broadcasting at Boston College and worked as an intern for various networks. He also seems to be a pretty good TV newsman himself though what I have seen him do is fairly limited and of the stuff your better local news reporters do daily. Notice I say, better, not the best.

Now Southern Living, the long-time lifestyle magazine has announced former “First Daughter” Jenna Bush-Hager will be editor-at-large. Bush-Hager is a contributing correspondent on NBC’s “The Today Show.” I have never caught her Today reports. I do remember the then-Jenna Bush sticking her tongue out at a media contingent in which I was included one day at Fort Hood.  That’s was, what, eight years ago when she was still in college? Oh well, she was just young and having fun back then. But heavy on the “eight years ago.”

Bush-Hager will write a Q and A with well-known Southerners and a blog on daily Southern life. I suppose some magazine jobs sound much more gravitas-filled than others. What, if any, other responsibilities she will have I don’t know. I know that as with as many magazine positions I have applied for and received nary a thank-you, one of those had to be “Southern Living.”

Of course, hiring celebrity kids — presidential ones even — is nothing new. Steven Ford starred in a soap opera and has acted for years in the movies. All of the Reagan kids have been in some sort of media gig. After all, it’s really the family business. Chelsea Clinton has had a difficult time treading the line between work as a special correspondent for NBC News and campaigning for various issues

Just maybe there is another motive behind hiring the young celebs. Perhaps these young people will not demand more money, kind of like the ones who now occupy the jobs in media these days. The older guys get the pink slip and the young kids fill the dinosaur’s spot at a reduced salary. I have to think the celeb kid being hired might just make a wee bit, maybe even a good bit, more than the fresh-faced younger person with no famous name.

It’s good to know someone famous. It’s a hell of a lot better to be someone with a famous name.

Posted on

Letting my poor words rest

Best are sometimes when a writer leaves what he or she has penned to rest so that the piece does not get up and walk away by itself in the dark.

This is one of these times.

If the written words have not disappeared come tomorrow then perhaps the collective thoughts will appear for the world to see. If not, then not.

 

Posted on

Romney, cable media making hay while the sun shines

Enough already!

The killings of the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three aides is tragic and now seems to compound what madness Sept. 11 evokes. That is why it is sickening that some of those in cable news and Mitt Romney were lightning fast in making political hay out of the senseless violence. It is not surprising that Romney and his lackeys at Fox would condemn the president before knowing all the facts. They would run over their own grandmothers for political advantage. Most irritating is that they did it so quickly and it got so old by the morning news on cable that I wanted to throw something at the TV. (It isn’t my TV so I restrained myself, fortunately.)

Since I don’t watch Fox News I cannot say who the blond-haired twit was on one of its morning broadcasts who asked conservative-leaning political talking head Larry Sabato of University of Virginia: (Paraphrasing) Do you think this will have an effect on the presidential election? I have called on Sabato in a pinch back in the day, apparently I was not by myself. He told the Foxette, without being condescending as I would have been, that it was too early to tell. Of course, that was an understatement since the details at the time were still very preliminary. I suppose that is just Fox being Fox.

Funny I can recognize Dr. Sabato but I can’t recognize the blonde. I think it might have been Megan Kelley but I’m not sure. All the CNN blondies look the same to me.

Romney clearly jumped the gun, putting his first comments out last night which lashed out at the administration for a statement released from the U.S. embassy in Egypt. The message condemned a film supposedly offensive to Muslims which allegedly sparked protests in Egypt and Libya. This is all very questionable right now. What is not questionable is that it also broke what was a gentleman’s agreement that the campaigns would back off politics on 9/11.

If Romney quit while he was ahead — forget saying he was wrong because he is never wrong — it would have been okay. But he keeps getting himself deeper and deeper by affirming his earlier stupidity.

Notably absent from the criticism of the president were the rest of the Republican politburo. At least those who made criticisms made them barely perceptible. Wonder why that is? If I were to guess, Mittens is freaking out.

The cable folks didn’t come off any better in my eyes. So many just wildly speculating, trying to create a controversy where there is none. That is why I say it is just too much. Watching the evening news now on CBS, the latest is that it seems the offensive film may be perhaps the most incidental. It might have been Al-Quida even behind the fatal attack.

And Mitt? To paraphrase news people talking about the spirited speech of former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm at the Democratic National Committee, perhaps this is Mitt Romney’s “Howard Dean moment.”

 

 

Posted on

Great expectations in Houston realized: Part 1/16

So much to write about in the world and I think — football. Houston Texans football to be exact.

My behavior can hardly be called “ritualistic” but it leans that way during pro football season. I like to get up, late, on Sundays and watch a little Howard Kurtz Reliable Sources before watching the Fox NFL Sunday. I know, it’s hard to believe but I do watch Fox products even though I loathe Fox News. The CBS pre-game show just doesn’t have the “talent” of its opposite. Of course, I watch the CBS game itself when Houston plays as they did yesterday.

I hate, in a sense, when expectations are high for my team and there are a Dickens of great expectations for the Texans for the season. What do you think? Trite? Trite on a stick? Some think Houston will be in the Super Bowl this year. They pounded Miami yesterday like a 90-pound sh*t hammer for the last three quarters. But the Texans won’t go anywhere if they played like they did in the first quarter. It is trite on a bucket truck, but Houston needs to play four quarters of football to get anywhere.

The Houston offense still needs — something, I don’t know what it is, whether it’s a line issue or bad mojo. The Texans still needs to make touchdowns when they are in the red zone. When they get down the road they will need more than a however good foot that they have in kicker Shayne Graham. He missed his first field goal attempt, a 52-yard boot that fell short. I don’t know what his longest is but I know such an attempt is not out of his range. I couldn’t kick the ball through the posts from the goal line but guys can these days and about fifty-five yard farther. Eventually, the 63-yard field goal records will be broken. Sunday San Francisco kicker David Akers became the fourth player to reach the 63-yard FG mark set first by Tom Dempsey more than 40 years ago. The record was tied in 1998 and last year.

Once the Texans offense got rolling it looked pretty good. It was great to see the magnificent receiver Andre Johnson make long plays and a touchdown where it looked afterwards as if he might be congratulated to death by the fans when he jumped up in the end zone stands. Arian Foster has turned Vegan but that cat can still run as can Ben Tate. Shaub looked good at QB.

If Houston makes it past the first rounds in the playoffs, which they failed to do last year, it will be in no small part due to offensive defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. The smartest move head coach Gary Kubiak ever made was hiring Phillips. Wade — I don’t know him but he’s from my part of the state so I feel I can call him by his first name — wants to have a championship team of his own as head coach. It eluded him in Dallas, badly. Methinks Kubiak needs to have him restrained so he won’t get away. No, of course I am not being serious. But Phillips is a brilliant defensive mind.

The Texans came away with a 30-10 win over the Dolphins this first game of the season. Now they only have the rest of the season to live up to what others expect of them. It isn’t enviable but its nice to be recognized as long as the team doesn’t live up to others’ expectations.