Santa Barbara Star Free-Press

News from San Diego, about one of the SBNP's old publishers...

2006-10-25T10:14:00.000-07:00

And potential execs who want to buy that paper, just like SoCal types want the LAT.

Rather than think of the paper as a dying dinosaur, think of it as something coveted?

That's right, we said COVETED!

Retro has it...covered.

Matt Welch and Opinion L.A. (click me & go)

2006-10-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

Tons of comments pro and con on the big redesign here, plus...more!

Retro is fresh, and so appeals to the twentysomething set who haven't seen it yet in newsprint. That's why it's a good move, although purists in the comments area here think it's too tabloid.

Our only quibble was yesterday's very thin Helvetica below the fold on the Shards of Agony piece. Too light! Almost lost it...

There is a fine line between the splashy moderne look of many fonts inc. and different fonts that mesh well. The helvetica was great on Sunday's A1 for the skyboxes, in color.

And now to read my paper, the Los Angeles Times!

(after some Boston Globe gossip...next up)

SB Daily Sound's charming new MASTHEAD! click me and go...

2006-10-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

Craig Smith tipped us and we just had to see. What a cutie-pie of a 1930's masthead it is, too. Parfait! Craig has links to a recent piece on them by the SF Chronicle too.

Read that here:
Click and go...

and follow his quest to find the perfect Irish Coffee in town...

Betcha the fab barteneder at Alcazar (down the street from The Daily Sound) knows how to conjure one...if it's anything like those Mojitos she does...look out!

Congrats Daily Sound -- looks fab!

Meanwhile you can check out what people are saying about the Los Angeles Times' new look over at Matt Welch's place, next up.

LAT goes retro, but of course...!

2006-10-23T12:08:00.000-07:00

Well done, we say, on those cap heds. So very, very, turn o' the century. And even the rules are in color now.

The half rules are a bit odd, though? for the subheds and bylines. Sunday looked a lot better, (thank heavens) than we thought it was going to. All that color bounced the eye in fab ways. But, that ad on the front of Calendar? Bad move. There are other ways to get close to Hollywood like you did inside.

And, the masthead seemed larger, even.

Monday's editorial page was interesting. Of course, some people may need to understand what editorial pages are for. Like say, the fool editor up here.

You are so fab LAT.

Come north.

Please?

All you have to do is take a look at the dwindling page count and advertising, and it could be yours, this whole territory. Yours!

That new house ad looks much better in the colored version too.

Suggest a possible color hed at bottom of monday's A-1? Or another bolded sans serif hed to be even more daring.

You rule!

Sunday was a coup. The boxes didn't detract.

Center the half rules? that new folio on the front is great too.

So, our weekly weighed in at 238 pages...Not too shabby, no. Very fab for them at The Independent.

Fab job, LAT.

VOTE YES ON 87! for clean energy...

2006-10-17T10:34:00.000-07:00

www.yeson87.com

FAB news! LA Times ad overheard on KTYD, for WEST mag...

2006-10-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

And a fab WEST mag it was. Now bring back the OUTDOORS sec! It was huge up here. The Star is so glad to see the Times coming to our market. It's HUGE up here for you in terms of readership and boom demographics, and given the piece in WEST you can see that North County is stretching up Paso Robles way as well.

We need a newspaper up here, instead of the pithy, useless unethical rag we have.

KTYD is the place for your spots, LAT.

By now, most all have heard of the lawsuit filed against the SBNP by former employees regarding their working conditions. How disgusting in this day and age to think one can run a paper like some kind of Dark Age citadel.

One might ask of Mr. Alcorn after reading his editorial "Why would god do something like that?" -- Why would you, as CFO, do something like that to your employees? Or perhaps one might ask the same of Ms. Apodaca. If they have violated the law with their practices, we trust Mr. Anticouni to sort it all out in the courts.

Basically, in Santa Barbara -- we need you LA Times, because you are a newspaper, and not a standing joke.

Robert Smaus...(our fav! for years)...in the LAT

2006-10-10T22:30:00.000-07:00

This man has probably done more for SoCal gardening than anyone. Plus his books are fab. We bought them when the LA Times published them, and treasure them still.

Now, last Thursday he had a piece in about fall bulbs. Nice section by the way...overall. Perhaps you might want to consider expanding the Food and Home Secs and pumping up the goodwill/Human Interest?

We love the Times when it runs that stuff. Important! It balances the pain and bleakness?

But you NEED great writers like Mr. Smaus to do it.

He was your best?

Go back in the biz of selling related books? It was an inspired idea!

Maybe Russ Parsons?

We'd buy it.

The NP published "Headlines" once. You could do it too, for LAT?

We love you, Los Angeles Times. And we are holding our breath up here, for all of you.

Lastly, Chicagoist weighs in on LA Times here:

2006-10-10T22:24:00.000-07:00

Mighty sad times overall, for newspapers. But, it doesn't have to be. If the balance tips too far in one direction, the pendulumn swings back.

http://www.chicagoist.com/archives/2006/10/07/tribune_company_sacrifices_a_few_fora_few.php

Contra Costa Times on MediaNews trial here:

2006-10-10T22:20:00.000-07:00

This has to do with papers in the Bay Area, but relates to us too.

Santa Barbara could use an FCC hearing too. Huh?

click title or cut and paste this link:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/local/states/california/15525268.htm

File under Media Ownership...from Chron.com

2006-10-10T22:17:00.000-07:00

Don't miss this one if you are interested in Media monopolies and the FCC.

link:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4235660.html

(or try red title and click it!)

Catch the Toronto Star here:

2006-10-10T22:08:00.000-07:00

L.A. Times' defining moment

Oct. 10, 2006. 07:35 AM

DAVID OLIVE
BUSINESS COLUMNIST

click title or link:

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1160430612095&call_pageid=968350072197&col=969048863851

Don't miss what London is saying...

2006-10-10T22:02:00.000-07:00

LA story of greed and sackings

Peter Preston
Sunday October 8, 2006
The Observer

old fashioned link:

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,,1890012,00.html

USC Annenberg -- Online Journalism here:

2006-10-10T21:56:00.000-07:00

Don't miss this read...

Put up or shut up: Newspapers aren't the only forum for great journalism

Commentary: Some critics want to buy the Los Angeles Times from Tribune to protect the quality of local journalism. But there's another way to do that.

By Robert Niles
Posted: 2006-10-09

(Click the red title and go)

All quiet on the Western front lines, sort of...

2006-10-10T21:54:00.000-07:00

Hey! we got a mention by the fab roving journo Matt Welch, thankee, Matt and hope you do weigh in soon with a big fat piece on all sorts of things about the situation up here, down there and overall.

Read Craig Smith today, and see how to lose your last shred of dignity in Santa Barbara, blondly.

Read me & weep

Oh, brother.

Next up, USC weighs in on newspapers of the future... (Thanks to Kevin Roderick's LAObserved this morning for tipping us off) He's already got this going on, by the way, fabulously, over at LAOBserved. Don't miss it.

Let's face facts about the Newspaper Industry...

2006-10-07T14:27:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has worked in the industry over the last 20 years or so knows what happened during the late 80's as we had everyone scrambling to deal with all the new technology on the market, what systems to choose, which presses to buy, etc.

It was expensive.

Now that cost is coming due.

But don't make the mistake of thinking you can keep on cutting the human element out, because for one thing content will suffer and then you will lose your reputation and brand.

Instead, capitalize on the fact you are a newspaper. And get back into the biz of being a newspaper. The Los Angeles Times does this very well already. Increasing the writing/graphic content is only going to make things better and bigger aka circulation. The web is an adjunct for the 20-something set. First you have to teach them how to read, though, and you will do this by hooking them electronically with all the splashy, graphic stuff they are used to.

Staff morale at papers has been in the dumps since the 80's. It's a fear factor kind of thing where too many managers have spoiled the broth, and too many incompetent HR directors didn't give a flying f*ck. It used to be so all about team building didn't it? All those meetings, except, usually the managers were less smart than the workers themselves, and teams weren't ever actually built, were they? Remember those stupid posters that were all about striving for excellence that had dolphins and skiers standing in as corporate...right. You know what I'm talking about, and if you don't, they can be found here, courtesy of Allposters.com

(read motivational posters)

Salaries got very inflated for middle managers who were always talking poormouth about why nobody beneath them deserved a raise. Then you had the horror stories about goings on elsewhere as the media conglomerates were buying up newspaper chains by the score. And fear, absolutely. And then layoffs which were done in a terribly cruel fashion and only made the industry sadder, not prouder.

This has ruled the whole newspaper industry for the last 20 years.

And now, the bill has come due. So this is what the publishers like Mr. David Hiller are facing. The corporate parent wants to know where the money is. Well? Why did you listen to all the BS from the suits who wanted to look good and made you spend so many bazillions on all their tech-y stuff in the first place? The programs were dumb, huh? I won't name names but it rhymes with Bad Seed, or Sage Seed, which it wasn't.

Don't make the publishers hang for the fiscal mistakes, just make them understand by listening to and working with the staff.

It's time to repair the damage done to employee MORALE, newspaper by newspaper.

