Media
Journalistic Integrety at Stake, part 2
Personally, I didn’t care much about the accuracy of Jeff Tweedy quotes in various media, but I believe I’ve found a media issue of the utmost importance to our society.
In the Duluth News Tribune’s report about Superior High School wrestler Nikola Bogojevic winning the state championship in his weight class, this paragraph jumped out at me:
Moments later he grabbed Superior coach Bill Gedde and put him in an airplane spin — made famous by professional wrestler “Rowdy” Roddy Piper — to celebrate the title.
Since when did Roddy Piper make the airplane spin famous? I remember Mike Rotunda using it as his signature maneuver in the 1980s, but I don’t remember ever seeing Piper do it. I mean, I suppose it happened, but I just don’t associate that move with Piper.
Am I right here?
By the way, congratulations to Bogojevic for his victory, his awesome season, and most of all putting his coach in an airplane spin. That’s epic.
Newspaper Guild Pickets the DNT
(The article below was originally posted to the Northern Worker blog at www.northernworker.wordpress.com)
by Adam Ritscher
On Thursday, February 25 about 80 members and supporters of the Lake Superior Newspaper Guild gathered in front of the Duluth News-Tribune offices for an informational picket. The Newspaper Guild represents the reporters and other workers at the DNT.
Informational Picket
What: Informational Picket
Who: Lake Superior News Guild and supporters
When: Thursday, Feb. 25, noon to one
Where: In front of the Duluth News Tribune, 424 W. 1st Street
Why: The members of the Lake Superior Newspaper Guild would be glad to take a pay cut, but what we want in exchange from the paper’s owners, Forum Communications, is protection of jobs. Instead of working with the Guild, however, the company continues to lay off workers and diminish the quality of the paper. Help us send a message to Forum management that the Guild is more than willing to sit down at the bargaining table to achieve the savings the company desires in exchange for saving jobs here in Duluth. Tell the company that what it’s done to your newspaper is wrong. If you value having a newspaper in Duluth, please come out and support us. If you can’t make it, feel free to send an email to Forum owner Bill Marcil at wmarcil@forumcomm.com to let him know you’re concerned about the paper and you support the Guild’s efforts.
Cover: Free!
DNT Resorts to Interviewing its Publisher to Produce Content?
So I know that the whole ripping on the Duluth News Tribune theme gets a bit tiresome. Yet this article compels some response from anyone who knows better than to accept as journalism a story about the New Tribune’s publisher speaking before the Duluth Chamber. Ironically, in this story, the reporter quotes the DNT’s publisher stating that “What we don’t have is less local news content.” Well, I suppose if this article and advertisements qualify, that may be the case. But the newspaper is not even close to being “better than it was a year ago.” Read the story and you might understand my utter confusion at how anyone could possibly consider this story to be newsworthy.
The axe falls again at the DNT
What happened?
The News Tribune laid off two employees today, including education reporter Sarah Horner.
Why?
It’s a long story. And I’ll preface it by saying that while this comes from someone on the union side of the fence, what follows are facts that I don’t believe the company would protest.
Duluth antique dealer sick of appraising Smurf collections
Antique dealer sick of appraising Smurf collections.
The Onion just republished this 2002 story, which many of you may have missed eight years ago.
Remembering the Ripsaw’s Transition
It’s been 10 years since the Ripsaw published the last of its monthly scandal sheets and converted to an “alternative newsweekly” format. Here’s a look back at the old monthly editions of Duluth’s most infamous rag.
(more…)
Minnesota Olympians
I am not a huge sports watcher. I like the Vikings, I appreciate the Twins and once in awhile I will watch a bit of the NCAA Men’s BB Tournament in March. But I do enjoy the Olympics. Especially the Winter Olympics. And I think part of the reason that I appreciate the winter games so much is that there are so many local athletes. I’ll admit, my favorite aspect of the “Miracle on Ice” game from (ouch) 30 years ago now is that so many Minnesotans played a role in that underdog-david-vs-goliath-come-from-behind-victory.
Here are a few lists of Minnesotans that are in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver from Bob Collins MPR NewsCut blog, and the Star Tribune, plus a cursory search of the NBC Winter Olympics web page. (more…)
Duluth KCWV-TV Channel 27
Have any of you noticed Duluth has a new broadcast TV station? Is anyone able to get decent reception of it?
The station runs programming from the My Family TV network, which features “programming to entertain, educate and edify,” including “uplifting spiritual” shows. In other words, a bunch of preaching and paid programming with some Andy Griffith and Bonanza mixed in.
Jitterbug’s Newscast
I thought that the “1000 foot shitters” was great but she may have topped it with “I am still stuck on the beaver!”
Good luck in Haiti. Miss you on the news!!
