Chiefs WHITLOCK - Newspapers are key to democracy - Page 2

Hammock Parties · 12-20-2008, 10:41 PM

Run for mayor, yo!

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/col...ry/946541.html

People keep asking me what’s next now that King Carl Peterson has been stripped of his throne.

The answer is simple. You don’t understand this column if you believe the hunt for Peterson drove the content here. King Carl was a handy foil, not the focus.

His demise, however, has caused me to reflect about the industry I love.

Somewhere along my sophomore year of college, being a big-city newspaper columnist became my singular, professional obsession, replacing my childhood fantasy of playing in the National Football League.

My teammates would trace the career change to the spot on the bench my already-ample butt warmed along the sideline my re-redshirt year. They’re probably right. The humiliation of that second season sparked an intellectual awakening and evolution. It caused me to define myself beyond football.

I needed an identity. Journalist/columnist/entertainer/provocateur fit my personality rather nicely. They were the titles/characteristics that made my writing hero, Mike Royko, the best newspaper columnist of all time.

Perhaps it’s an embarrassing admission revealing the immaturity of my personal life, but I must admit I’ve known no greater passion than my infatuation with being a relevant newspaper columnist. It consumes me.

And now I’m scared.

The conventional wisdom is that newspapers are dying. We’re slashing employees, young people allegedly ignore us and what we report and say somehow matters less. A major newspaper in New York recently eliminated the sports columnist position. The two newspapers in Detroit announced last week they’re soon only going to offer home delivery three days a week.

We’re all hurting in this economy. The pain we feel at The Star when our valued colleagues are let go is no different from the pain you feel when a friend or loved one is laid off at Sprint, Hallmark or Ford.

But I want you to consider something when you think about the future of newspapers:

You can’t have a democracy without us. If newspapers are dying, so is our system of government.

That is not written as a plea to buy our product. It’s written as a plea for you to understand you have a stake in the newspaper industry. It’s written as a plea for you to value and seek good, reliable, challenging and thought-provoking information.

If you do those things, newspapers will survive the troubled economy and rebound with a product that makes sense in the instant-information age. Our democracy depends on it.

That probably sounds ridiculously self-important coming from a sportswriter. The conceit does not diminish the truthfulness.

Let me explain with a short story.

On the same day that Chiefs owner Clark Hunt relieved Peterson of his responsibilities as president/CEO/general manager, my alma mater, Ball State, officially announced that its football coach, Brady Hoke, had accepted a job at San Diego State.

Y’all know I love Ball State. I was insanely distracted on Monday when Peterson was chopped.

My mother, who lives in Indianapolis, called me to gossip about the news. She’d heard on her television evening newscast that Hoke left Ball State because the Aztecs offered $300,000 more than BSU. She repeated this bit of information to me, and I chuckled in a twist of amusement and disbelief.

Since late September, I had worked feverishly trying to get the Ball State administration, Indiana print and broadcast media and the school’s boosters to grasp that Hoke would have no choice but to leave if the school failed to invest in his assistant-coaching staff and coaching facilities.

I pegged my Cardinals as BCS-bowl threats during the offseason and realized that the school’s non-support of the program the previous five years would make Hoke, a BSU alumnus, tempted to leave.

The school’s president and athletic director — the Mickey and Mouse of Division I athletics — baited Hoke to depart by offering him a new contract that included no improvements for his assistants. It was an offer he had to refuse, and they knew it. After a 12-1 season that saw the Cardinals ranked in the top 25 most of the year, Hoke’s best assistants were candidates for other jobs. Already some of the lowest-paid assistants in their conference, they were not inclined to stick around for no new money. Hoke’s foundation at Ball State would be undermined. He had to go.

You can only find that kind of context in properly staffed, well-funded newspapers committed to journalism. We’re losing that. The Indianapolis newspaper no longer has a reporter to cover Ball State. The newspaper in Muncie, where BSU is located, has no competition and little incentive to dig for news. The real story that precipitated Hoke’s departure was never told.

