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| Three top aides to Governor Christie are millionaires, as he is. |
A continuing problem with The Record is too many news stories that read like advertisements.
Recall the recent pieces on a high-powered lawyer and a woman who sells private jets -- both do or did business with the Borg family.
Recall the recent pieces on a high-powered lawyer and a woman who sells private jets -- both do or did business with the Borg family.
Now, an advertisement trumps cowardly Editor Francis Scandale and his weak Trenton reporting staff -- claiming that Governor Christie's net worth totals more than $3 million and three of his top aides are themselves millionaires.
The ad -- paid for by the New Jersey teachers union -- takes up all of Page A-22 today:
CHRISTIE'S
MILLIONAIRES
Governor Christie cut our schools, women's health care
and our public safety to give a tax break to millionaires.
After Christie vetoed a tax surcharge on millionaires passed by Democrats last May, the Woodland Park daily has tried its hardest to ignore discussion of the the levy, which could generate close to $1 billion.
I'm still waiting for The Record to name the many millionaires who contribute to Christie's war chest.
Mine your own business
On Page 1 today, the centerpiece is a sleep-inducing takeout on abandoned mines in North Jersey. The unmapped mines in Hackensack must be why no reporter has covered news here in weeks.
Christie is superb at managing the news, as he does in refusing to say anything more about defying the state Supreme Court, if the justices order him to send more aid to public schools (A-1 and A-4).
GPS moment
On A-2 today, Better Living apologizes for giving an incorrect address for a store it promoted. You can't get any sloppier than that, Features Director Barbara Jager.
On A-4, a news story notes Newark airfares are the highest in the nation. I don't recall seeing anything about that from globe-trotting Travel Editor Jill Schensul, who is more worried about the welfare of animals in Africa than of readers who travel.
Solar plexus
Look at that huge L-1 story about an Upper Saddle River church installing solar panels on its roof. What's all the fuss? It's far from a first, but sadly, this is what passes for municipal news from Staff Writer Evonne Coutros and head Assignment Editor Deirdre Sykes.
Also on L-1, Columnist Charles Stile comes down hard on Christie -- for a change -- for savaging Associate Justice Barry Albin, who questions why the Raging Bull refuses to tax millionaires to help fund education.
Another L-1 story reports the hiring of a new city manager in Englewood, where the old manager did little to fill empty storefronts or integrate the elementary and middle schools.
Lying to readers
Publisher Stephen A. Borg crows about The Record "retaining circulation," without telling readers the figures cited include the Herald News, which is called an "edition" of the bigger paper (L-8).
Since ABC rules have changed with the latest publishers statement, there are no comparable circulation figures.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what you are talking about.
ReplyDeleteThe Herald News circulation numbers have inflated The Record's circulation for several years, going back to at least 2006, when the younger Borg took over.
It's not only a disservice to readers, but it misrepresents The Record's reach to advertisers.
And, of course, circulation isn't the real measure of a paper's worth. It's advertising revenue, which we know nothing about.
ReplyDeleteOne example: Being able to count subscriptions that sell for as little as a penny are now counted as "paid."
ReplyDeleteThe ABC knows how its bread get buttered. If newspapers continue on their massive slide, who will pay ABC to audit their circulation? He even admits that ABC rule changes allow publishers to boost their circulation--as if he didn't take advantage of those changes himself.
Advertising? Just look at many pages are in the paper these days. And that's with them slashing their rates.
Could not believe my eyes. Stephen Borg is selling a book about photos of flooding in North Jersey? Where are the profits going? The ad doesn't mention anything about any charity, so we presume it's right into his pockets.
ReplyDeleteDoes he have the permission of those people to include them in his revolting project? Can you imagine seeing yourself in this book and knowing HE is getting the profits?
Is this the start of a "misery series?" We can only imagine what's next.
You should read the ABC rules if you are going to offer commentary on them.
ReplyDeleteEditioning is nothing new. Look at the FasFax for the Merc or the Sun Times and see how their circ climbed.
The Herald News has been an edition of The Record for t least a decade, you know, right?
Where did you see the ad for the flooding book, in The Record?
ReplyDeleteIt's still dishonest not to mention in a news story the circulations are combined.
ReplyDeleteReaders don't know any of this ABC mumbo-jumbo.
Stephen Borg has been pulling fast ones on readers since he took over and looted the company to buy a McMansion in Tenafly.
I think the ad was in Sunday's Opinion section, but I threw it out.
ReplyDeleteIn last week's paper and in the 4/27 blog here:
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/readerrewards/comments/collectors_item_north_jerseys_will_to_overcome/
It does now say a portion will go to the Red Cross. Exactly what portion is going to the Red Cross and how much to NJMG?
Never mind that...how much money is still in the Disaster Relief Fund after ten years??
ReplyDeleteI called the Red Cross twice today, but on my second attempt was told to call the publisher to find out how much the agency gets from sale of the NJMG flood-picture book.
ReplyDeleteI didn't identify myself or the blog. The woman said the phones were "just crazy today," but she did talk to her CEO and relayed the message to me.
Disaster relief fund? Is that a reference to the NJMG fund set up after 9/11?