KCRW Takes on News-Press Meltdown
"The Politics of Culture" Show Hosts Jerry Roberts, Lou Cannon, and Lowell Bergman on July 3
Monday, July 2, 2007
One year ago this week, the Santa Barbara News-Press began crumbling from the inside as editors and reporters resigned en masse due to concerns that the newspaper's owner Wendy McCaw and editorial page editor Travis Armstrong were interjecting personal opinions into the paper's news coverage. The meltdown - which would later include an overwhelming vote for unionization, mass firings, numerous public protests, and attract the attention of media-watchers worldwide - continues to this day: federal hearings over allegedly illegal firings and retaliatory tactics start next month, many reporters are still without paying jobs, and the newspaper remains a shadow of its former self, with a greatly diminished staff, a fractional amount of news coverage, and a dwindling readership and advertising base.
By Paul Wellman
So it's a good time for some fresh talk on the topic, which is why KCRW - the public radio station powered by Santa Monica College - is hosting the News-Press' former editor Jerry Roberts, esteemed writer Lou Cannon, and legendary broadcast journalist Lowell Bergman on "The Politics of Culture" show, July 3, from 2:30 to 3 p.m. Explained KCRW's publicity director and producer Sarah Spitz, "The role of the publisher in today's newspaper world has come under increased scrutiny and has brought into question the continued viability of the firewall separating news coverage from editorial opinion." Hosted by Ruth Seymour, KCRW's general manager, the show will focus on the situation at the News-Press and then discuss the influence of owners in editorial coverage in general. That may even lead to talking about the current move by Rupert Murdoch to buy the Wall Street Journal, but due to the caliber of guests, it's sure to be a lively discussion.
By Paul Wellman (file)
Lou Cannon speaks out on the News-Press at a rally in Sept. 2006
KCRW can be heard in Santa Barbara at 106.9 FM, or in Los Angeles at 89.9 FM. If you'd like to listen online, you can tune your Internet dial to KCRW.com and click on the "live" tab. Or you can also listen to it later by simply going straight to KCRW.com/poc.
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This is obviously libelous and defamatory for even thinking about these issues. They all are so biased.
KCRW needs to give up its FCC license and just cower in fear.
FirstDistrictStreetfighter (anonymous profile)
July 2, 2007 at 3:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So am I the only one who got to the line "However, on Monday afternoon, an attorney from Barry Cappello's office did contact the station," and assumed he had done so threatening legal action against KCRW?
George (George Yatchisin)
July 3, 2007 at 10:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's a real shame that Travisty lacks the cojones to sit side by side with Roberts, Cannon, and Bergman and discuss the News-Mess meltdown like a man.
Instead, everyone's favorite weasel will likely hide behind his computer and use his trademark Swiss-cheese logic to badmouth these three astute minds in his next editorial rant, without giving them the courtesy of a rebuttal.
And so we're left to imagine how much fun it would have been to hear the three real journalists battle wits with an unarmed opponent.
niceFLguy (anonymous profile)
July 3, 2007 at 10:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
FirstDistrictStreetfighter said:
"This is obviously libelous and defamatory for even thinking about these issues. They all are so biased."
Support this with citations or back off. I see nothing "obvious" about any of your claims.
"KCRW needs to give up its FCC license and just cower in fear."
That "cowering in fear" part appears to be what McCaw wants.
What I read is that KCRW is hosting a discussion of what is going on and how that is related to the other events in the news gathering world. Given the caliber of those slated to participate, why would the FCC care what is discussed? It is highly unlikely that it would become vulgar, crude, or pornographic, which is what the FCC is concerned with, not topic.
ntsqd (anonymous profile)
July 3, 2007 at 11:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wendy wrote a nastygram to Cannon published today:
http://www.newspress.com/npsite/comme...
I wonder why she things anyone takes her seriously when she makes judgements on journalistic issues.
pardallchewinggumspot (anonymous profile)
July 3, 2007 at 1:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ntsqb needs a major recalibration of his Sarcasm Detector
FirstDistrictStreetfighter (anonymous profile)
August 23, 2007 at 5:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)