Your staff is the GOLDMINE.

As far as we are concerned The Los Angeles Times is the best o' the West along with San Fran.

Don't blow it out here. And, under Mr. Jeff Johnson we LOVED what the paper has done. You appeal to the sophisticated demographic here in Santa Barbara.

The Times should bring him back as an advisor. If he'd consider it, at this point. '

You really don't want a Santa Barbara-style fiasco on the venerable LAT's hands.

Doc Searls has a piece up here from Linux Journal

2006-10-07T11:12:00.000-07:00

He has fab ideas regarding a concept he has called "River of News" for coverage of disasters, and makes strong points about the recent lack of any significant local coverage of The Day Fire.

Read an excerpt here, and click red title above for the whole piece...

Let's do for news what we did for software

By Doc Searls on Sat, 2006-10-07 09:34.

There have always been problems with distributing urgent public safety information. These problems show up, over and over, with every hurricane, tornado, flood and wildfire. At this moment in history, problems fall in three areas of responsibility (and, for that matter, responsiveness):

The old official channels (radio, TV, newspapers) are scaling back on live news coverage (or on news coverage, period)
The new official channels (web sites and services, "reverse 911") are still, as we've been saying since 1995, "under construction".
The new unofficial channels (cell phones, blogs, RSS feeds, phone trees) are still no substitute for the Real Thing, whatever it will become.

Lately I've been thinking about some simple hacks we can do in #3 that will give some needed assistance to #s 1 and 2 as well.

What got me thinking was the Day Fire, which lasted almost a month. What began as a trash fire ended as the 5th largest wildfire in California history. By the time it was contained early this week, the Day Fire covered 162,702 acres , or about 250 square miles — a total that exceeds the dimensions of Chicago. In the middle of its last week, the Day Fire was fought by nearly five thousand people, armed with 226 engines, 45 'dozers, 41 water tenders, 28 helicopters, 9 helitankers and more than 10 air tankers. Its cost so far have exceeded $70 million. As of yesterday (October 6), 831 personnel remain assigned to the fire. (Although it's contained, the fire is not yet out.)

Yet news coverage of the Day Fire was notably minimal — even as rivers of dark smoke flowed over the heads of millions, and ash fell like snow. Why?

Ken Reich's take, from "Take Back the Times" here...

2006-10-07T10:55:00.000-07:00

Here is Mr. Reich's bio...

Ken Reich worked for the L.A. Times for 39 years, retiring in June, 2004. Before The Times, he worked for Life magazine, United Press International and the Riverside Press-Enterprise. He graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College in 1960 and received an M.A. in political science from UC Berkeley in 1962. While at The Times, Ken covered the Presidential campaigns of Eugene McCarthy, George Wallace, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, was the paper's Southern correspondent in 1970-72, served briefly as Op-Ed Page Editor, was the lead writer on the preparations for the 1984 Olympics, covered insurance and the law, for three years wrote a Consumer Column, and covered earthquakes and volcanoes off and on for 25 years.

His blog will be keeping a close watch on events to the south, we imagine. He represents the esteemed generation of journalists like Mr. Vanocur and Mr. Cannon who were so very present during all the rallys for the Santa Barbara News-Press journalists of late.

To read more about Mr. Cannon and Mr. Vanocur there is an interview here, from Pacific Coast Business Times HERE

Or here is the link:

http://www.pacbiztimes.com/index.cfm?go2=articles/wk_100606a

Two L.A. journalists take on "PublisherSwap" at LAT

2006-10-07T10:31:00.000-07:00

First Nikki Finke from "Deadline Hollywood.com" -- she's pulls no punches and is like a female version of the Independent's Nick Welsh.HERE

We loved this, but she has a VERY impressive list of credentials too...

"Dow Jones' MarketWatch headlined a recent profile on her, "In-your-face Finke keeps Hollywood honest: Nobody writes tougher stuff than this LA Weekly scribe." The article said "Finke is a rarity at a time when many entertainment writers are either too awed, ill-informed or lazy to do serious reporting on Tinseltown. In fact, no writer relishes taking the rich and famous down a peg as much as this LA Weekly print columnist/Web journalist."

Click the red title above and go over to an interesting read about our new LAT publisher to the south...this news ought to raise and eyebrow or two up here in Santa Barbara.

Next up, Ken Reich, an LAT retiree, equally impressive bio -- for his take on Mr. Hiller out of Chicago.

The Los Angeles Times loses a BRAVE HEART in Jeff Johnson

2006-10-06T10:10:00.000-07:00

All over the web last night was the news. Mr. Jeff Johnson, the publisher of The Los Angeles Times was OUSTED for saying he couldn't make any more staff cuts in the newsroom.

Up here in Santa Barbara, this matters.

We don't have to know Mr. Baquet, or Mr. Johnson personally to understand the dark days ahead for The Los Angeles Times, because it all happened here when the New York Times jettisoned the Santa Barbara News-Press back in 2000.

It wasn't the first sale the paper had been through, but it was the sale that killed the soul of our newspaper here in Santa Barbara.

You can almost hear the hushed whispers of the newsroom now, down in Los Angeles. You get it tangibly through the web. It's in the rage over at LA Weekly's Nikki Finke's column, just as it has been up here in our Nick Welsh.

One look at the fat-cheeked lawyer out of Chicago in today's paper and you know what he's been sent West to do. Rape the place. Just like what happened here in Santa Barbara.

Oh, the big guns would like to keep it all hush-hush. God forbid if the true stories came out. A lawyer's reputation in our tidy community might be at stake too, wouldn't it?

But we're a small town here, so it's different. It's oh so visible when almost an entire newsroom staff walks. Today we got a glimpse of the figures from The Los Angeles Times. It's on page A-20, six columns over, graf number one.

"The Times' workforce has dropped from 5,300 to about 2,800 since Tribune's takeover in 2000 -- with the editorial operation suffering only a fraction of the cuts that hit other divisions."

And that's when you love the Los Angeles Times. Because they are going to tell the public the truth about what is going on. This quality alone makes them venerable.

You can feel what's happening like a buzz saw slicing right into a tree. Little groups of people who have been working in fear since 2000 are assembling over coffee or organic tea laced with pomegranite essence. The silence is so thick you could slice it. Chicago's already pulled off the first round, so they've gotten used to it. Never knowing when the axe is going to fall. If you imagine this hasn't created a dog-eat-dog atmosphere for the entire staff, you are very wrong.

And all of it, all the pain is suffered just to make more and more profit out of Wall Street.

Do you care are about the lives you are about to ruin, Mr. Hiller? Do you Chicago Tribune? Did you, New York Times?

It's high time the truth about what is really going on in the industry comes out.

And it's high time the American people stood up to protect the press in our country, from politicians on down to the last migrant worker in a strawberry field.

What has happened in and to the industry is unethical and wrong.

Remember this, Mr. Hiller, on your second day in Los Angeles.

Whatever comes next for Mr. Johnson, we give him a standing ovation from Santa Barbara. He has the rare quality of being an ethical man.

Learn all about FDR's New Deal from Wikipedia here:

2006-10-05T14:34:00.000-07:00

Why don't we like Libertarians?

Free-Market Capitalism. Simple.

Since November is coming up pretty soon, well, it's time to think politically once again. In the Star's opinion installing solar in California could be done ala New Deal, and put many to work right here in our state.

Think of all the fab art and projects that came from The New Deal as well.

We need a return to civics rather than going back to the Dark Ages.

If newspapers depend on Wall Street alone, we are in VERY big trouble.

A newspaper is a newspaper first and foremost. The Star hopes all in the industry remember that. It's not about he who has the best advertising wins, is it?

Lose our newspapers and you lose everything.

Let the Free-Market capitalists control the Press? Nope. A very bad move indeed.
Especially for politicians.

What if Wall Street crashes like it did in 1929?

History always repeats itself.

Act too much like Marie Antoinette around Santa Barbara and it won't bode well here.

A fab site to learn about "The New Deal"

2006-10-05T14:31:00.000-07:00

From the New Deal Network.

Next up, Wikipedia's take.

Here is Firedoglake on the NLRB...

2006-10-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

An excellent read with lots of links. Don't miss it!

What we want to know is how come there is so much anti-labor sentiment right now?

Look at the homeless problems all over the country. What we need is something like FDR's "New Deal" in The Star's opinion. Put people to work, right here, and stop outsourcing.

Quit letting the mega-corporations RULE!

It's easy.

Next up, what was The New Deal, anyway?

Well, take a look a Hoover Dam. Or our main Post Office right on Anacapa Street!

Geez.

The WPA! That's American.

Let us now praise famous men.

That was part of it too.

James Agee and Walker Evans. Journalists.

News on the NLRB ruling here, from Huffington Post...

2006-10-05T11:20:00.000-07:00

Well, this is the big buzz. Looks like the SBNP editorial department voted in the nick of time. However, this news is going to effect everyone in the industry who works and most likely create the most hostile kind of environment imaginable for workers. Take a look at the mixed bag of comments under John Sweeney's article to get an idea.

