The Morning Call yesterday reported that two independents have qualified for the mayoral ballot. In addition to reporting their names and backgrounds, they included a photograph of both. In 2005, although I was the first independent to run in two decades, they never once published my photograph throughout the entire campaign. They also excluded me from their sponsored debate with Muhlenberg College, televised by WFMZ. Every day for two weeks they ran a quarter page photograph of both Pawlowski and Heydt in the paper, promoting the debate. I mention this inequity as a prelude to my thoughts about blogging.
My exchange with a reporter abruptly ended when I mentioned a former reporter who covered the 2005 campaign, and his bias for Pawlowski. The former reporter was not only Pawlowski's first supporter, but ended up being the last person hired by Mike Fleck, before he flew the coop. The current reporter has remained friends with this guy, and apparently demonstrated his loyalty by ending our dialogue. A feud with a local blogger also involved loyalty. He claimed that I was being disloyal, when I scoffed at a disclaimer he made.
Loyalty to me is something you give to your significant other and your country. It's not something which should extend to journalism, especially in the political arena. That's how you end up with a mayor running for his fourth term under indictment.
Mike,
ReplyDeleteThat guy and others(op-ed page editor for one) acted as wing men for Ed Pawlowsky. I posted something along the lines of "A Mighty Fortress Is Our Ed" on the Yahoo group page that addressed Allentown issues.The coverage was that glowing. A retired reporter who I had been friends with through out several civic endeavors publicly suggested I needed medication because I dared not share in their devotion to Ed. Another example was a reporter from 69NEWS(still there) who answered my complaint about something Ed was doing with"Ed Pawlowski says you are a partisan so why should I listen to you". That was a wake up call, all Ed had to do was follow in Roy's footsteps and label critics who happened to be Republicans as partisans and the media would immediately stop listening. They did and still do. I could go on.
Long story short Mike, such loyalties and/or allegiances are never appropriate for anyone in the media. That said, no one but us seems to understand that anymore.
WFMZ TV is still following the old playbook Aa nearly as I can tell. I note that they haven't even hired a full time replacement for Randy Craft, who is retired lo these many months.
ReplyDeleteEmily Opilo does outstanding work but she's just one person. With the Morning Call the risk is alwata that they'll assign you to the Outer Mongolia desk if you do too well at biting the hand that feeds you. I hope that never happens to Emily.
robert@2:33, allow me to correct my post. the debate from which I was excluded was the morning call/muhlenberg debate, which was televised. I was included in a separate debate by WFMZ.
ReplyDeletei agree that emily opilo does an outstanding job.
@3:22 Yup, *HUGE* admiration for Ms. Opilo's skills, integrity, and complete lack of bias. Edward R. Murrow and Ernie Pyle are looking down from heaven admiringly.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking for flying the coop, I hear Matt Assad is no longer with the Morning Call. Ironic how so many of the 'don't trust the PR guy' media types run to the first PR job they can find.
ReplyDeletejosh@11:13, as i reported in wednesday's post, the sendoff was attended by both the morning call staff and j.b. reilly. at this point i do not know where assad is going.
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