drew
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Nothing posted here coming from anyone (who is/was in any way shape or form) related to 614 has been of any value whatsoever as far as I'm concerned.
614 is a social media FAIL. I hope David's self-imposed absence will a) stick, and b) also mark the end of all of the anonymous 614 article faux-outrage assfoolery around here as well.
lisathewaitress
SoHud
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and they say bloggers are unethical....
Aaron Marshall
South Side Wrecking Crew
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Columbuzz wrote >>
adrock wrote >>
has media ever been truly unbiased though? unless every article printed is going to go through the journalism-equivalent of a double-blind experiment, there's going to be something biased about it.
although the right-wing radio show hosts like to say it's leftist, NPR is usually the most fair reporting i can find. they were the first (and perhaps only to date) non-right-wing organization i heard to run a story about how carbon credits didn't actually do anything except make you feel good inside.I completely agree. But blatant bias is ridiculous. At least try to present both sides. Croyle didn't and is claiming that he did and stating he was unbiased going into the article. Baloney.
It's my pipe dream that any news report I see or read should be unquestionable and I shouldn't finish it and say, "yeah, I think I (dis)agree with that." Unfortunately, aside from NPR, I, too, cannot find any fair and balanced reporting.
@myliftkk - That's a fair argument to make, I like that way of thinking!
Another problem I have with modern media is, as much as they will deny it, they definitely pay attention to who's advertising and paying their bills. The more ads you run, the more positive press you'll receive. The fewer ads you run (if any), it's not that you won't get negative press, you won't get any press at all. Again, they'll vehemently deny it, but it's a common practice that's been going on for a long time and gaining more and more steam as papers run low on money. I'm seeing the following scenario more and more: ad reps "packaging" editorial space - "Oh, if you buy this ad, I'll get you some editorial, too."
I also see this all of the time - "Thank you for your press release, here are our ad rates." Uhmmmm... thanks for the hint? These by and large come from places that have never run any stories I send them, but as soon as I express interest in placing an ad they'll mention they can run a story. Hmmmm....
Of course, not all act like this, and, sadly, I'm taken aback (in a good way) when I hear that certain publications have a very, very strict line between paid and editorial and the ad reps don't talk to editors and writers.
At least now, within the past couple of years, anyway, I've noticed that when TV stations run a story, sometimes they'll have a disclaimer such as "In full disclosure, Company A is owned by Company B, a parent of this channel." Not sure if that would have happened years ago. I remember when some kid died at a theme park and that called into question safety concerns, etc. NBC did a story, CBS did a story, but ABC (ahem, Disney) did not.
Not true.
Speaking as someone who has been a reporter for 15 years in Columbus, I have never seen or felt the pressure you describe to pay attention to who is advertising and paying the bills.
Not even once has anyone ever tried to exert any pressure or influence how I wrote a story based on advertising. Nor have I been directed to cover a story a certain way trying to lure advertising nor has a story ever been edited a certain way because of advertising pressure.
At one paper we called it "the wall between church and state" and it wasn't ever breached.
I'm not trying to say there aren't publications that do business that way, but not the big boys. They have too much to lose.
Just my two cents.
JonMyers
HCMC ✈
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Aaron - As someone who is a business owner and as someone advising business owners I disagree. Maybe the newspapers don't do it, but the magazines do. Restaurants and retailers field countless sales calls from magazines pitching advertorials doing their best ten blah blah, etc., which often cast the appearance of being objective reviews.
That content is designed to lure businesses in order to sell advertising.
This advertorial content clusterfuck, better measurement and superior ROI are a few reasons online ad spending is predicted to surpass magazine advertising this year.
Aaron Marshall
South Side Wrecking Crew
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JonMyers wrote >>
Aaron - As someone who is a business owner and as someone advising business owners I disagree. Maybe the newspapers don't do it, but the magazines do. Restaurants and retailers field countless sales calls from magazines pitching advertorials doing their best ten blah blah, etc., which often cast the appearance of being objective reviews.
That content is designed to lure businesses in order to sell advertising.
This advertorial content clusterfuck, better measurement and superior ROI are a few reasons online ad spending is predicted to surpass magazine advertising this year.
Source: Ad spend: Internet Vs. Radio Vs. Magazine
OK, fair enough, Jon.
I guess this gets at another point which is that "the media" is not a monolith. I'm guessing your experience stems from some interactions with some of the mags which have sprung up in recent years.
Not everyone does business that way.
I think this may hinge on publication size and quality.
JonMyers
HCMC ✈
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Aaron - true, true.. "The media" is a very ambient concept that really doesn't mean as much anymore. Wasn't trying to be combative. :)
Just pointing out that some magazines here do use that tactic.
The sad thing is advertisers that do fall for the advertorials get lost in the sauce and end up pissing money away.