Here is an excerpt:

"The board's decision will resonate well beyond nurses, though. The union rights of building trades workers, newspaper and television employees, technicians and many others are on the line. As The New York Times points out, the board made specific reference to retail workers, providing a blueprint for reclassifying employees of Wal-Mart, grocery stores and other retail operations as supervisors. "The assignment of an employee to a certain department (e.g., housewares) or to a certain shift (e.g., night) or to certain significant overall tasks (e.g., restocking shelves) would generally qualify" a retail worker as having the supervisory responsibility of "assigning," the board's majority wrote."

Don't miss this read, or the next one over at Firedoglake, this morning. When we did a little research over the summer as the melt down began at the News-Press we found links about the Kentucky River Cases, and the NLRB.

Our sense then was that they wanted a union because they needed a voice, but why The Teamsters and not The Newspaper Guild? It didn't make sense at first. With this new ruling though, now it makes a lot of sense. The whole industry looks like it will be in for a big fat change at newspapers all over the country, as people get reclassified on the job.

Now, put the country's newsprint media into the hands of just a few, add in all the outsourcing, and you come up with a pretty devastating forecast for the American Press. It doesn't look good. Wire stories just don't cut it, do they? Your newspaper should not be just a wrapper for filler ads by big conglomerates. Take the Sunday paper for example and deconstruct it by taking out all the ads. Then take out the classified and home sections which are advertorial anyway. How many sections do you have left?

Then, check the bylines. Where are they coming from? Are they local, or wire?

How many stories are prescient to you? How many are local news?

Next up, Firedoglake! It's all about labor, so don't look at it in terms of blame towards political parties, okay? We want you to read this and grapple with what has just happened and what it might potentially mean for the press in our country. It's VERY important.

A real Pressman's hat! from a Los Angeles Times pressman!

2006-10-04T12:52:00.000-07:00

Click that red title and see how to make one for yourselves. It's the REAL THING!
And all pressmen make them! (It's part of the tradition)...

And part of the lore of the industry, and the history...

Another tip of the hat to Ed and Co. down just a bit to the south of us.

We will be linking to him as well! (just think virtual newspaper.com)...and there you have it.

Virtual Newspaper.com (thoughts on this...concept)

2006-10-04T12:21:00.000-07:00

After having met Ed Pagett of the Pressman's 20 Year Club, and seeing the number of visitors from all over the states who come our way via his blog, the thought occurs that there are many Newspaper people from all walks of the industry out there.

Feel free, to let us know if you'd like to run an essay here? About the biz! Or memories of good times in the industry, or even funny stories of newspaper heroics behind the scenes.

Because we are all one big family in a way! And we can show what it is like at papers, or what it was like once, perhaps.

The industry is so profoundly American. Regardless of the technology used to produce it, isn't it?

Ed even has a Pressman's hat, you can make! So you see, we are all linked, even here in the web because we share collective memories of the newspaper biz! (which is like no other -- let me tell you!)

Ed's blog is one to follow, for an inside view of what a pressroom is. They have so much heart at his blog. He honors the pressmen who came before him -- like with the piece about the hat. Because that's how it goes, when you work for one. A tradition we used to have at The News-Press was making up a page for a person who was retiring.

It was a front page! And all the little funny memories would be written up in Editorial, pictures gathered, and so forth. The Camera Department would make a velox print, and if you were really special...really special, you got a real newsprint page because the pressmen set that up.

I wonder if they have traditions like that at The Los Angeles Times?

At any rate, instructions and a photo of a pressman's hat are in order courtesy of Ed. And anyone feel free to leave stories?

Ahhh, nostalgia for the good times. Once, long ago.

We do own the domain Santa Barbara Star Free Press, in addition to this blogspace, but at present the site is under construction. Perhaps, it will just be about all the fab people in the industry, afterall!

Next up, that hat!

Seeing it makes me smile inside all over the place.

More sad news from The Santa Barbara News-Press

2006-10-04T09:27:00.000-07:00

Two more staffers have resigned. Craig Smith's blog had a copy of Starshine's resignation letter posted, and Blogabarbara has posted a note from Al Bonowitz here:Click

We are very sad about this news. Starshine was a wonderful columnist and tremendous asset to the News-Press. We met her many years ago now, before the birth of her two sons, even! She harkened from the era of "The Brat Pack" generation of kids, then, and she was a fresh wind blowing into a pretty staid place.

Now, she has matured...not just as a woman, but also as a writer. Our guess is that you will not be seeing the last of her in print anytime soon. She has her own web page -- www.roshell.com -- Click and go!with a fab leopard motif!

I think they just lost...one of the best...oooof! That's all we can say. They just lost a big sparkler in Starshine. But she isn't the only one by far. So many have left since 2000 it's unreal almost. One by one they have scattered to the winds. How can one person be responsible for so much destruction and pain. The question is why? Why would anyone destroy a newspaper one person at a time?

Our hat is off to those who have chosen to leave, but also those who have chosen to stay as well. It must be exceedingly difficult to work there now, under the current regime.

The whole quagmire bears looking into by a larger authority. And we expect it shall be. In the meantime, you've got Starshine's web page to keep you company!

Here is a reprint of Starshine's letter of resignation:

(One interesting bit of trivia is that Yolanda Apodaca started at the News-Press as a switchboard operator. And now she is running editorial? Hmmm...it just gets curiouser and curiouser by the moment, doesn't it?)

TO: Yolanda Apodaca
CC: Scott Steepleton

October 3, 2006

I hereby resign from the News-Press. And since you no longer control what I say and how I say it, I'm going to tell you why.

For 11 years, I have been proud to work for this company. I was honored to have managers who were smarter than me, and had something to teach me. They weren't bullies. They weren't liars. And remarkably, they were able to manage our newsroom by employing scruples rather than lawyers.

But they're all gone now, and the only thing our current leaders have been able to demonstrate is the heartbreaking mess that ensues when ambition far exceeds talent, and hubris trumps wisdom.

At a good newspaper, as ours was, truth is held in higher esteem than power. It makes me sick to see Wendy McCaw topple that hierarchy here, and to watch you both help her do it.

While I will desperately miss the camaraderie of my noble colleagues and the relationships I developed with countless readers, I am grateful for one thing. That when I look in the mirror, I won't see what you do.

Sincerely,

Starshine Roshell

News out of LA regarding their paper, from "DeadlineHollywood.com" ---

2006-10-03T11:15:00.000-07:00

Important Read!

For Santa Barbarans who subscribe to The Los Angeles Times.

Baquet must be facing enormous pressure down there. Just like the departed editors here in Santa Barbara have. But, we see him as a great heroic figure. In the newsroom they're calling him "Dean d'Arc" -- he is NOBLE! Isn't that old-fashioned?

It's the noble ones who count.

Not the spineless ones. High time the press is revered again for its nobility, isn't it?

Here is Mark Glaser on Citizen Journalism:

2006-10-03T11:08:00.000-07:00

or here is the link, the old-fashioned way:

http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2006/09/digging_deeperyour_guide_to_ci.html

Lots of links and info here. He's one to follow in the web.

MIT on "Citizen Journalism" here:

2006-10-03T10:20:00.000-07:00

Here is an abstract from MIT about what happened at that conference Doc Searls was talking about. Next up, a piece about Citizen Journalism from MediaShift by Mark Glaser.

The BEST coverage of the recent terrible wildfire "The Day Fire" was on Doc Searl's blog. Read "blog" as local news, here. He had in depth coverage, and photos. What we aren't seeing up here is local news. The Independent is a weekly, and The Santa Barbara Daily Sound is filling the local news gap. The city of Santa Barbara wants to read local news and not just a selection of wire stories.

Why are the local stories being suppressed? It can't be for a lack of writers, can it?

During this entire debacle, our news about Santa Barbara and the press came from other sources like the Los Angeles Times and the Santa Maria Times. But our city is not exactly their beat, because they have their own.

Down in Los Angeles, three giant moguls want to buy the Los Angeles Times. Probably because they want to read a paper. Call it nostalgia if you will, but newspapers are important. As you will see if you follow the read out of MIT. Just click the red title and go.

A paper's identity is created by the bylines people follow, and the columnists.

Let them write, and you might have a newsworthy product to offer. Our guess is that that's what the editors were talking about when they want "journalistic integrity" and "ethics" back in the local press.

Frankly, we feel there should be another daily up here. And David Geffen or Eli Broad look like great choices to own it. Our sense of Mr. Broad is that he fits into this community like a glove. There is a cachet and glamour the biz has, and always has had.

Visitors! Dontcha just love how newspress.com thinks they're being all sneaky?

2006-10-02T21:38:00.000-07:00

Returning Visits: 8
Location: California, Santa Barbara, United States
Hostname: host103.newspress.com (64.29.230.103)
Entry Page: sbstarfreepress.blogspot.com/
Exit Page: my.myway.com/

Well, look who else has been by! Our Government!
And I'm sooooo glad.
Because these are the good guys.

And when they finish with you, all your dishonorable practices are going to be out, aren't they?

An audit by them is in order, of your business practices since the sale from The New York Times, isn't it?

I'm so glad they are here!

See?