It’s not good that we have fewer journalists scratching for the truth.

We can’t govern fairly without substantive information. Never give up on newspapers. We’re more worthy of a bailout than the jokers on Wall Street.

ClevelandBronco · 12-20-2008, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Claythan

I don't understand why anyone hates on Whitlock. His personal feud with King Carl has produced some of the most entertaining sportswriting in the history of mankind these last 10 years. I can't wait to see what he comes up with for the new regime. I hope he's got some gas left in the tank. This article makes me think he does. He sounds super passionate for someone who's an industry veteran.

Whitlock has had some time to build a name that has value. If he can figure out a way to market that name, he'll land on his feet even if newspapers fall on their asses.

**DaneMcCloud** · 12-20-2008, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClevelandBronco

Whitlock has had some time to build a name that has value. If he can figure out a way to market that name, he'll land on his feet even if newspapers fall on their asses.

As you're probably aware, newspapers make their dough via advertising, not subscription.

If Whitlock can draw readers, he'll always have a job, regardless of the media.

The question now is can he write and can he draw readers?

**Smed1065** · 12-20-2008, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

You must be older than me because I was just a youngster, but I do remember the "Times".

WEAK!

**cdcox** · 12-20-2008, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

You must be older than me because I was just a youngster, but I do remember the "Times".

I'm pretty sure I'm older than you.

Long, long ago, the Times and the Star were independent newspapers. Then the Star bought the Times in 1900 or so. In my day ('70s and '80s) , the Times actually had more content during the week than the Star. The Star was huge on Sunday's though.

philfree · 12-20-2008, 11:23 PM

Freedom of the press is the key to democracy wether it's print on a piece of paper or a computer monitor.

PhilFree

ClevelandBronco · 12-20-2008, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

As you're probably aware, newspapers make their dough via advertising, not subscription.

If Whitlock can draw readers, he'll always have a job, regardless of the media.

The question now is can he write and can he draw readers?

In my opinion, yes. The man can write.

Can he find a way to draw readers for a profit?

I don't know. That question is still to be answered for a whole bunch of creative people. And they don't have a hell of a lot of time to figure it out.

**DaneMcCloud** · 12-20-2008, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdcox

I'm pretty sure I'm older than you.

Long, long ago, the Times and the Star were independent newspapers. Then the Star bought the Times in 1900 or so. In my day ('70s and '80s) , the Times actually had more content during the week than the Star. The Star was huge on Sunday's though.

I was just teasing.

All I remember about the Times was picking up the newspapers before shoveling driveways (I shoveled driveways after school from age 12 to 15 for money during the winter).

I honestly couldn't remember if the Times was delivered in the morning or the evening and had a 50/50 chance of being correct.

I guess I'll stay out of the casino tonight!

**Smed1065** · 12-20-2008, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I'm sorry but the KC Star has always been bad, going back to the 70's when there was a KC Times in the evening.

Whitlock is "mildly" entertaining and JoPo has been just too far out there for the regular reader during the past 2 years (too much baseball number crunching and "heart-warming" stories about people that no one cares about).

Wouldn't it be great if Clark could fire Whitlock as well?

MIGHT CHECK FIRST.......oH u r RIGHT WRONG AS ALWAYS .. I am god why hate me?.....

**BigRedChief** · 12-20-2008, 11:27 PM

Bail out newspapers? They are 8 track tapes in a digital world.

The internet is the truth bearer now. The government and those who seek to hide their misdeeds can't control the internet.

Democracy will be fine Mr. Whitlock.

**DaneMcCloud** · 12-20-2008, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClevelandBronco

In my opinion, yes. The man can write.

Can he find a way to draw readers for a profit?

I don't know. That question is still to be answered for a whole bunch of creative people. And they don't have a hell of a lot of time to figure it out.

Are newspapers really dying a quick death across the country?

I'm asking because I really don't know, not to be facetious.