Central City Recording
Clintonville
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Genuine apologies don't come with excuses. Tiger didn't lose all his sponsorships because he was sleeping around, he lost them because his apologies were so terrible and his actions so sketchy that the public lost all their trust in him, thus taking away his ability to sell cars and Gatorade. Good luck 614 - it was bad enough that you stepped in it, but now you've gone and tracked it through the house..
spookygoddess78
Northland-ish
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I am genuinely surpirsed to find out that people in Columbus read 614 magazine. I always thought (I'm not sure why) that it was one of those advertising/entertainment booklets geared mostly towards out of towners looking for a bar or place to eat. You know, like something you find on a hotel night stand. As such, I'm not sure I'd hold them to the same standard of reporting as a NEWSpaper. I can't figure out why anyone would be concerned about the article but maybe there's a huge 614 following that I'm unaware of. Not to be insensitive, but the whole mock facebook thing sounds hysterical. In some way, I would think that the creation of a mock site could be seen as flattering. If someone spent enough time pondering my public persona and my political activism to make a facebook site that mocks it, i'd be pretty stoked and probably laugh my ass off. But that's just me - I'd view it as a sign of success in my community visibility and issue marketing. As far as the threats go, that seems dramatic. But, I'd be willing to bet that harsh words and elevated tempers on both sides have resulted in the ongoing BS. I doubt most folks who are visible enough to get made fun of by 'media', 'bloggers', etc..ever get a public apology of any kind so......
Columbuzz
Grandview
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@Aaron -
Unfortunately, it is true. But you are also absolutely correct, which is why I stated that not every vehicle does it. I never said reporters get squeezed or told what to do, nor have I called into question their particular ethics, but I have had *many* reps say they will get me into their editorial as part of committing $x of dollars. I have no idea how they intend to go about doing it, but that's what they say and makes me question fluff pieces about brand x, or restaurant y. Yes, I do buy ads. A lot of them. And you'd be shocked at how many operate like that (print AND broadcast), and it saddens me.
I did not want to start outing which ones do and which ones don't, so I won't respond to your post saying the big boys don't (but I will agree that they have too much to lose by doing so). Both you and Jon are also correct that magazines more often than not are the ones doing it.
But I do love the media that draw the line and separate paid/sponsors/editorial, of which Columbus certainly has.
@Jon - Agree about the "top ten" lists. I'd like to extend that to all "So-and-so"s top picks (similar idea), calendars/event listings, and family/fun/spring/summer/arts/bar/whatever guides. All of these exist not to inform readers of anything (because they don't pick it up, nor read them, anyhow), but to sell to businesses as a "you better be here because your competition is." I'm thinking about telling them, "your competition has the exact same guide coming out and better readership."
Columbuzz
Grandview
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claw71
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Columbuzz wrote >>
@Aaron -
Unfortunately, it is true. But you are also absolutely correct, which is why I stated that not every vehicle does it. I never said reporters get squeezed or told what to do, nor have I called into question their particular ethics, but I have had *many* reps say they will get me into their editorial as part of committing $x of dollars. I have no idea how they intend to go about doing it, but that's what they say and makes me question fluff pieces about brand x, or restaurant y. Yes, I do buy ads. A lot of them. And you'd be shocked at how many operate like that (print AND broadcast), and it saddens me.
I did not want to start outing which ones do and which ones don't, so I won't respond to your post saying the big boys don't (but I will agree that they have too much to lose by doing so). Both you and Jon are also correct that magazines more often than not are the ones doing it.
But I do love the media that draw the line and separate paid/sponsors/editorial, of which Columbus certainly has.
@Jon - Agree about the "top ten" lists. I'd like to extend that to all "So-and-so"s top picks (similar idea), calendars/event listings, and family/fun/spring/summer/arts/bar/whatever guides. All of these exist not to inform readers of anything (because they don't pick it up, nor read them, anyhow), but to sell to businesses as a "you better be here because your competition is." I'm thinking about telling them, "your competition has the exact same guide coming out and better readership."
As a freelance writer I can honestly say that I don't write advertorials. I don't represent 614 and I can't speak for other writers or the editorial staff but I've never been asked to write one. I'm not opposed to writing them, but asking a freelance writer (or even a staff writer) to do the advertising department's job is unfair.
my medium is dying
Bangs, ohio
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CMH Gourmand wrote >>
In my experience (as as an occasional freelance writer, this is where I lose any 2010 assignments) The Dispatch, 614 and The Other Paper struggle with what I consider to be journalism.
WOSU's All Sides with Ann Fisher did a good job of presenting all sides of the issue in two different shows. Anyone interested in finding information to make a fair decision on the casino question can go to the WOSU AM site and listen to these episodes.
614 is essentially an entertainment magazine so I would hold them to a lower standard....but the magazine should not present itself as anything other than what it is, entertainment.
Where is the Teet when we need her the most?
I am not Pro Casino in Columbus. I am neutral about gambling but it seems to me that if the majority of people in Franklin County voted not to have this in Columbus, that should be considered and listened to.
I would also add that in whatever format people follow - print, online, CU, etc. that people remain civil - trash talking an opponent only makes the messenger look like an ass and only sways those that are undecided, to support the side that is not acting like an ass.
why am i here? did someone just rouse me from maternity leave slumber?
aaron, you need to email eric with the names of Dispatch reporters they should be getting drunk soon.
casinos make well-respected newsmen do crazy things. and even ones who aren't, it seems.
my medium is dying
Bangs, ohio
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also, i would like to see those FB screenshots.
greenhouse1014
Columbus
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Aah, the Teet is back. All is right with the world.
catnfiddle
Giant Corncob District
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Missed you, lady! Hope you and yours are well. It's a nice respite from the grumblings in this thread.
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