Abqjournal Letter to the Editor
News Is What Sells Newspapers

ACCORDING TO the Journal, the article that was deemed most important of the day was who Phil Maloof is hanging out with in Hollywood. This, by virtue of placing it above the fold on the front page of the newspaper.

Some people call this kind of story and the prominence it’s given “new journalism.” The term is usually reserved for local TV broadcast news, which tries to come up with new and sensational stories for every broadcast.

For a newspaper to pander to this kind of meaningless “story” is weak and pathetic. The Journal may have seen some survey somewhere that tells you stories like this sell newspapers and that it’s the kind of blather that people want to read. Don’t be too sure.

DAMON SCOTT
Albuquerque

ABQjournal: Google Leaves Little Wiggle Room By Jim Belshaw
Of the Journal

[Y]ou’ll find not only the audio recording of Limbaugh mocking Fox’s debilitating disease, but you’ll find a video of him, too.

He sits in his studio, arms raised above his head, swaying back and forth, physically mocking Michael J. Fox’s disease while dumping aspersions on the actor’s motives.

In addition to being despicable, it turns out that Rushbo was wrong about everything he was saying, too— wrong about Fox’s medication, wrong about Fox’s “acting”— wrong about everything.

The Internet is a good place to watch gasbags like Rush Limbaugh and reflect on how they ever rose to prominence in the first place.

It’s a mystery to me. How did a draft-dodging, thrice-divorced drug abuser become a champion of American “values”?
– – –

Today, Parade reports Lush is the top grossing radio jackass with over 13 million listeners. Who are these fools?

Maybe I just have unreasonable expectations of the Albuquerque Journal. Perhaps I misunderstand notions like “paper of record” or “above the fold.” It may well be that I don’t appreciate the terrible pressure newspapers are under to give the people what they want and to compete with all the media choices at hand.

Still, I am shocked and disappointed to find on the front page, above the fold, an ad, er, “article” on a new department store in town. An “article” that gushes about “the most anticipated retail outlet to hit Albuquerque in years.” (I know I’ve had trouble sleeping — I thought it had to do with the shifting balance of political power, the clash of radical religious fanatics and the destruction of the world by us all.) But, of course, “You have probably already heard and seen … ads— a year’s worth. You may have wondered where the stores were. And you may have been flush with anticipation, just as you were supposed to be.” “One Journal reader has called the newspaper regularly for an opening date.” (Every village has an idiot.)

I do, actually, appreciate that people have to shop and we all want affordable choices. I have no gripes with the shoppers at this store, nor its employees. Anymore than I have a gripe with the readers of the Journal or most of its employees. My gripe is with the editors who see this as one of the most important stories of the day in all of New Mexico. If that’s true, we are almost beyond hope. mjh

PS: Barely a week has passed since my last swipe at the Journal’s front page editor(s) (mjh’s blog — Saguaro-gate). I risk harping my one note and further alienating 25% of my readership (I hope you weren’t the one calling the Journal regularly!). For what it’s worth, in the last week, I held my tongue when the great dilemma facing high school team mascots dominated the front page.

ABQjournal: [deleted] Plans to Bring a Fresh Look to Albuquerque’s Retail Market By Susan Stiger

Thank goodness the Albuquerque Journal is on top of Saguaro-gate. In a front page, above-the-fold article, the top news of the day is the criminal misuse of saguaros in a political ad that points out Heather Wilson’s close alignment with Duhbya. I note there was no argument about the facts in the ad, just the graphical error.

Will the Journal be exposing the shocking fact that major advertiser, American Homeland Furnishings, sold coyotes wearing bandannas, something never seen in the wild?

If you want the finest PR unlimited funds can buy, vote Republican. If you are tired of the same-old fear tactics, stay-the-course and admit no errors, vote Democratic. mjh

ABQjournal: Anti-Wilson Ad Poses Prickly ProblemBy Jeff Jones, Journal Politics Writer
Copyright © 2006 Albuquerque Journal

Democrats have unintentionally revived a prickly topic with a new TV pitch targeting Republican Rep. Heather Wilson.

Their high-dollar ad in New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District features dozens of saguaro cactuses, which don’t grow in New Mexico and have long been a thorn in the side of New Mexico purists who know better.

[mjh: This is the most emailed article on abqjoural.com today. Sigh. We get what we deserve.]

Bloggers have taken over The Line (KNME, Fridays, 7pm). Which should remind us all that talking and writing are not the same skills, though if anyone obscures the difference, it’s bloggers.

The ousted/retired creator of The Line, Steve Lawrence, disdained bloggers. New host, Gene Grant, is one.

Last Friday, every panelist but, um, uh, Professor Margret Montoya, was a local blogger. Scot Key, who teaches the 3 S’s in Albuquerque, joined Montoya’s side, opposed by Whitney Cheshire and Mario Burgos.

Burgos brags that Cheshire said, “Geez, you almost make me look like a Democrat.” That’s because she knew saying, “You make me seem almost reasonable,” wasn’t a big enough insult.

On the other hand, it’s harder to get furious with Mario Burgos looking at his cherubic face than reading his text.

At one point, Mario admitted sounding like a broken record in response to a question on public transportation downtown: if it were feasible, somebody would be providing public transportation already. Let the infinitely wise market decide for us! Consider the hilarious implication that everything that is profitable already has a supplier (bad news for future entrepreneurs and start-ups). Or does Mario mean we just need to be patient? Do nothing until someone sees a way to get rich doing it. Garbage would pile up in the street in the meantime.

Thank the creator that market-worship wasn’t the attitude of the Founders. Or does Mario believe corporations would have written the Constitution given enough time (after all, they’re re-writing it as fast as their pawns can — there’s a mutually profitable venture). But maybe Mario has a point: corporate devotion is politically profitable. Suggesting that all of us pay our fair share for the good of the community is much less profitable. mjh

I had noticed Steve Lawrence is out at The Line, KNME’s Friday night New Mexican round-table discussion, but I hadn’t seen the show since before our two week camping trip.

Gene Grant has taken over duties as host and that is an improvement over Lawrence (who must be having a bad year with the end of Crosswinds and losing his show).

There have been other changes that may be Gene’s influence. The overly simple inter-segment title cards have been replaced by a flat panel monitor behind Gene — a little more TV-ish, alá NOW. In the final minutes, there is a timer on screen to indicate there is only a minute of discussion of some topics. While I think that’s a bad idea in many respects, it does reassure the attention-deficit that we’ll be moving on real soon (and gives them something to watch in the meantime). At the least, it shows concern for keeping things moving. And there’s a teaser to get people to go to the online forum.

I still have mixed feelings about Margaret Montoya. I appreciate her perspective, I just can’t stand all those uh’s — UNM has several ToastMasters groups, Professor Montoya.

In spite of myself, I may warm to Whitney Cheshire, a very New Mexican conservative, which is to say non-fire-breathing (though, one must recall Dimdahl is a native New Mexican). She conveys a sense of “this is what Republicans think, but I know you don’t care, so that’s OK.” More mellow, less bellow than we’ve come to expect of the Right.

And, in a more enlightened age, this would not matter, but it was great to see 3 women, 2 men; 3 minorities, 2 Anglos; and not a middle-aged white guy in the bunch. I hear what middle-aged white guys think every time I open my mouth — I don’t need to hear more of that. (Well, I’m in the minority within the majority, but my cohort has held the stage long enough.) mjh