Screwing readers -- again

Image via Wikipedia

Desperate editors of The Record of Woodland Park were in luck yesterday, when Fire Departments in Hackensack, Teaneck and Englewood responded to the same house fire. That allows them to point to a photo on L-3 today as evidence the former Haclensack daily covers its core Bergen towns.


Of course, the truth is the editors have screwed readers in those communities once again -- with the tacit approval of Publisher Stephen A. Borg. 

Oh. I forgot to give the editors credit for two-day-old news: a bee swarm at Main and Anderson streets in Hackenaack. And, of course, the Hackensack reporter has written yet another story about suspended Police Chief Ken Zisa, this one about his cashing in unused sick days. 


But, hey, Deirdre Sykes, you're the head assignment editor directing this crappy coverage, so shouldn't Staff Writer Monsy Alvarado be telling readers whether Zisa will need that $53,000 for legal fees -- or will city taxpayers be the ones stuck with his legal bills? Or, maybe, she can report on details of the proposed city budget and tax hike before they are approved by the City Council.


Page 1 today -- for the second day in a row -- is covered by the continuing youth baseball series and by far more information about two would-be terrorists from North Jersey than most readers are looking for. 

Why does The Record and the rest of the media write so much about these terror suspects, especially when compared to how much they write about the Americans they kill? And why isn't there any background on how the 9/11 suicide bombers lived in Paterson?

One of the biggest stories of the day-- teachers getting a reprieve from Governor Christie's proposed pension and benefit changes -- is given little front-page space. No op-ed page appears today.

In Better Living, food coverage is limited to the stripped down 15-Minute Chef, with a recipe for tilapia. When there is so much wild fish available in North Jersey, why does Food Editor Bill Pitcher promote a farmed variety that is likely to contain antibiotics and other harmful additives? 

(Photo: Hackensack River, seen from Teaneck.)