Maria Bamford reads Perfect Duluth Day
Mpls/St.Paul magazine, Feb 2010
Jitterbug
Jitterbug Julie Pearce is leaving the Northland’s NewsCenter. She says this will be her last weekend anchoring the newscasts.
Hello all, yes, the rumors are true… this weekend will be my last weekend as a news anchor for the NewsCenter. This has been a hard decision for me. I’ve been with the NewsCenter now for about 4 years. I work with some amazing people and have truly enjoyed my time there. The big bright studio lights, the cameras, and… deep connection to our community have been extremely rewarding and exciting.
from her facebook page.
After a couple of weeks doing nursing and helping people in Belize she came back and bought a one-way ticket to Haiti to do medical support for people there who have been devastated. (more…)
DNT Attic is Back!
I noticed last week that the DNT Attic has returned to the Duluth News Tribune site. After Andrew K. was let go the site was never quite as good, but I appreciated that they were at least updating it with new posts from time to time. They just started updating it again after four months of silence. However the posting from January 18th looks strangely familiar to something I’d read before. Coincidence?
Northland’s News Center? (the MLK version)
Came here to post on this but I see dlhmn beat me to it with a comment on my earlier post Northland’s “News” Center?
News Tribune dumps Karwath, McLoughlin
Two more high-ranking executives in local media are out of work. Duluth News Tribune Executive Editor Rob Karwath and Circulation Manager Tim McLoughlin were laid off today. This follows the firing on Monday of Julie Moravchik, who was news director at Fox 21 News.
Duluth News Tribune Publisher Ken Browell released this statement:
Effective today the company has restructured management within the Editorial and Circulation Departments, resulting in the elimination of two management positions at the News Tribune. Executive Editor Rob Karwath and Circulation Manager Tim McLoughlin have been laid off. Both of these individuals have made significant contributions to the News Tribune during their careers. These were difficult business decisions. I will miss Rob and Tim both personally and professionally.
Julie Moravchik
I’m surprised there isn’t a conversation going on here about the firing of Fox 21 News Director Julie Moravchik. Is this just inside baseball media stuff? It seems there are a lot of people who have strong opinions about this. How much does TV journalism or journalists matter?
Someone explain this
Zits comic – Nov. 6, 2009
Love isn’t posting your wife’s/girlfirend’s naked butt and sex organs on YouTube after she’s had a mishap? I think I’ve been doing it wrong all these years.
Publishing, in the future
Here’s a really cool video showing one R&D company’s view of the future of e-readers. Having been in the publication design biz for years, I loved seeing somebody take the idea of an electronic magazine beyond the blog or web site format. Some of the stuff they do in here is really cool, and features the photography and art beautifully.
Somewhat related, I saw a few posts today speculating about the fabled Apple Tablet, what it will actually be, and whether it will be a disappointment or not. I was saving up for an iPod touch, but I think I’ll wait to see what shakes out from Steve Job’s announcement in a few weeks.
Merry Christmas!!
Kenny wishes you all a Happy Holiday!
After numerous comments on my “Merry F***ing Christmas” thread, I got a phone call from Chief Gordon Ramsey. He was most cordial and apologetic about my ticket and offered to take care of it in a manner amenable to me. So, I deleted the previous thread- and have a lot of respect for the power of this little ol’ PDD blog and for our DPD Chief. Kenny wishes you all a Happy Holiday (and he is still for sale).
Reader’s View
Back in January 1997 I witnessed an unidentified flying object. It was very thrilling and exciting. I’ll never forget it. (more…)
Coal Train (Soultrane?)
Parked (?) train blocks view of Lake Superior from https://duluthdailyphoto.vox.com/
I thought this was intended as a temporary winter seawall.
But Duluth Daily photo (above) and later the Duluth News Tribune had some good coverage of this that straightened me out, apparently these coal cars are just being stored on those tracks, even though they do sit in a storm prone spot. Now, DNT’s Brandon Stahl writes that the train will be moved to Leif Ericson Park. (more…)
Trying to pay for my local paper
I called the Duluth News Tribune a couple of weeks ago to ask if I could give them some money. They said no.
Since then I’ve sent a couple of emails and made more phone calls. The poor folks in the circulation department think I’m a crank. I’m not. I just want to pay for the local news I consume.
I told them I don’t want a paper edition of the News Tribune any more. I told them I’m no longer willing to stuff pounds and pounds of newsprint and glossy ads into paper bags each week.
I don’t want you to bring the paper to my door, I told them, because I read the paper online now. I want to pay you for that, I said.
Yelp!
I was looking through the Duluth reviews on yelp.com and things are looking sparse and outdated. There are precious few reviews from Duluthians, it’s mostly just weekend tourists. I know you all have strong opinions on the M&H, your dentist, the parking situation in Canal… so go post some reviews, add businesses you don’t see, and let’s make Duluth sound good! Or bad, whichever you prefer.