I took a couple of days off the blog because I have been so angry at the xenophobia and ignorance sweeping the country. I wonder if America is permanently changing.
One thing that is not changing is the Albuquerque Journal. It is almost funny, except it is so serious. Take for example the ranting editorials and stories over the last few weeks on drivers licenses in New Mexico. The Journal was printing that people wouldn't be able to fly because of our problems with drivers licenses for immigrants. (The same people who mow the lawns at Journal Center.) But then the Homeland Security Office wrote an oped in the Journal saying that was all wrong. The Journal responded today by a front page story on the Post Office having passport seminars around the state so people know how to apply and get such documents. It hid its correction in reporting on airport problems in the last paragraph.
Then, just as Governor Martinez abandons the state to head the republican governor's association, the Journal hid a story on the business page of our state now having the second highest unemployment rate in the United States. We are only slightly better than West Virginia. If these circumstances happened during a Democratic Governor's term in office, that story would have been an above the fold front page story.
And then, as if to ignore the dismal statistic again, the Journal touts for our republican Mayor that Alaska Airlines is happy with its load factors on new round trip service between Seattle and ABQ. They came in after Southwest Airlines dumped their flight. In fact passenger traffic at the airport has fallen to levels not seen since the mid 90's. Does that have something to do with our economic wasteland presided over by Susana and Berry? Probably a lot.
And so think about Susana traveling around the country while the meltdown continues. Do you get upset ?
One thing that is not changing is the Albuquerque Journal. It is almost funny, except it is so serious. Take for example the ranting editorials and stories over the last few weeks on drivers licenses in New Mexico. The Journal was printing that people wouldn't be able to fly because of our problems with drivers licenses for immigrants. (The same people who mow the lawns at Journal Center.) But then the Homeland Security Office wrote an oped in the Journal saying that was all wrong. The Journal responded today by a front page story on the Post Office having passport seminars around the state so people know how to apply and get such documents. It hid its correction in reporting on airport problems in the last paragraph.
Then, just as Governor Martinez abandons the state to head the republican governor's association, the Journal hid a story on the business page of our state now having the second highest unemployment rate in the United States. We are only slightly better than West Virginia. If these circumstances happened during a Democratic Governor's term in office, that story would have been an above the fold front page story.
And then, as if to ignore the dismal statistic again, the Journal touts for our republican Mayor that Alaska Airlines is happy with its load factors on new round trip service between Seattle and ABQ. They came in after Southwest Airlines dumped their flight. In fact passenger traffic at the airport has fallen to levels not seen since the mid 90's. Does that have something to do with our economic wasteland presided over by Susana and Berry? Probably a lot.
And so think about Susana traveling around the country while the meltdown continues. Do you get upset ?
8 comments:
Why is it that you get so worked up about the Journal?? It is a dying newspaper and as more time passes, say 10 years, it will no longer be around and will fold. Circulation is about 80,000 total subscriptions if they are lucky. Studies on newspaper readers say only about 5% of the people who get the paper on any particular DAY actually read the editorials printed that day. Young people in the 25 to 40 age group get their news off the internet and other sources. News cycles are now hours and not days so by the time the Journal prints its national wire stories on its front page, it is old news. People in our age group (60 to 70 and above) are the Journal's mostly right wing conservative readers that they cater to and as time passes, its readership will die off. Editors Ken Waltz and Dan Herrera will be the last editors of this now questionable rag that tries to pass for a newspaper.
I get worked up because they use ink by the barrel. How do you think we ended up with Susana and Berry. You are naive.
The Anonymous commenter brings up some good points, but the Journal has a particular kind of power as the paper of record. Why are none of New Mexico's Democrats writing op-ed pieces to counter the bile and vitriol circulating around the refugee issue? Why do they never speak out on any issue on which the community needs leadership and moral courage? They are afraid of the Journal perhaps.
It says as much about them as about the Journal and its influence, but the Journal does have access to a particular group of people, i..e other prominent people, including wealthy donors, and to the engaged voter. Those who turn out in our minuscule voter turnouts and the Journal's readership probably greatly overlap, and people who set the tone in their peer groups and among individuals who consider them "opinion leaders" probably always keep one eye on the Journal.
The media, including the Journal, is a big part of our spiral into hell. They grossly misinform the public. If you are engaged in this practice on a daily basis, you can make a dent in what people think. Kent Walz is truly a psychopath, running ramrod over everything the average person values. He does what he does, so he can feel powerful. He is known as "Deputy Mayor" and covers for Berry so he can continue to run the city. He is tied in with Jay McClesky and I am sure there is some financial benefit to it all. You ought to take a look at the City contracts with the Journal, as well as State contracts. Berry pays the Journal far more in advertising than any previous Mayor. Even top Journal reporters are vocal about Walz and say he is out of control. He is despised by most who know him. Our City can't take 10 more years. Look what has happened over the last 6 years. We are at the bottom of the pile, by every measure. Really, just sit back and wait 10 more years?
I understand what "Anonymous" is saying about the dying newsprint medium. On the other hand, I believe that the majority of people who currently vote in New Mexico's largest county read the newspaper and are influenced by its "point of view" in how it presents the news. This same voting demographic watches the local TV news and its biased coverage. So, today, and for the next election cycle or two, these sources will remain the two primary sources of information for the majority of people who actually vote in New Mexico. As this older voter demographic dies off, so will the ABQ ournal.
Jim: Now who is naive one? We ended up with Susana and Berry because of very low voter turnouts in the Mayors races and Democrats who do not vote like Democrats while the Republicans stick together and will never vote for a Democrat. Democrats vote against their own best interests while our local TV news stations refuse to be critical of Berry and Suszana.
You don't understand propaganda or power of the control of information. You are more naive than I originally thought.
The Journal is such a sad shade of any formal glory it may have had. Four sections, 7 days a week. I do believe it is successful in beating the conservative drums for the remaining readers that will always go to the polls and will always vote Rethuglican. The current State and City admins have been provided a huge curtain to hide behind due to the lack of coverage from most of the State's media. The Journal will die a natural death within the next decade, and it's not particularly going to be missed.
Post a Comment