**DaneMcCloud** · 12-20-2008, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smed1065

MIGHT CHECK FIRST.......oH u r RIGHT WRONG AS ALWAYS .. I am god why hate me?.....

I love my stalkers
I love my stalkers
I love my stalkers 'cause they're just so freakin' cool

(sung to the tune of "We're in the Money")

**cdcox** · 12-20-2008, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Are newspapers really dying a quick death across the country?

I'm asking because I really don't know, not to be facetious.

Yep. They've been on life support for years. The economy has caused a few big ones to go bankrupt, and layoffs at most of the others. Star had some major layoffs earlier this year. If the economy stays bad, a lot of them could go under in the next year or so.

ClevelandBronco · 12-20-2008, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Are newspapers really dying a quick death across the country?

I'm asking because I really don't know, not to be facetious.

The Chicago Tribune is about to declare bankruptcy. The Rocky Mountain News (Colorado's oldest newspaper at just under 150 years) will either be sold or closed in mid-January. The Miami Herald has gone through several rounds of layoffs. Knight-Ridder has done the same.

That's just the tip of the iceberg.

Classified advertising was always the bread and butter of daily newspapers. That advertising has migrated to e-bay, craigslist, monster, careerbuilder, etc.

The advertising is gone. Readership is evaporating because no one wants to wait 12 hours to know what the news is anymore. The nameplates have value, but there's not enough revenue to keep the dailies afloat online.

It's all but over for local newspapers.

**DaneMcCloud** · 12-20-2008, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdcox

Yep. They've been on life support for years. The economy has caused a few big ones to go bankrupt, and layoffs at most of the others. Star had some major layoffs earlier this year. If the economy stays bad, a lot of them could go under in the next year or so.

The Star I can understand; their writers are average (if not below average) at best. Plus, I honestly can't remember one piece of investigative journalism ever reaching national acclaim.

I'd be shocked if publications like USA Today, the NY or LA Times were in trouble and as BRC pointed out, the media is shifting.

I was a subscriber to USA Today back in 1990 while living in KC because the local paper was so piss poor.

IMHO, it's just capitalism at its finest.

**DaneMcCloud** · 12-20-2008, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClevelandBronco

The Chicago Tribune is about to declare bankruptcy. The Rocky Mountain News (Colorado's oldest newspaper at just under 150 years) will either be sold or closed in mid-January. The Miami Herald has gone through several rounds of layoffs. Knight-Ridder has done the same.

That's just the tip of the iceberg.

Classified advertising was always the bread and butter of daily newspapers. That advertising has migrated to e-bay, craigslist, monster, careerbuilder, etc.

The advertising is gone. Readership is evaporating because no one wants to wait 12 hours to know what the news is anymore. The nameplates have value, but there's not enough revenue to keep the dailies afloat online.

It's all but over for local newspapers.

Thanks for the info.

I have a feeling though that nice local papers (such as Phobia's new acquisition) are the wave of the future.

Major news can be found with the click of the mouse. Catching up on local events and your local high school sports can't at this point.

I think it's probably all just part of our ever-changing world.

Thanks again.