Returning Visits: 10
Location: District Of Columbia, Washington, United States
Hostname: ....................................?
Entry Page: www.sbstarfreepress.blogspot.com/
Exit Page: www.sbstarfreepress.blogspot.com/
Referring URL: No referring link

It's great to know they have their eyes on you.

All the honest people do.

A read from Tom Scocca regarding the industry...

2006-10-01T11:33:00.000-07:00

Over at "Off the Record" here:

LINK:

http://www.observer.com/20061002/20061002_Tom_Scocca_media_offtherecord.asp

(or click title)

The Los Angeles Times needs men like him running things. Men with spine and heart.

Dean Baquet from The Los Angeles Times

2006-10-01T11:27:00.000-07:00

Next up, read all about honor --

SoCal style, when it comes to Newspaper people.

Fashions of the times, le style Boom Gen...(click me)

2006-10-01T11:14:00.000-07:00

In case you forgot, no?

It was the year of the flip! In 1970.

It was the year of Feelin' Groovy...

But wait, there's even more here:

2006-10-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

And trivia quizzes too!

Link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10855757/site/newsweek/

Read all about "The Last Hurrah" of the Boom Generation.

Everything you ever wanted to know about "The Bobo" Generation here:

2006-10-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

Shedding some enlightenment on the forces at the helm one blissfully flip blond link at a time.

You'd think, given the historical matrix this part of the Baby Boom was born into, there would be a bit o' something left there coming out of the 60's rock and rollers?

Maybe not...

Click the title and go. Or link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9926681/site/newsweek/

Woody Guthrie site here:

2006-09-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

Looks like the links work if you make them the title, only.

That should hold you for a spell...till more breaks later today.

Read the piece from Corante on Rebuilding Media here:

2006-09-28T07:43:00.000-07:00

Important read.

Learn about classic songs at UnionSong here:

2006-09-28T07:37:00.000-07:00

All kinds of history at this place...

Editor & Publisher has a piece here:

2006-09-28T07:32:00.000-07:00

regarding the union vote...

Read Mr. Smith's take here:

2006-09-28T07:23:00.000-07:00

For news on the News-Press union vote in Editorial.

None of those links worked!--- hmmm.

2006-09-28T07:20:00.000-07:00

Will try again, to link as the headline? And see what happens.

What a drag!

Back to the drawing board...

Woody Guthrie, an American myth and balladeer...

2006-09-28T06:40:00.000-07:00

As through this life you travel, you meet some funny men
Some rob you with a six-gun, some with a fountain pen

As through this life you ramble, as through this life you roam
You'll never see an outlaw take a family from their home

Woody Guthrie (1912-1967)

----from "The Ballad of Pretty Boy Floyd"

Click the red title to learn more about Woody and his influence on American music.

Well, looks like Woody Guthrie...

2006-09-28T05:51:00.000-07:00

Had a hand in that Santa Barbara News-Press union vote.

Craig Smith scooped it last night, and we thought we'd wait and see just how much coverage this got. Lots!

Read his take here

And locally from The Santa Maria Times:

HERE

and at Editor & Publisher HERE

We found a couple of fab sites for you about Woody Guthrie as well, and a place called Union Songs.

Check out Woody Guthrie here, Click

Here: Click

And don't miss the Union Song site here, for a great little musical tour through history, HERE

The SB Independent has a picture and comments: HERE

Lastly, a great read from Corante regarding "Rebuilding Media" HERE

We'll keep you posted as more news arrives...

Nice to see the hugs rather than the tears for the staffers there...

Now a check in with our Los Angeles Times, and good morning!

The PEACEFULL SBNP rally...

2006-09-25T23:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, it was. We got to meet Craig Smith, and looks like Doc Searls was there too! He has fab photos. Without naming names, you will see the News-Press journalists. In attendance were families, children, music straight out of Woody Guthrie and great speakers.

And yes, there were some Teamsters there, too.

Was there violence? NO.

Was there protest? YES. By a concerned Santa Barbara audience.

Was our mayor there? YES.

Was TV there? YES!

Was anyone hiding up in the tower? NO.

Anything that you may read from PR sources is simply spin. Doc Searls (wish I could have met him!) has photos up over at his blog.

HERE

Why do these journalists want a union? Because they need a voice. Considering what has happened behind the scenes since the sale of the paper in 2000 to Ms. McCaw, they do need a voice. Now, the funny thing is, Santa Barbara is a VERY small town. PR isn't going to work here, for her. Our town remembers everything and people get a reputation here if they have done bad things.

It's a quiet kind of thing when it happens. Sort of like being shunned by social circles one hopes to penetrate. For instance, in legal circles she is very well known, already.

And in journalistic circles, all across the world. This sort of news travels faster than the Day Fire has. (Doc also has photos of the Sespe Wilderness area, pre-tragedy, and other local coverage of the fire.)

Her editorial page editor has just attacked the Ventura Star, last Sunday in his column. These sorts of things will not be forgotten, you see?

As the paper dwindles down in page count there is a point at which there will be no return.

Hiding out from the public only makes one look more and more foolish.

Everyone who lived here in the late 70's and early 80's remembers Nippers and what it was so famous for. We used to call that area the Montecito Triangle. The Bistro was termed "The Wrinkle Room" by the twenty something crowd. And the current "Lucky's" was The Chanticleer. So you fool no one.

The recent spread in Vanity Fair makes it all the worse.

There will be a point at which everything you have done is going to come out.

Then what?

As our Mayor asked at the rally, "What is your business plan?"

Even the taggers are against you. We couldn't help but notice the giant swath of graffiti on your rust colored fence across the street from the main SBNP building. This is your Sunday editorial? Pictures of graffiti? With all that is going on in the world?

Who will you blame for that tagging? The Teamsters?

Good luck. Because it won't fly here in Santa Barbara.

You simply don't know us here in town, do you?

C'est dommage.

Heart was what the rally was about. Too bad you didn't attend. You might have learned something about people who have them. Like the journalists, and the Teamsters.

The second time in my life I've seen a journalist cry was at Ruby's Cafe.

This is what you are responsible for, and Santa Barbara will never forget.

And now! Those Pressmen!

2006-09-24T09:59:00.000-07:00

Nice to meet you, Ed Padgett.
We've known some mighty fine Pressmen in our day.

Without the Pressmen, no PAPER!

This is harder than being a mailman, really it is!

These guys have been known to stay up all through the night to make sure it comes out if the press malfunctions.

Our hat is off to you, your fabulous paper The Los Angeles Times and the two courageous men who are true leaders down there. Your publisher, and Dean Baquet.

click red title, or link here:

http://www.edpadgett.com/

they have a blog too, you can read.

Doc Searls speaks here:

2006-09-24T09:53:00.000-07:00

And he has a great picture of a smoky sunset, too.

You had better listen to him. He knows his business inside and out.

And he is a local.

Read about his trip to MIT...

"Santa Barbara News-Depression
On Tuesday evening I attended the Emergence of Citizens Media forum at MIT, featuring Dan Gillmor, Alex Beam of the Boston Globe and Ellen Foley of the Wisconsin State Journal. When I mentioned I was from Santa Barbara, and our paper was the News-Press, the panel winced. As a joke I asked if they could do an "intervention".
It's gotten that bad."

more follows...

HERE

or the link, here:

http://doc.weblogs.com/2006/09/24#santaBarbaraNewsdepression

Mr. Smith's take, here:

2006-09-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

He has a letter for you to read from Mr. Wiesenberger.

This town CARES about journalistic integrity. Just like Los Angeles does when it comes to their newspaper!

There is something amiss when the owner and publisher of the paper can't meet her own reporters and the concerned citizens of Santa Barbara face to face.

It isn't just rude, it's beyond ridiculous.

You can bet T. M. Storke's ghost is going to be at that rally today.

It is also ridiculous to keep blaming things on unions. Lots of newspapers have them.

You might want to take Doc Searls seriously. He's right.

Do you think T. M. Storke would hide or ignore his public?

Never!

Read Mr. Smith here:

Click

or here is link:

http://www.west.net/~smith/blog/index.shtml

LOCAL ATTORNEYS FORM FREE SPEECH ALLIANCE

2006-09-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

This ought to give everyone an idea about how Santa Barbara feels about our local paper and the events that have been unfolding over there since July. This is a not-to-be-missed read! Take a look at this list of prominent Santa Barbara attorneys and what they are putting together to help the departed journalists. Thanks Edhat, for the scoop.

Here is an excerpt:

"The Lawyers Alliance will raise private funds to provide financial assistance to those journalists who face unexpected legal expenses or economic hardships related to the exercise of their free speech rights. Having those funds available is important to achieve and maintain equal access to justice. The assistance will be available to help defray legal and other expenses.

A list of the forty-four lawyers who have volunteered so far to join the Alliance is attached. More names will be added as additional lawyers step forward to participate. Donations may be sent to the Lawyers Alliance for Free Speech Rights, P.O. Box 5159, Santa Barbara, CA 93150."

Some VERY fabulous people live in our town, don't they?

