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| Image via Wikipedia The Record ran an OpEd column by former Gov. Christie Whitman, but editors don't think much of her idea for a bipartisan presidential ticket. The story is on A-3 today. |
Starting on Page 1 of The Record today, more than 80 inches of text, headlines and a photo are devoted to a subject few readers care about: the future of The Valley Hospital.
Did Publisher Stephen A. Borg -- a member of the President's Council at the Ridgewood hospital -- have anything to do with this extensive "analysis" -- just the latest in a seemingly endless stream of stories in recent years?
The President's Council is a group of community and business leaders who "learn about the work" of the hospital and serve "as liaisons to The Valley Hospital community," according to the hospital Web site.
Of course, Borg's affiliation is not mentioned in today's extensive coverage nor has it ever been mentioned in previous stories.
Cain wasn't able
Another non-story dominates Interim Editor Doug Clancy's front page today: Herman Cain suspending his bid for the Republican presidential nomination.
Did the media or anybody else really believe that after demonizing Barack Obama, Republicans and their rabid Tea Party faction were going to elect a black man as their president, even if his last name didn't recall Cain and Abel?
A more significant political story is on A-3, and it should have been played out front, in place of the anticlimactic Cain story: former Republican Gov. Christie Whitman's effort to put together a "bipartisan" presidential ticket.
More jock-strap news
A photo at the bottom of A-1 shows a group of stoned Wayne Hills High School students -- referred to in the photo caption as part of "a thinned but enthusiastic cadre of fans" -- at the football game missing the nine thuggish jerk-offs who were suspended after being charged with aggravated assault.
Despite extensive Page 1 coverage in recent weeks, The Record hasn't provided any real details of the assault allegations or explained whether the rivalry between Wayne Hills and Wayne Valley High School goes beyond football.
Any reader who can fathom the front-page story on police consolidation should get a year's subscription free (A-1).
Same old, same old
On the front of head Assignment Editor Deirdre Sykes' Local section, readers find another deeply flawed Road Warrior column, this one based on a 42-year-old accident (L-1).
John Cichowski is relying more and more on e-mail from readers to determine what he writes about.
Does the reporter have any original ideas left? Isn't commuting supposed to be his beat? Will he ever leave the office to report a story? Do readers get off seeing their names in print among all of Cichowski's drivel and misinformation?
The section contains no Hackensack or Teaneck news or anything from many other communities.
Industry oriented
In Business, Staff Writer Hugh R. Morley does a good job of reporting the controversy over low-priced Chinese solar panels flooding the market and the drastically lower value of credits solar panel owners sell to utilities (B-1).
But the story could have been more consumer friendly, if he included information on loans that allow homeowners to install solar panels with little out-of-pocket expense, and the Dec. 31 deadline for such a program at Public Service Electric and Gas Co.
Stomach turning
In Better Living, Restaurant Reviewer Elisa Ung's Sunday column promotes new owners of the once-bankrupt Charley Brown's chain (B-1).
They've expanded their mystery meat menu to overcooked farmed salmon; a bizarre fish taco, made with melted cheese, iceberg lettuce and a hard taco shell inside a soft tortilla; and an antibiotic-packed pork loin. Yuck.
In Opinion, I guess Columnist Mike Kelley is telling readers he doesn't eat meat or wouldn't his column condemning the bear hunt be hypocritical (O-1)?
Related posts
If you send an email to John Cichowski asking him a question, you get on his email list. He periodically asks readers for information about something he's working on. Usually the subject line of the email is "The Road Warrior Needs Your Help." So, being the nice person that I am, I used to give him some feedback. Until one time he decided to get real cute in his column and he skewered anyone who had an opinion different than his. He referred to me in some snarky manner, so I wrote him back and told him basically to go f*&k himself and never bother me again. I never read him anymore or Kelly. I get the paper on Thursday and Sunday for the coupons. I hope this new editor is better.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, for pure chutzpah, no one beats Mel Fabrikant of the Paramus Post. This hack takes press releases verbatim and slaps his byline on it. I've seen my press releases and those of my colleagues ripped off by this lazy SOB. And in his guidelines, he admonishes people who submit releases to write in the third person. This saves him the time of actually having to do any work.
Thanks for your comment.
ReplyDeleteThat's pathetic about Cichowski, but it's well-known how much he relies on reader e-mails, rather than get off his ass and do legwork.