Pulling the rug from under readers

Image by roboppy via Flickr

The Record recommends you ask for "lean ground beef" next time to you have a burger.

There is what, 20 to 30 inches of text packed with places, dates, names and quotes, plus a photo and map, so why is the lead story on Page 1 about a boxer that ran away headlined "a mystery"?

It's no mystery: Editor Francis Scandale was desperate to sell this dog of a story, in another sign news judgment is far from his strong suit

Another non-story

Governor Christie creates yet another task force, this one on nuclear safety in New Jersey, and the non-story is on A-1 -- while the real nuclear drama in Japan is shoved back to A-8.

Scandale plastered Page 1 with one doomsday scenario after another in the wake of the March 11 quake and tsunami, losing all credibility with readers.

Garden variety pol

Convicted felon and former state Sen. Joseph Coniglio and his rug command the front page for a third day in a row, but his release from a federal prison camp plays second fiddle to college basketball fans.

There's more pet news all over the front of head Assignment Editor Deirdre Sykes' Local section, but this time the dog didn't make it.

Details stolen

For yet another day, Hackensack residents will search for municipal news, only to find Hackensack reporter Monsy Alvarado seems to have traded in her assignment for a police reporter's hat, turning out two stories on L-3.

In the story about an arrest in Englewood, none of the burglarized stores are identified for local readers, as if Alvarado is writing about a far off place like Denver or Iraq.

Holier than thou

I wonder where a Weight Watchers leader requests "lean ground beef" when she eats a burger out -- the advice she gives readers in an F-1 story today on healthy portions?