A good photo trumps a good story

Image via Wikipedia

The big photo of a non-fatal gas explosion on the front of The Record of Woodland Park today wastes space that could have been devoted to news, but I guess there was no news. A good part of Local is devoted to the story, as well. It must have been what newsroom pros like head Assignment Editor Deirdre Sykes calls "a slow news day."

Years ago, when a similar, non-fatal explosion and the death of an elderly woman in a high-rise competed for Page 1, a photo of a leveled house won over the other story, because we didn't have a photo of the fire that killed her.

Gee, another A-1 story reports, Governor Christie is upset by the teachers union joke about his death. Lighten up, governor, literally and figuratively. You are the one responsible for your health, and you don't seem to be doing such a great job trying to ensure your own longevity.

You won't find any Hackensack, Englewood or Teaneck news in Local today, but L-2 carries a house ad congratulating The Record's staff for winning the general excellence award for the third year in a row in the New Jersey Press Association's 2009 Better Newspaper Contest. (Photo: Teaneck High School.)


As I told Publisher Stephen A. Borg in an e-mail on April 4, 2008 (one of those that led to my firing): "You won't be winning any awards for the way you treat older workers." That 2008 message was called inappropriate and unprofessional at the trial of my lawsuit.

Maybe we need a Better Newspaper Management contest.