More really sloppy journalism

Image by Topdog1 via Flickr

Fall in Englewood, where Malcolm A. Borg sent son Stephen to private school.

The elaborate graphic on Page 1 of The Record of Woodland Park today and all that text is old news to homeowners.  

I received my new, higher property tax bill from the city of Hackensack more than two months ago. But Staff Writers Shawn Boburg and Dave Sheingold shed no light on why my tax hike is higher than the average 4.1 percent cited in the second paragraph.

And the tense used -- "tax bills will rise" -- seems wrong; I made a quarterly payment on Nov. 1.

The story is not accompanied by commentary on the Editorial Page, long an apologist for Governor Christie, whose deep state-aid cuts forced two of the poorest cities -- Paterson and Passaic -- to raise taxes 9.7 percent and 12.4 percent, respectively.

Why do Editor Francis Scandale and head Assignment Editor Deirdre Sykes lead A-1 with an inside-politics, back-rooms redrawing of legislative district boundaries when they had a terrific story on the mayor of West Milford, a maverick Republican turned Democrat, and why bury that story on the last page of the Local section?

Cheating at journalism

On the front of Local, one of Sykes' pets, commuting Columnist John Cichowski, is positively foaming at the mouth over the $14 million lost to toll cheats and how little is done to recover the money. But what about his own cheating ways as a journalist -- such as Friday's elaborate, Page 1 coverage of a ride program for elderly drivers that isn't even available in North Jersey?

Why is proposed statewide gambling legislation the lead story on the front of Local? Weren't stories filed by the Hackensack, Teaneck or Englewood reporters? The Ridgewood reporter? The Westwood reporter?

Shocking errors


An innocent-looking photo of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt with a caption on L-2 is filled with errors. The Volt isn't an "electric car," it's a plug-in hybrid with an electric motor and an internal-combustion engine that requires premium fuel. It can travel up to 40 miles without gasoline, not "up to 350 miles." Finally, you have to pay the full price ($41,000 MSRP) before you can apply for the tax credit. Where is the news copy desk -- asleep?

Keeping bargains secret

Shame on Your Money's Worth Columnist Kevin DeMarrais, who moans and groans about his seats being switched on various flights (B-1), but jealously guards the identity of the consolidator that landed him "a deeply discounted fare." Is he afraid readers might beat him to such bargains?

You might wonder why such travel consumer pieces don't appear in Editor Jill Schensul's Travel section, which today has another whole page of photos of readers on vacation. 

Is it that blacks and Hispanics don't travel outside of North Jersey or don't read or care to see their photos in The Record, with its white editors; white, fat-cat owners; mostly white newsroom and mostly white news coverage?

Readers are left with crumbs

Don't look for local food coverage in Better Living today. Restaurant Columnist Elisa Ung -- who writes "The Corner Table" on Sundays -- is supposed to represent the voice of the customer, but she long ago ran out of ideas and instead often promotes chefs and owners. 

Today, the dessert-obsessed restaurant reviewer's column previews the newspaper's turd-annual holiday cookie contest, and salivates over past winning cookies she undoubtedly glommed, as well as casting her hungry eyes on this year's anticipated entries.

On the front of Opinion today, tongue-tied Mike Kelly hangs an entire column on a brief cellphone conversation with Joe Ferriero, the deposed Democratic Party boss of Bergen County. Six days after the election, he reports "old-line Democratic lefties" chose Republican Kathleen Donovan for county executive over the Democratic incumbent.


"Lefties"? He must be auditioning for a slot on Fox.

Another snow job

Check out free-lancer Violet Snow's rosy profile of Englewood in the Real Estate section (R-4), which was started by Publisher Stephen A. Borg, who went to a private high school in that multicultural city, where whites, blacks and Hispanics live in their own neighborhoods. 

The story avoids any description of the public schools -- which have fewer white students today than when Malcolm A. Borg first moved there. Jennifer A. Borg went to boarding school. His two Tarnished Silver Spoons now run North Jersey Media Group.

Is it coincidence that one of the three homes shown is on Walnut Street, where the elder Borg lives and where he opposed the expansion of an Orthodox Jewish congregation on his block? The Victorian in the photo is listed at $3.75 million.