The 'Ville Voice » Gannett

Dear Courier-Journal Editorial Board

jake — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 18:00:10 +0000

If what you told Phillip Bailey were true:

For starters, the newspaper didn’t initially schedule a sit-down with Democratic candidate Lisa Moxley, an odd decision considering Moxley fared slightly better in the C-J’s mayoral poll than Shannon White, one of her primary opponents.

“We made the decision about who to invite before we had a look at the poll,” editorial page editor Keith Runyon tells LEO Weekly. “We’ve issued another invitation since then because (Moxley) fared better than we anticipated.”

Then a Gannett executive wouldn’t have called me losing their shiz. And ed board members would have returned candidate telephone calls throughout the debacle. Instead, you caved to pressure after realizing how racist, sexist, partisan and ridiculous all of you old white men (yes, even the women on the ed board are like old white men sometimes– even the non-whites) came off.

And that interview with Lisa Moxley this morning in which she held her own? Hoo boy. You old coots sure have a Viagra priapism for some old ass hopes and River Fields dreams. Goodness.

Standing In Solidarity With C-J Staffers

jake — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:00:09 +0000

You know, it’s a sad day for print journalism. Especially for those in the field who are employed by Gannett.

Why (aside from everything), you may be asking yourself?

Well, because of this.

Gannett folks are going through their unpaid first quarter furloughs and have been subject to salary freezes for more than a year. All white Gannett announces a $250,000 pay raise for its new Chief Operating Officer. A COO that was in charge as Chief Financial Officer during the mass layoff, furlough and salary freezing hoopla.

What a shame.

Time Wasting: A Funny C-J Flashback

jake — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:00:13 +0000

Mistakes happen all the time in all areas of print, but they’re usually not funny. But this story about Hogan’s Fountain involved a funny mistake.

Spotted on the front page of the Saturday, October 24, 2009 Metro section:

Forget Something?

Here’s a detailed view of the funny:

Detailed View

Heh.

What’s Going On Downtown These Days?

jake — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:39:05 +0000

I’ve held back from criticizing the Courier-Journal quite a bit lately, but the paper’s website has been puzzling the past several days.

And today just takes the cake. Check out the sports section:

Mmm Hmmm

Since when does agriculture have anything to do with sports? Innocent mistake, sure. But why is this sort of thing happening every day?

And what’s with that full-page ad the other day hyping the C-J’s web presence while keeping the most-read sports columnist in the area – Eric Crawford – in print-only?

Maybe the folks at 5th & Broadway should start paying more attention to their own product and the news they’re supposed to spread instead of freaking out about what photographs we use to promote the various media outlets in town?

Head spinning.

Media Stuffs Here in the Big City

jake — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:26:08 +0000

First: Gannett just announced another week of furloughs at the Courier-Journal for employees. Will happen in the first quarter of 2010.

And…

Stephen George just announced, via press release, that he’s leaving LEO Weekly to become editor of the Nashville City Paper on January 11, 2010. Sarah Kelley, news editor since May 2008, will become editor. That makes Kelley the first female editor of the paper. And that’s big news for Louisville.

“It has been a distinct honor to be able to write and report about my hometown on the unique and vital platform LEO Weekly offers, and part of me is sad to walk away,” George said. “At the same time, I am excited to join the well established team at the Nashville City Paper, which covers the city’s news, business, sports and entertainment with the kind of energy and vigor to which I’ve become accustomed.”

Fun times in the Louisville newsie world these days.

Putting a Lid on the Fancy New Arena

jake — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:02:14 +0000

You won’t want to miss the story of the Courier-Journal sending a demand that I remove a photograph taken in a public space on a public sidewalk from a public street from my website. I love you, C-J, and all of your free publicity generated when you drum up silly fights like this. I consider this a great endorsement! [Page One]

One of Gannett’s own employees took note at yesterday’s hilarity. [Twatter]

Did you know that God now hates Jim King? Ivory & Runyon say so. Now maybe God will come after me for using a photograph. [C-J]

Jefferson County Public Schools got it summa that stim-uh-liss! [Fat Lip]

The arena is about to get its lid. Check out the photographs. [Broken Sidewalk]

And since you’re all probably just as geeky as me and enjoy this sorta thing: nope, the Ouerbacker House will not be disassembled and moved somewhere else in the country to be rebuilt. [More Broken Sidewalk]

Possibility City: It can’t happen here anymore. The Transit Authority of River City wants to cut bus service next year. Plans would include eliminating routes and other changes to save $2 million. [C-J]

Yes, Mike Slaton really is a formidable challenger to Tom Riner. And it doesn’t help that Riner has done an abysmal job as a legislator in the state house. Check out Slaton’s preview video. [YouTube]

Today at 1:30 Jerry Abramson and Dr. Adewale Troutman will appear with local school officials to announce vaccination plans for school-age children against H1N1. [Media Advisory]

Courier-Journal Hilarity: Funny Demand

jake — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:42:54 +0000

Stop the presses (the few that are left working as the newspaper industry – specifically the C-J – dies a hard, cold death in these techie times)!