Read all about it here:
At EdHat's blog!

or, here is the link:

http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?id=1400&nid=549

Freedom of the Press is crucial! Not just here in Santa Barbara, but at every newspaper in our country.

Don't forget the rally today, in De la Guerra Plaza, too! There will be music and food at Ruby's Cafe, and speakers too!

Next up, Craig Smith and Doc Searls weigh in, and another fab ED!

Just wait until you meet some real Pressmen! They are part of that group of real newspaper people, that are some of the best people in the whole world!

These are the Pressmen from the Los Angeles Times! -- they linked to a post of ours last night, and boy...since then, our circulation has practically...! blown through the roof!

Wait till you see their pix! And the old pix! (Inky as ever! in those coveralls)...

Remember GOO? As in "Get Oil Out"--well we do! (read all about it by clicking)

2006-09-22T11:32:00.000-07:00

Why most locals DO NOT want another GOO-ey disaster on our hands around here...

And why we prefer alt fuel and solar.

Time to change the energy grid and just use the sun and natural things.

In other releases, our county goes progressive and transparent here:Read a press release on it here

Some of us lived here then, (during that black time) and still do!

Breaking news about beach erosion! (click me)

2006-09-22T11:27:00.000-07:00

Read all about it and find more info about how our beaches are changing.

Yes, we at the Star are concerned with green issues, and polar icecap melt.

LINK:

http://spatialnews.geocomm.com/dailynews/2006/sep/21/news6.html

Something that people who haven't worked for newspapers might want to know...

2006-09-22T10:42:00.000-07:00

The press has tremendous power to sway the local mindset.

Plus, they have something called "The Library" inside each newspaper. In this library is everything they have ever published.

They can make or break people with what they publish, and also what they know about everyone in the town. This is why it wasn't okay to suppress a story on Travis Armstrong's drunk driving. Travis is no different than any other citizen in town. Neither is Rob Lowe.

A newspaper cannot pander. That isn't what they are in business to do.

Notice how both The Los Angeles Times and The Santa Barbara News-Press made use of old clippings from the Library to effect because the film "Black Dahlia" just came out.

They used their ancient, yellowed clippings.

A newspaper is VERY important to a town.

One person cannot own the only opinion in town. Most towns have two dailys except, now with just a few millionaires buying them up we are losing our American Press.

It's wrong.

And our politicians need to look into this matter. State by State.

The Green Ribbon Project, out of Seattle! (click me)

2006-09-22T10:35:00.000-07:00

Did you know our Mayor, Marty Blum is part of this project?

We didn't!

Huge, fabulous news! (out of Seattle) on all the mayors who are concerned with climate change.

Nice to know we have like minds to the north of us, isn't it?

LINK:

http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/climate/quotes.htm#mayors

and check out who else is there from around the United States as well...city by city!

Reads about newspapers and thoughts on the biz, by experts...

2006-09-22T10:14:00.000-07:00

Kevin Roderick is always one to follow, over at LAObserved...we had already caught the Slate piece but he mentions it too, and we got our tip on the Mediashift piece from him...

Looks like he was on TV regarding the los Angeles Times debacle...

Read all about it, HERE

Then check out what London has to say...Hamilton Nelson from BrandRepublic...

HERE

Don't miss Slate's take by Jack Shafer,

HERE

And Mark Glaser from MediaShift...

HERE

fabulous reads all...

Article round up, for Friday...starts here!

2006-09-22T09:56:00.000-07:00

News regarding both The Santa Barbara News-Press and The Los Angeles Times from 'round the web...

First, locally from George over at "I'm not one to blog, but..."

HERE

Reagarding all the losses over at The Goleta Valley Voice (and then some)...

Just yesterday on a trek out there we were struck by the level of low flying planes coming in and out of that airport directly over the big mall out there. What is the deal with soooo many planes all of a sudden, over our city all the time?

And what is happening out on Los Carneros and Hollister? Huge earth movers are digging up the Goleta Slough...and just across the street, a huge project is going in. A business park? Hmmm. You'd just have to drive by wouldn't you and experience it all for yourselves. Feels more and more like someplace else. Downtown Goleta needs a fix up in a charming way. Focus on that, why don't you, instead of building all this mega stuff. One wonders who is behind it all, and doesn't Ms. McCaw own an airplane hangar out there as well?

So, who is behind all the development, we ask.

WHO?

That's not being too parochial is it?

We call it being CONCERNED LOCALS!

Hmmm...that search led to this...

2006-09-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

Something called the SBECP and you can read about them over at www.sbecp.org

We looked at the board of directors here and...

Voila!

Looks like Jon Clark works for the Wendy P. McCaw Foundation.

What a small world!

Hmmmmm....

Looks like all of this has something to do with building and Cottage Hospital and Michael Towbes...

But we aren't sure what.

Are you?

Perhaps you can post what we don't know in our comments section about this website---

www.sbecp.org

The whole thing tis a rather large puzzle isn't it?

Well, "wpmfoundation.org" has 10 links.

2006-09-21T12:08:00.000-07:00

Somebody named Jon Clark appears to work for them, because you can get his contact info here right off Google. He seems to be involved with something called the CCRL or California Center for Regional Leadership. We've never heard of them, have you?

Looks like they have a website called www.calregions.org.

It also looks like they have some pdfs the public can download and read.

And, what is the "Civic Entrepreneur Summit"...

We've never heard of that.

Looks interesting. Who are the Civic Entrepreneurs? Do they have anything to do with our city of Santa Barbara?

Hmmmmm....

Who are these people?

Does anyone of the 3500+ people who have visited this blog know?

You could leave comments and we'll keep searching for you! Mostly out of curiosity over who is coming to our blog! Hmmmm...

What did you find out?

So who is "mail.wpmfoundation.org" anyway?

2006-09-21T10:22:00.000-07:00

How funny! Why, just yesterday when we checked our counter it looks like these people came by. I've never heard of them, have you? But wpm sounds strangely like a name that has been in the news of late, doesn't it? W P M? That sounds like Wendy McCaw or Wendy P. McCaw or possibly Wendy Petrak? So, because just after we posted the name Jerry Roberts yesterday this popped up on the old counter -- we thought we'd investigate just to see.

Since our counter also tells us where they arrived from -- it was "Santa Barbara Free -- which just happens to be that fab little paper The Santa Barbara Daily Sound being published up on the Mesa.

So what is the deal here? Does this have anything to do with the "electronic surveillance" the employees at the Santa Barbara News-Press were talking about lately?

We wondered.

So, we decided to find out who the "WPM foundation" is via the simplest route -- the WEB!

Everybody is welcome here at The Santa Barbara Star Free Press Blog. Because we believe in FREEDOM OF THE PRESS! And you know who else we believe in? Our Mayor Marty Blum and our Governor Arnold Schwartzenegger. Because they are both really into environmental stuff here in California. And so are we.

And I bet, I just bet, that both of them are also into Freedom of the Press issues too. All the politicians in our country are, or they should be. It's very important to them what newspapers say isn't it? It is in the best interest of our country to make sure the press is free here. Always. And I know they will. Because I trust our leaders. All of them.

Right now, they need to look into who owns what and who is outsourcing what in the newspaper industry. Next up, we have more news about that, especially since the big events recently down at The Los Angeles Times.

So, let's start with a little search like this:

I used google!
to search for this:

wpmfoundation.org

You try it!

tagged:

freedom of the press
Media
News
Newspapers
mayors
santa barbara
outsourcing
politics
california
Environment
land development

Rethinking what a newspaper means!

2006-09-20T11:41:00.000-07:00

The SB Star Free Press had the fab good fortune last night to attend a class on journalism by Jerry Roberts over at Adult Ed. It was packed! So packed, in fact, that we can't go -- which is a big drag, but there is always October! Thanks to UCSB, and Craig Smith The Star learned he will be teaching this:The Crisis in American Journalism

He is smart, funny, and a great teacher. Wish they had given him the auditorium or something so the class could be larger. So many were there, to learn from him.

In news to the south, the fabulous Los Angeles Times has a revolt on its hands. Here is a link to a piece from NPR on that:

HERE

and over at Chicago Tribune:

HERE

Times Editor Dean Baquet is AN HONORABLE MAN, in our opinion.

He isn't going to let the bean counters get away with it. We want to give him a standing ovation up here in Santa Barbara. From this tiny press to a media giant. A press with honor like The Los Angeles Times is what we want to read. It really is time for our politicians like Arnold to take an insiders view of the industry up and down the state.

Outsourcing the press and making it just a wrapper for filler ads is WRONG.

WRONG. WRONG. WRONG.

We gave you some reads on that yesterday out of NYU by Jay Rosen.

Try to kill an old fashioned American Industry and it will pop up someplace else like the blogosphere.

So, newspapers are still VERY profitable entities no matter what the spin is saying when they tell you they aren't.

Huge profits are made, and as soon as they can eliminate "the workforce" producing them (via outsourcing) the public will be left with nothing.

So do you want to read something

or look at filler ads and advertorial?

Ahhh, tis the question of the morning, isn't it?

Take a bow, Mr. Dean Baquet, for your ethics.