12-20-2008, 10:41 PM
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $3210478	WHITLOCK - Newspapers are key to democracy Run for mayor, yo! http://www.kansascity.com/sports/col...ry/946541.html People keep asking me what’s next now that King Carl Peterson has been stripped of his throne. The answer is simple. You don’t understand this column if you believe the hunt for Peterson drove the content here. King Carl was a handy foil, not the focus. His demise, however, has caused me to reflect about the industry I love. Somewhere along my sophomore year of college, being a big-city newspaper columnist became my singular, professional obsession, replacing my childhood fantasy of playing in the National Football League. My teammates would trace the career change to the spot on the bench my already-ample butt warmed along the sideline my re-redshirt year. They’re probably right. The humiliation of that second season sparked an intellectual awakening and evolution. It caused me to define myself beyond football. I needed an identity. Journalist/columnist/entertainer/provocateur fit my personality rather nicely. They were the titles/characteristics that made my writing hero, Mike Royko, the best newspaper columnist of all time. Perhaps it’s an embarrassing admission revealing the immaturity of my personal life, but I must admit I’ve known no greater passion than my infatuation with being a relevant newspaper columnist. It consumes me. And now I’m scared. The conventional wisdom is that newspapers are dying. We’re slashing employees, young people allegedly ignore us and what we report and say somehow matters less. A major newspaper in New York recently eliminated the sports columnist position. The two newspapers in Detroit announced last week they’re soon only going to offer home delivery three days a week. We’re all hurting in this economy. The pain we feel at The Star when our valued colleagues are let go is no different from the pain you feel when a friend or loved one is laid off at Sprint, Hallmark or Ford. But I want you to consider something when you think about the future of newspapers: You can’t have a democracy without us. If newspapers are dying, so is our system of government. That is not written as a plea to buy our product. It’s written as a plea for you to understand you have a stake in the newspaper industry. It’s written as a plea for you to value and seek good, reliable, challenging and thought-provoking information. If you do those things, newspapers will survive the troubled economy and rebound with a product that makes sense in the instant-information age. Our democracy depends on it. That probably sounds ridiculously self-important coming from a sportswriter. The conceit does not diminish the truthfulness. Let me explain with a short story. On the same day that Chiefs owner Clark Hunt relieved Peterson of his responsibilities as president/CEO/general manager, my alma mater, Ball State, officially announced that its football coach, Brady Hoke, had accepted a job at San Diego State. Y’all know I love Ball State. I was insanely distracted on Monday when Peterson was chopped. My mother, who lives in Indianapolis, called me to gossip about the news. She’d heard on her television evening newscast that Hoke left Ball State because the Aztecs offered $300,000 more than BSU. She repeated this bit of information to me, and I chuckled in a twist of amusement and disbelief. Since late September, I had worked feverishly trying to get the Ball State administration, Indiana print and broadcast media and the school’s boosters to grasp that Hoke would have no choice but to leave if the school failed to invest in his assistant-coaching staff and coaching facilities. I pegged my Cardinals as BCS-bowl threats during the offseason and realized that the school’s non-support of the program the previous five years would make Hoke, a BSU alumnus, tempted to leave. The school’s president and athletic director — the Mickey and Mouse of Division I athletics — baited Hoke to depart by offering him a new contract that included no improvements for his assistants. It was an offer he had to refuse, and they knew it. After a 12-1 season that saw the Cardinals ranked in the top 25 most of the year, Hoke’s best assistants were candidates for other jobs. Already some of the lowest-paid assistants in their conference, they were not inclined to stick around for no new money. Hoke’s foundation at Ball State would be undermined. He had to go. You can only find that kind of context in properly staffed, well-funded newspapers committed to journalism. We’re losing that. The Indianapolis newspaper no longer has a reporter to cover Ball State. The newspaper in Muncie, where BSU is located, has no competition and little incentive to dig for news. The real story that precipitated Hoke’s departure was never told. It’s not good that we have fewer journalists scratching for the truth. We can’t govern fairly without substantive information. Never give up on newspapers. We’re more worthy of a bailout than the jokers on Wall Street.
Posts: 285,971

12-20-2008, 11:23 PM	#20
philfree Indian Twitter Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Free Agency Casino cash: $156198	Freedom of the press is the key to democracy wether it's print on a piece of paper or a computer monitor. PhilFree __________________ [/SIGPIC]
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12-20-2008, 11:27 PM	#24
BigRedChief Has a particular set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: On the water Casino cash: $1588962 VARSITY	Bail out newspapers? They are 8 track tapes in a digital world. The internet is the truth bearer now. The government and those who seek to hide their misdeeds can't control the internet. Democracy will be fine Mr. Whitlock. __________________ Mind you own damn business
Posts: 79,885