The Courier-Journal’s John Mura just sent the most hilarious email:

Name: John Mura
Email: jmura@courier-journal.com
Subject: courier-journal front page in your header

Message: Jake, please remove the header photo that has the
Courier-Journal honor box with our front page from your rotation. I
think folks could get confused about whose opinions are being
offered. Thanks, John

IP: 64.8.46.4
HOST: 64.8.46.4

You read it correctly. The Courier-Journal is demanding that I stop using an image that features a photograph of the paper. An image (they’ll have to be more specific, as I have over 25,000 header images in circulation on various websites) taken in a public space on public property.

Does this mean they’ll be making the same demands the thousands of other websites that have featured the Courier-Journal’s likeness?

Like I told Mura, “No wonder the Courier-Journal and Gannett are falling apart. You think your readership is too ignorant to, you know, recognize they’re not visiting the Courier-Journal’s atrocious website.”

I couldn’t buy this sort of controversy and free publicity!

HAHAHAHAHA!

Thanks for the validation, Bennie & Keith.

UPDATE:

Maybe the Courier-Journal should never again mention my name or websites I own without my permission? I fear readers may get the false impression that the paper’s reporters might have actually spoken with me when they promote me and my websites in their stories.

YET ANOTHER UPDATE:

Actually, no, I won’t be removing the header images unless Gannett and the Courier-Journal sue me – giving me tons of extra publicity.

Why won’t I?

Because my websites feature nearly every news publication, station, outlet and forum in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the Greater Louisville Area.

I will, however, photoshop the offending images to make it clear how terrible I think the the once great Courier-Journal happens to be.

HOPEFULLY LAST UPDATE:

Mura just sent me a screenshot of the offending image:

THE OFFENDING IMAGE

Unfortunately, I won’t have time for a week or so to spend the hours it will take to locate the image. A photograph taken in a public space on a public sidewalk, no less. But when I locate it, I’ll photoshop it to include some hilarious mockery.

Gannett’s Profit & Revenue Sinking Ship

jake — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:00:17 +0000

Here’s the latest on the Courier-Journal’s parent company:

Gannett Co Inc, the largest U.S. newspaper publisher, reported a lower quarterly profit that beat market forecasts on Monday because of cost cuts, while revenue fell because of a 28 percent drop in publishing advertising sales.

-SNIP-

Gannett, publisher of USA Today, posted third-quarter net income of $73.8 million, or 31 cents a share, compared with $158.1 million, or 69 cents a share, last year.

-SNIP-

Publishing revenue fell 23.5 percent to $1 billion on a drop in ad sales. U.S. publishing ad revenue fell 26 percent. Broadcast revenue fell 23 percent, in part because of extra money the company’s TV stations made from the Olympics and the U.S. elections last year.

Gannett also said it raised $500 million in debt, due in 2014 and 2017, and that nearly a quarter of its debt matures in the fourth quarter of 2014 or later — welcome news for investors worried that the company’s debt load could be too much to bear as ad revenue falls.

Ouch.

It’s Thursday and It’s Cold Out There

jake — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:32:28 +0000

Political communications analyst Kathleen Hall Jamieson will discuss money and media in Barack Obama’s 2008 victory at the University of Louisville. October 19, 6:00 P.M. in Speed Art Museum Auditorium. [Press Release]

East Market Street’s newest street art installation wants to build a relationship. And it is amazing. Be sure to watch the video provided by one of my most favorite local websites. [Broken Sidewalk]

This could turn out to be a mess. New elementary reports are getting mixed reviews. [Toni Konz]

The Metro ethics tip line is up and running. Anyone had an experience with it so far? [WFPL & WHAS11]

Gannett Company sold $500 Million in new bonds on Tuesday. Anyone holding their breath? [NY Times]

First Lady of Kentucky Jane Beshear will speak at the opening night (tonight!) of the Louisville International Festival of Film. 7:30 P.M. at Kentucky Center for the Arts, lobby and Bomhard Theatre. [Press Release]

You ready for this? The Kentucky Public Service Commission has decided to allow LG&E and KU to keep special accounts for paying for ice storm damage. And the companies are this close to raising rates to help. [C-J]

Don’t miss these stories about the Daniel Mongiardo mess:

Welcome Back to Work This Cool Morning!

jake — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:00:59 +0000

Tenure has been restored for Kentucky community colleges. [C-J]

Creation Gardens plans an amazing East Market Street expansion. It’ll blow your mind. [Broken Sidewalk]

Greg Fischer’s campaign for mayor is on Facebook. Check it out and search around for other candidates, who have or will have accounts very soon. [Facebook]

The Kentucky Registry of Election Finance found Jim King and Katie King guilty of breaking campaign finance laws. Meanwhile, more serious cases have been ignored and dropped by the wayside. [Joe Gerth]

The Avett Brothers are coming to The Palace on October 30th. Will you be there? [Backseat Sandbar]

Nimbus Couzin appeared on My View Matters radio last Thursday. Give the mayoral candidate’s interview a listen. [My View Matters]

The all-knowing Fairdale Bigfoot isn’t just running for mayor – he writes an advice column every week. [Consuming Louisville]

Mediocrity rising? The Kragthorpe era continues. [cd kaplan]

Wait, wait – is this the further death of newsprint? “Today in print.” Ruh ro. [C-J]