* * *

tagged:

journalism
Newspapers
Labor
ethics
citizen journalism
newsroom
press
politics
california
santa barbara

Jay Rosen and other learned journos here:

2006-09-20T01:04:00.000-07:00

a must read, given the circumstances:

http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/weblogs/pressthink/2006/07/14/free_fbs.html

facing journos in uncertain climes...or was that times?

Read all about it: Newspapers outsourced! (click me)

2006-09-20T00:22:00.000-07:00

in toto...

LINK:

http://www.wan-press.org/article11447.html

hmmm...what do you think?

Sounds like another brilliant bean counter move to us.

Interesting link inside too...check it out.

News about LAT from "Media Matters"

2006-09-18T14:49:00.000-07:00

LINK:

http://mediamatters.org/altercation/200609180003

and

from LA Voice here:

http://www.lavoice.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2211

and news about another paper here:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_470455.html

All important reads for people who care about our press, locally and nationally.

An article on Hoffa by Marc Cooper here:

2006-09-18T14:06:00.000-07:00

It's called "Where's Hoffa Driving the Teamsters?"

LINK:

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20000724/cooper/4

Interesting and informative, even though it dates from 2000. We learned a lot from this piece, and since we are not really up on unions or labor issues it was a greatly informative.

Mr. Cooper, the author of this piece looks like a very distinguished journalist. His bio is off to the right.

More info here at "Change to Win.org:"

2006-09-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

LINK:

http://www.changetowin.org/

Read about "The American Dream Survey" here:

http://www.changetowin.org/features/the-american-dream-survey.html

lots of info here, to peruse...next up, that article from "The Nation"

The Star has the scoop on who works under the Teamsters union, here:

2006-09-18T13:08:00.000-07:00

Would you believe The New York Times, and Elle magazine?

Well, they do.

Here is the website so you can learn all about them.

http://www.teamster.org/divisions/gciu/gciu.asp

Looks like a bunch of the biggest names in publishing are covered by them. The Star looked around in the web and found some information on unions for you as well. I think most of us associate the idea of a union with the film "On the Waterfront" but, this looks modern, progressive and cares about labor in our country. We also found an older article from "The Nation" that you can read, and we will provide the link for you.

First up, the weather...Doc Searls has pictures here:

2006-09-18T12:27:00.000-07:00

The sun is peeking through today but we still have tremendous haze in the sky from the big fire to the south of Santa Barbara. Ash is still falling over the city.

He also has coverage and commentary from a local's perspective and tons of links for everyone -- needing info about the big wildfire called "The Day Fire."

Click the red title or here is the link:

http://doc.weblogs.com/discuss/msgReader$7108

(you can cut and paste it)

I know, I keep repeating myself...but many are not web savvy, so that is why!

This fire carries a "red flag" warning and additional info can be gotten here:

http://www.inciweb.org/

Ojai and Fillmore are near to Santa Barbara -- we should be seeing this front page, and we didn't yesterday. Two things Californians deal with are wildfires and earthquakes.

Luckily we don't have hurricanes and tornadoes...unless of course the climate change is going to bring those down the road.

Here is a link to The American Red Cross:

http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/keepsafe/wildfire.html

with tons of info, for the public.

And!

Smokey the Bear!

http://www.smokeybear.com/

Remember him? He is the guardian of the forest, and this is a great site for kids to learn about fires and safety...

Smoky Santa Barbara skies-- newslink here:

2006-09-17T11:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks to KEYT Channel 3 and the fab KTYD (local radio) we just learned that all this ash in the air is a result of the winds blowing down from the mountains.

KTYD ran a message saying Santa Barbara is not in any danger from all this smoke -- so there is no need to call 911 about it.

And KEYT provides a great link from InciWeb. The data here tells which areas are affected and it looks like Ojai and Fillmore from this news release by our Forest Service.

Here is the link:

http://www.inciweb.org/incident/news/article/475/3030/

or click the red title above.

Our firefighters are HEROES!

And so is The Forest Service!

The Star has posted this because a search on my counter was looking for news about this. Let's just say the air quality today resembles Pompeii, redux. But this is just because of the winds changing direction.

Thanks KTYD and KEYT! for the info.

You can get updates from InciWeb. And send good thoughts in the direction of our heroes fighting the blaze, today.

Here is a link to KEYT:

http://www.keyt.com/news/local/3938271.html

News about another rally for The Santa Barbara News-Press, September 24th:

2006-09-17T09:36:00.000-07:00

The Star picked this up from the Santa Barbara Independent's comments area. Funds raised will go to the Journalist's Loan Fund recently set up over at Santa Barbara Bank and Trust. We hope that there will be many speakers there, and actually we hope local politicians also attend. There are very large issues at stake about freedom of the press in Santa Barbara. We hope many reporters up and down the California coast can also attend, as well as our politicians. It's THAT important, for all citizens of Santa Barbara.

* * *

RALLY and FUNDRAISER TO SAVE THE SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS

The Rally:
3-4 p.m. Sunday, September 24
De la Guerra Plaza
Prominent speakers will be invited. More details to come.

The Fundraiser:
4-6 p.m. at Ruby’s Café
De la Guerra Plaza
Hors d’oeuvres and music
Suggested Donation: $20.00
Proceeds will be donated to the Journalist Loan Fund to help current and former News-Press employees who have been forced out, fired or suspended without pay.

Please join the organized newsroom of the Santa Barbara News-Press in a show of support for journalistic integrity and a fair employment contract. In recent weeks, 22 top journalists have left the newsroom because Wendy McCaw, the owner and co-publisher, was interfering in the news. An atmosphere of intimidation and surveillance has replaced the openness that a free press requires.

This month, 11 newsroom employees received notice that they would be suspended for two days without pay for the “offense” of attempting to deliver a letter to McCaw. The letter asked her to stop harrassing employees who were seeking union representation.

The No. 1 priority of these employees, some of whom have worked at the paper for decades, is to restore ethical standards at the News- Press. They expect to win their union election by a large margin on Sept. 27. Until their demands for a fair contract have been met, they are asking subscribers to CANCEL THE
NEWS-PRESS TODAY.

The Sept. 24 rally is organized by newsroom employees and the Graphic Communications Union of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Please help us send a message to McCaw that SANTA BARBARA DEMANDS A FREE PRESS.

* * *

tagged:

journalism
Newspapers
Labor
ethics
citizen journalism
newsroom
press
politics
california
santa barbara
fundraising

News from James Rainey on Los Angeles Times here:

2006-09-17T08:57:00.000-07:00

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-times14sep14,0,429963.story?coll=la-story-footer

Notice how The Los Angeles Times allows its own reporters to write about itself. The question is, why doesn't The Santa Barbara News-Press?

Just what exactly do they not want the public to find out? Mr. Rainey of The Times and the fab journalists here up in Santa Maria and Lompoc as well as others up and down the coast are keeping watch on Santa Barbara, for Santa Barbarans.

Our whole town is completely in the dark about what has gone on there isn't it?

It's the biggest story in town right now, and we can't read about it. That isn't right. The Santa Barbara Daily Sound and The Santa Barbara Independent are the only local sources we have at the moment. Both make use of blogs so that the public can comment. That's a good thing.

We need the kind of reportage up here that you see in The Los Angeles Times. Also, it is not good journalism to sensationalize tragedy and run it on the front page. That's called tabloid journalism, isn't it?

Marlon Brando, "On the Waterfront"

2006-09-15T21:40:00.000-07:00

Jefferson Flanders reconsiders "On the Waterfront" here:

2006-09-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

http://www.jeffersonflanders.com/

Click the red title for a wonderful read about the film. Timely.

He is a marvelous writer. Just right for sophisticated Santa Barbarans.

Pedro Nava's letter!

2006-09-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

The Star got a fab letter from Mr. Nava. Turns out our firefighters have an important website here:

www.sbcfire.com/dp/kit.html

Where the public can learn to make a safety kit in case of natural disasters.

Pretty fab. Especially because "our" firemen did it. We consider the firemen HEROES!

Always have.

Check it out.

You know what would be fab? (click me)

2006-09-15T20:51:00.000-07:00

To have Arnold Schwarzenegger, our Governor, come to town and do a little audit of our local newspaper's practices since 2000, wouldn't it? He could make a really important statement about what Californians don't want to tolerate when it comes to corporate practices.

He could also pair up with our fabulous Mayor, Marty Blum, around all the solar and green issues California (and Santa Barbara) wants to be first with. He does it in LA, already, doesn't he?

http://www.schwarzenegger.com/

When you think about it, maybe it's time to call in The Terminator, huh?

If he only knew, right? About the unemployment situation being caused down here, he'd be pissed as hell, wouldn't he?

Because the State of California is having to pick up the tab on this one.

Marty Blum and Maria Shriver are fab women who came out of this same generation of feminists. Unlike some, they actually work for causes, don't they?

The Terminator has always been really good around evil. He kicks its ass every time.

The Journalist's fund at Santa Barbara Bank and Trust:

2006-09-13T22:31:00.000-07:00

Press Release
August 29, 2006
Contact: Sue Broidy (805) 640 7340

Many residents of Santa Barbara are concerned about the situation faced by journalists who have recently lost their jobs at the Santa Barbara News Press. Valued citizens who are an integral part of our local society, they deserve recognition for the sacrifices they are making as a result of their courageous choice to put journalistic ethics ahead of their personal economic security.

