Olympia Time

History, politics, people of Oly WA

Category: media (Page 3 of 3)

Please, answer me this newspaper/media question

September 9, 2008 / / 0 Comments

I read a lot about newspapers and the business of newspapers, but I hardly blog about it. Son of Ronald Roland reminded me that I had a thought to ask of people that read this particular blog.

Ok, recently we’ve seen an exodus of the “adult in the room” of the Washington press corp:

Dave Ammons and John Hughes to the Secretary of State’s office.

Robert Mak for City of Seattle.

David Seago for retirement.

David Postman to Vulcan.

Ralph Thomas to Katz Communications Group.

Given that Ives Galarcep, a ten year veteran reporter from a mid-sized east coast newspaper, can make the successful transition from his print job to a self-sustaining niche blog.

Also, given that Crosscut has a place in Seattle media world.

Ok, so here’s the question to answer:

Do you think after Postman, Ammons, Hughes, Thomas and Seago left their print jobs, and instead of going into the government and PR worlds, they started a group blog, that it would work out for them?

My answer in the comments.

Goldy gone (this is what our media ownership rules look like)

January 31, 2008 / / 0 Comments

In trying to show that he knows what the hell he’s talking about, Mark Gardner unwittingly uncovers the real story of Goldy being canned by KIRO:

…if he wants to stick with radio, he’ll find another job. It may be in another market. I’ll say it again: Eugene would be a perfect fit. Get some experience, temper the act, learn more about fairness. You can take strong positions, but you must be fair.

Actually, Eugene would be a shitty place for Goldy to find a new job in radio. Want to know why? Same reason he can’t find work in Seattle. Locally-owned radio stations are old hat and chained owned stations don’t hire local talkers.

The two stations in Eugene that have some similarity to KIRO, KUGN 590 and KPNW 1120, have exactly two locally-produced shows between them. That Eugene’s talk local radio scene is exactly two morning shows doesn’t exactly paint a pretty picture for Goldy someday landing a gig down there.

Of course, Mark wasn’t talking about the actual Eugene that exists in today’s media market reality, but rather the fantasy Eugene radio market that would exist with local ownership who cared about the communities they served.

Anyone remember the FCC hearings in Seattle a little while back? Back then, Goldy said this:

Meanwhile, over 251 audience members have already signed up for a two minute speaking slot — if everybody gets their turn we’ll be here for another eight hours! And of the dozens of concerned citizens who have already spoken, only one has argued in support of loosening ownership rules… my colleague and KTTH morning host, David Boze. (Talk about a brown nose. I sure hope that’s not what it takes to get ahead in today’s corporate-owned media, because if it is, I’m screwed.)

It wasn’t his stand on the FCC rules that got him fired, but if the rules had been different, he wouldn’t have been fired. Make sense?

Anyway, I wonder if this means a return of Podcasting Liberally. To be honest, I listened to that a lot more than I listened to his show on KIRO.

And, to make a suggestion like what Mark made above (but hopefully better informed): If Goldy likes to hear the sound of his own voice, then maybe get together with the barons of online media in Seattle, and do some sort of non-Podcasting Liberally podcast thing.

Where will Radio Open Source go?

June 27, 2007 / / 0 Comments

Until this morning, I don’t think I realized how much time I put into contributing to the conversation at ROS. Not as much as many, but it took a good chunk of my spare seconds on the internet.

Now that ROS is on hiatus (that doesn’t sound good and damn you unnamed brand-name media company), I’m wondering what the ultimate fate of the show will be. It doesn’t sound very experimental, but a radio show with a blog (or a blog with a radio show) but actively trolling the internet and the listeners of the show has been refreshing.

I wouldn’t listen to the show nearly everyday if it wasn’t for that. I feel involved in the show, like what I say matters, so I listen. That was the secret that Joe Trippi was writing about at the end of “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” that a project that actually listens to the people its focusing on (I wouldn’t say audience here) will succeed.

What I’m hoping is that ROS survives as a public radio show and a blog and podcast. I’m also hoping that other radio products take on the ROS way. Not just putting up a blog and lamely tending it, but stoking the fire of conversation there and on-air.

If there’s enough room in the world for The Sound of Young America and Jesse Thorn, there is enough room of Radio Open Source.

Seattle ruining it for the rest of us

December 29, 2006 / / 0 Comments

Oly School Board member Rich Nafziger makes a great point about how perception and reality are different, and can cause real harm to the rest of us (I’m about two months late on this post, by the way):

Between a horribly managed school board meeting where the Seattle School Board President allowed activists to hurl racist ephitats as the Superintendent and a gutless decision to back down on a well thought out strategy to down size schools to meet enrollments declines, came a major blow to efforts to increase public funding for education in Washington State.

The next day, the board’s incompetence led to the resignation of Seattle’s highly regarded superintendent, Raj Manhas. The board made no effort to encourage him to stay.

Seattle School may only make up 5% of the state’s 1,000,000 school children, but it’s influence on public perception goes way beyond its numbers. Every board meeting gets covered by Seattle TV, Radio and newspapers which reach nearly every television set, radio and porch step in the entire state. While news of local school board meetings in Belleveue, Lake Washington or Federal Way may carry by word of mouth or from student to parent, Seattle Schools get the big and regular coverage on the dinner time TV. And we are all paying the price.

It is true, whatever happens in Seattle is covered with more intensity than any other place. Had the Mardi Gras fiasco of a few years ago happened in Yakima or Bremerton, it would have been forgotten in a few weeks. But, with live tape from downtown Seattle, it kept us going for the better part of a year.

Most school boards operate professionally, without fuss and take the education of students seriously. But, since they don’t meet within blocks of Fischer Plaza, they don’t merit the same attention. Granted, Seattle is one of the largest school districts, but not larger than all the districts in Pierce County I’d bet.

Anyway, its still great to have a local elected official blogging.

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