Concerned community members have therefore recently established the Journalist Loan Fund to help those who may be in financial need.

Loan Fund Trustees have been identified and a Fund Raising Committee is being set up. Over $1,000 has been raised to open the account.

Donors are encouraged to be as generous as possible to support the growing number of journalists who have shown the courage to stand up for freedom of the press and journalistic integrity.

Please make your checks payable to the Journalist Loan Fund, attention Sue Broidy, 3412 Calle Noguera, Santa Barbara CA 93105. The Santa Barbara Bank and Trust account number is 0100252972.

Killing a newspaper's heart.

2006-09-13T21:17:00.000-07:00

It was with shock and sadness today that The Santa Barbara Star Free Press learned of Len Wood's resignation. Len was so kind, so soft spoken and part of the "spine" of the old company. He dates all the way back to the time when Bob Ponce held that position with the paper, and they had a real darkroom instead of Photoshop.

It made us sick, all day today, thinking about Len, and the others.

Why would anyone try to kill the heart of a place, person by person?

What is the worst is that whoever is left on the staff bears it, as each one goes.

The paper is part of the texture of Santa Barbara, itself.

This is as bad as cutting into the heartwood of a tree, or cutting the taproot.

And the saddest thing is that those journos worked on things like the Painted Cave Fire together. You'll never know, will you, unless you've been at a place with colleagues like those and hearts like those, what it is even about to be a part of the industry.

Bill Sykes is still in town, and many of the old reporters too. The Santa Barbara Star Free Press asks The Channel City Club and the Santa Barbara Writer's Conference for assistance. We will donate our domain name to the cause, in the interest of The City of Santa Barbara, and volunteer to help get it off the ground.

In the old days, we got little tiny $20 dollar Christmas bonuses, and bags of food and turkeys for the Thanksgiving holiday, so that no one would go hungry.

How times have changed. But not the hearts of Santa Barbarans.

We want to thank The Independent, for informing us of this new sad turn of events this morning regarding Len, via the web. Click the red title above, for the link.
And know that we will contact those that count in town about this matter. Past colleagues. All of whom know Len.

The buzz on chainsaws...in the art world.

2006-09-11T11:07:00.000-07:00

It's patently obvious what "that art" on the street shot full of green arrows is about.

The Star's guess is that it will end up in a permanent collection someplace very soon, no?

Here is a link to McLibel, off Google HERE

The piece has done just what it was supposed to do, hasn't it? It's ART!

Good art is strong, and this is strong. Do you think Warhol
apologized for his renderings of Campbell's soup cans in the 60's?

Geez.

Why make mountains out of molehills and offend the sophisticated audience here in town?

Detroit Fress Press scoops Dr. Laura! here:

2006-09-11T09:50:00.000-07:00

LINK:

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060911/ENT03/609110322

(or click the red title bar)

Enquiring Santa Barbara minds might want to know.

Craig Smith weighs in on the BIG ApologyHERE

Truly TRAGIC.

Here is Dr. Seabaugh's response:

HERE

In other news, Ms. Fuentes explodes in an impassioned piece over in "Voices" this Sunday regarding her fears...

An analysis of the piece is interesting. Why didn't HR help Ms. Fuentes and Mr. Todd sort things out, first?

Why is this internal dilemma running on the front page of Editorial?

It's very unclear what the article is trying to stress the most, isn't it? But what comes through is that Ms. Fuentes is angry that she was part of the Mixtec project, angry at departed editors, and angriest that she hasn't been interviewed by anyone.

Well, the Santa Barbara Star Free Press Blog offers her the chance to say all she would like to say, right here. Mr. Todd as well, should he care to.

That's what this blog was made for. A place for "the gagged" to speak.

So go ahead. Use the comments! They are there to be interactive and democratic!

Two links to stories out of Santa Maria today...

2006-09-10T10:47:00.000-07:00

"Planners mull Gaviota proposals" by Chuck Schultz

http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2006/09/09/news/news02.txt?imw=Y

and

Sally Cappon's reportage on SBNP debacle:

http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2006/09/10/news/centralcoast/news04.txt

Thanks for keeping us informed down here.

www.santamariatimes.com

Wikipedia on "The Robber Barons"

2006-09-10T10:29:00.000-07:00

Time to dust off Thorsten Veblen's "The Theory of The Leisure Class" for all you historians and history buffs out there.

Oh, and... can somebody restore The Miramar? Back to its old blue blood, blue-roofed state?

We liked it that way, too. It was quiet and chic.

(Overheard at luncheon, (this past June) by a longstanding very prominent writer at The Santa Barbara Writers Conference)

Less is more, sometimes.

LINK:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robber_baron_(industrialist)

(in case clicking the red title didn't work)

A brief intro to "The Gilded Age" here:

2006-09-10T10:25:00.000-07:00

LINK:

http://www.raken.com/american_wealth/Gilded_age_index4.asp

Next up, the Wikipedia and Robber Barons.

Somebody tremendously cool in the blogosphere has...

2006-09-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

Made a link to us! This is a very great honor for the Santa Barbara Star Free Press. Thank you, Doc Searls. Read him here:

http://doc.weblogs.com/

He's got lots of interesting links too, and things to say.

Look who else he has too:

Craig Smith, Blogabarbara and EdHat.

Curious about who he is? Check out "Who is Doc?" right here:

http://doc.weblogs.com/whoIsDoc

An image of the ship Calixe here:

2006-09-10T10:04:00.000-07:00

LINK:

http://yachts.monacoeye.com/yachtsbysize/pages/calixe02.html

She's something to behold, isn't she.

Personally, we tend to like old wooden sailing vessels like the Mayan. It's been around our harbor here for years hasn't she?

Blogabarbara has the scoop, Calixified...here:

2006-09-10T09:25:00.000-07:00

Check her comments section under the post "Vanity Fair Tell it Like It Is..." for the scoop on the biggest yacht in town, well, not that our harbor in Santa Barbara could accomodate it, but... nothing about this one is even remotely vegetarian is it?

Actually, it looks a little Robber Baron-esque.

The Star doubts that Barney B. would ever be swayed by swag or bling of any sort. Even though in a recent editorial the News-Press attempted to paint things that way. One of the rules the NYT had was not to accept any gifts at all. Guess why?

Have things changed now for journalists?

I doubt it. Not for real journalists, anyway.

Newspaper people are a breed. Nothing fools them, and they've seen it all, haven't they?

Click the headline or find the blog here:

http://www.blogabarbara.blogspot.com/

Next up...megayachts.

Why is this reminding us of the LA Times piece not that long ago on the Affluenza of Orange County. I wonder if you can get that off their archives. West Magazine archives that is... over at www.latimes.com

The local "Gnusman" over at Gnusman.com

2006-09-07T12:01:00.000-07:00

How fab!

Check out this journalist!

Yep, see the hat he's wearing? Anybody who looks like this is somebody trustable.

Funny, Mr. Gottlieb looks just like this too.

A real 40's type. He looks fab! the Star bets he is fab too, just like the reporters he's helping are.

Anyway, the Gnusman has a clipping service, isn't that great?

www.gnusman.com

read all about him!

A cutie-pie of a poem for insiders here:

2006-09-07T11:42:00.000-07:00

Click the red title to read a funny poem about a day in the life of a copy editor...
not all that long ago, although now it's more about the letterspacing huh?

It looks so dumb when the programs try and squeeze it all in like they do. All the rules about layout went right out the window didn't they?

oooooof!

http://www.timporter.com/words/copyeditorlament.shtml

Headline round up as of this morning:

2006-09-07T11:03:00.000-07:00

The simplest way to get your news via Google...
As you can see, many have chosen to run the Reed Saxon piece, up and down the coast.
You can cut and paste the links into your browser, and see for yourselves.

Santa Barbara News-Press workers urge subscriber boycott
San Jose Mercury News, USA - Sep 5, 2006
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Workers at the Santa Barbara News-Press who are pushing for union representation on Tuesday called for readers ...

link:

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/15446001.htm

Union says it has 3,000 pledges to drop News-Press
Ventura County Star (subscription), CA - Sep 6, 2006
About 3,000 people have promised to cancel their subscriptions to the Santa Barbara News-Press at the urging of the very people who write and produce the paper

(this is subscription only, unfortunately...)

News-Press union election set for Sept. 26
Santa Maria Times, CA - Sep 5, 2006
By Sally Cappon/Times Contributor. After the failure of a weekend meeting between labor and management negotiators in the continuing ...

link:

http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2006/09/05/news/breaking/breakingnews00.txt

News-Pressers' Rally for Solidarity
Santa Barbara Independent, CA - Sep 5, 2006
News-Press newsroom staffers will vote on forming a union September 26—unless new hurdles loom. There are 37 reporters, photographers ...

link:

http://www.independent.com/opinion/2006/09/newspressers_rally_for_solidar.html

'Santa Barbara News-Press' Workers Urge Subscriber Boycott
Editor & Publisher - Sep 6, 2006
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. Workers at the Santa Barbara News-Press who are pushing for union representation on Tuesday called for readers ...

link:

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003117371

Santa Barbara News-Press workers urge subscriber boycott
San Diego Union Tribune, United States - Sep 6, 2006
By Reed Saxon. SANTA BARBARA – Workers at the Santa Barbara News-Press who are pushing for union representation on Tuesday called ...

link:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20060905-1716-ca-newspaperturmoil.html

News-Press union election set for Sept. 26
Lompoc Record, CA - Sep 6, 2006
By Sally Cappon/Record Contributor. After the failure of a weekend meeting between labor and management negotiators in the continuing ...

link:

http://www.lompocrecord.com/articles/2006/09/06/news/news03.txt

Santa Barbara News-Press workers urge subscriber boycott
Press-Enterprise (subscription), CA - Sep 5, 2006
By REED SAXON. Workers at the Santa Barbara News-Press who are pushing for union representation on Tuesday called for readers to ...

(another subscription only, unfortunately...but this story is covered elsewhere)

Santa Barbara News-Press workers urge subscriber boycott
San Luis Obispo Tribune, CA - Sep 5, 2006
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Workers at the Santa Barbara News-Press who are pushing for union representation on Tuesday called for readers ...

link:

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/15446001.htm

Santa Barbara News-Press workers urge subscriber boycott
Contra Costa Times, CA - Sep 5, 2006
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Workers at the Santa Barbara News-Press who are pushing for union representation on Tuesday called for readers ...

link:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/15446001.htm

Santa Barbara News-Press workers urge subscriber boycott
Monterey County Herald, CA - Sep 5, 2006
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Workers at the Santa Barbara News-Press who are pushing for union representation on Tuesday called for readers ...

link:

http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/politics/15446001.htm

How LA Times does Mixtec...

2006-09-07T10:55:00.000-07:00

You'd have to have caught WEST magazine last Sunday to see.

You can try clicking that headline, or just go to www.latimes.com, scroll to the bottom of the page and look for this story:

"The Summer of the Death of Hilario Guzman" to read it and see the pictures.

It was a fantastic presentation in the magazine, and the photos were very fine.

Of course, reporters here in Santa Barbara have covered this story too, haven't they?

Just as engrossingly. Haven't they? And they aren't even given an audience.

Something is VERY wrong with that.

We hope the LA Times is working up a big one on Santa Barbara.

And that they open that Malibu bureau soon. We need it.

Important Letter at the Independent, re: "Take Back the Night" here:

2006-09-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

The Star happened to catch that read as well. And feels the same way as the people who signed this letter , if you lose this part of your audience, you are going to lose so many subscribers you won't even believe it.

This is not someone who is a local, either, writing the main column. Tragic.

Funny thing is, your writers represent YOU on the page. It's as if you have uttered every single word they've said. So in the end you will be responsible if the readers get irate.

One must be careful with this no? It's a big, big deal to own a newspaper in a small town like Santa Barbara.

A newspaper has to have a direction from the voice at the helm.

Once T. M. was hung in effigy on Anacapa Street. No one knew who did it, but he won a Pulitzer for the series he did. It's what a publisher faces.

It's the investigative stuff that wins the awards, not poodles with painted nails.

All the locals are watching from the sidelines.

It's getting embarrassing.

Here is the address:

http://www.independent.com/opinion/2006/08/letters_83106.html

Breaking news out of Lompoc this morning...

2006-09-01T08:25:00.000-07:00

Sally Cappon has the scoop!--- click the title bar

here is address:

http://www.lompocrecord.com/articles/2006/09/01/news/news05.txt

Thanks Lompoc Record, for staying on the beat from afar!

Jobs avail over at Poewar.com-- copy editor(s)?

2006-09-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

Hard to tell by this post if the Santa Barbara News-Press is looking for one or more editors for the copy desk...

here is address: (scroll down to see)

http://www.poewar.com/

Sounds like musical chairs, redux?

Also looks like plenty of jobs are out there, in the industry too -- a great thing.

A Blog is dead! (Spendy's)

2006-09-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

Considering the amount of parody and satire being done in the blogosphere, Spendykins was mild. Whoever was behind the blog was a fab writer. Intelligence and wit, no?
Pretty sad to see a thing like that go by the wayside in such a dark time. I guess like Warhol said, you get your 15 minutes of fame. You'll be missed, Spendy. By many. last I looked the blog had in excess of 3,000 hits on the counter. Pretty big audience you had to leave.

Come back?

Meantime there appears to be a new voice onscene in Curare Quille?

A link about media issues here:

2006-08-31T08:54:00.000-07:00

Over at Hear Us Now.org

here is address:

http://www.hearusnow.org/mediaownership/

So how many newspapers are there state by state?

2006-08-31T08:41:00.000-07:00

Have fun finding out!

At NewsVoyager!

California has 150. Funny, I thought we had more!
North Dakota has 10, compared to Maine's 20.

Just click the states, and go!

Right here:

http://www.newspaperlinks.com/voyager.cfm

Haute moderne over at the LA times the last few days...

2006-08-31T08:06:00.000-07:00

All you ever wanted to know about Salami & Co. plus the added delight of '50's architecture today. Sweet.

You can scroll down to the Food section, and the Home section and register over there to read these online I think. But, holding the actual paper is best...maybe because it's just as retro as that house is!

It even looks like the guy owns a Calder mobile. Wow. That's modernism for you.

We seem to be at a juncture in civilization just now where the '50's and the '70's are meeting head on, stylistically. Curious.

Breaking news from The Santa Maria Times here:

2006-08-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

Click title, or here is the address:

http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2006/08/31/news/centralcoast/news05.txt

Your cup of morning blog links:

2006-08-31T07:44:00.000-07:00

Here:

Daily Kos:

http://www.dailykos.com/

Huffington Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

and for the recipe challenged, the fabulous EPICURIOUS!

Yum.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/

Check out the figs! In season right now!

Yum.

One musn't forget Defamer, either...

http://www.defamer.com/

cut and paste 'em and go!

Be warned, and be done with it!

2006-08-30T23:06:00.000-07:00

Well!

Comments!

Just so you know, the Santa Barbara Star Free Press is an Independent. Just like the Independent, (The Santa Barbara Independent that is)---

It concerns me that we have NO LOCAL NEWS! in Santa Barbara and so, the few links we can get to link to about this whole debacle at the Santa Barbara News-Press matter greatly to our community.

This blog is affiliated with many different links, and we explore the state of the news and newspapers in general--as it affects us regarding the demise of newspapers all over the world.

That is a good thing is it?

Here we have a local owner who can make T. M.'s legacy live because she is independent, no? And obviously has the resources to do so.

She is also an enviromentalist? Like most of us here in Santa Barbara...

Blog links are blog links. I have one blog and link to other "unique" voices, some satire, some legal, some journalistic. And that is what the blogosphere is about, isn't it?

When I say, "our own" it means we are linked as bloggers--no less, no more.

Can you tell writers by the different voices? I think so.

Get the paper back on track will you? We need a newspaper...
Win a Pulitzer and prove something, why don't you? That the press is great. Always was, always will be.

Be proud. You own a newspaper. So do I. But mine is different. It's about writing. I don't need any advertising to support it, and I don't compete with anyone in town either. Don't want to.

This is how blogs function. Learn that and you'll be just dandy. With it.

And lastly, the big scoop right here...a must read, no?

2006-08-30T10:08:00.000-07:00

Thanks Bankrate, for all we needed to know about something called "binding arbitration"

Horrid. Horrid. Horrid.

In case it doesn't work...(by clicking the head, here is the address!)

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/advice/20041117a1.asp

Well, thanks Buzzmachine.com for this one:

2006-08-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

A sad, sad, sad story about a great old newspaper company and what happened to it.

The Star can't stand Wall Street. Remember 1929? That's why.

Check the Wikipedia about The Great Depression in the United States.

If the link doesn't work it's here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/27/business/yourmoney/27knight.html?ei=5088&en=7c7e27f6f61aaeb0&ex=1314331200&adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=1&adxnnlx=1156954116-6AaY2xaFebwThSSfhcCxzQ

All the celeb snarky stuff you need! right here...

2006-08-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

Over at the funniest place in town. Good for laughs-aplenty for the fashionable set...

Have fun!

In case clicking the link in the headline doesn't work---

here is the address:

http://gofugyourself.typepad.com/

and you thought our own Spendy was satirical...

get your fug on....fugsters!

Re-try to link to: Jerry Roberts SPJ Standing Ovation!

2006-08-30T09:41:00.000-07:00

Click that red title & go!
Right over to SB's own Independent for the news.

Did you know that Sam Ramirez is a member of SPJ?

Hmmm...

Well, he is. Wonder if they know each other. It's such a small world.

Working on our linkability type stuff to try and get the news out, asap!

Next up, can't stand all the celebrity buzz?

You want to catch "Go Fug Yourself" -- the satire rivals our own dear Spendy McFlaw, what can we say?

Congrats to you, Jerry! (and the others)...