• Monday, May 10th, 2010
This song reminds me of the anonymous comment writers over at Redding.com.
Category: Record Searchlight, Video
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Archive for the Category ◊ Record Searchlight ◊
• Sunday, April 18th, 2010
Couldn’t let this one slide. Of all the weekends in Redding to pay attention to the Auto section, Kool April Nights is when the RS allowed this fairly major and seemingly obvious misprint slip. That’s one mighty purty Volvo. I wonder if Porsche is aware that the 2011 Volvo S60 looks so similar to a Cayman?
I live in a glass blogger house, where the copy writer has has a fool for an editor, so I shouldn’t throw stones with impunity. And I hate playing the grammar police. But in truth we’ve noticed a recent spate of fairly obvious bloopers in the local paper. Did this task get outsourced too? Hello in there! Asleep at the wheel?
Category: Record Searchlight, Redding
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• Monday, November 16th, 2009
I have said here before that my hometown newspaper is both beloved and infuriating. Lately, the discussion about public figures declining to speak to the paper has focused a ’searchlight’ on the infuriating issue of disparaging anonymous online comments actively encouraged at Redding.com. The online version of our hometown newspaper is rapidly becoming more a public nuisance than asset.
Here’s what I see is wrong with Redding.com’s deliberate decision to encourage cowardly behavior in their comments section.
1. They have the ability to verify identities of writers and/or regulate comments before they appear, but choose not to do so.
2. They ostensibly champion open access to information, but deliberately offer comment writers a way to disguise their identity. Truly hypocritical.
3. They profit from increased page-views, without regard to accuracy of the information on their site. A cynical and absolute conflict of interest.
This is a small town. The one local paper has (had) enormous influence on public opinion. If enough anonymous online comment authors use this platform to call you a scoundrel, the unsubstantiated words take on an air of ‘truthiness.’ Our newspaper bears a greater responsibility for accuracy, but has now deliberately abandoned their place in our community. The old saying about how ‘if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen’ doesn’t apply. Anonymous public bashing isn’t heat, its flame. No individual in our small town can long afford to have their character burned alive by faceless bullies and cowards given an online bully pulpit. The flaming sheds no light, only pain.
The fact that controversy driven page-views increase revenue breeds corruption. Are deliberately incendiary comments being submitted by Redding.com itself? If not already happening, it surely will. Who would know?
In the early days of Redding, there was more than one local newspaper. The new online nature of news and information calls for a new proliferation of publishing models. There is low barrier to entry for online news sources. The power of integrity will prevail, and allow for new voices to arise. I encourage others who have given up on speaking to Redding.com to continue to vote on this by ignoring their calls. If enough influential people stop talking to them, they’ll figure it out, or die in isolation. The sooner the better.
Thanks to http://xkcd.com/ Cartoon used here under Creative Commons Remix provision.
Redding.com currently lives on the reputation of the newspaper’s former golden years of journalistic integrity. But now their ugly present direction seems likely to reduce their relevance to an ever smaller audience of the mean-spirited, spitting incoherent vitriol at one another. Send the commentards back to Craigslist, where they are generally harmless and generate no revenue.
It pains me to see that Redding.com has chosen this path. I believe our community benefited from the role a strong newspaper played in our past. I advertise at Redding.com. The individuals that work for the RS are generally thoughtful and well-meaning. But I feel strongly that their current unregulated comment policy seems ill-considered in our small town, and will ultimately prove to be self destructive. And I’m sorry about that.
Category: Opinion, Record Searchlight
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• Monday, October 19th, 2009
My printed paper arrived totally soaked today. Obviously the carrier didn’t bother reading the headline! Perhaps he thought he was delivering the online version.
At least we were able to enjoy the Alliteration of the second header, Pot Plantations Problematic on Private Property. Good one, fellas.
Category: Articles in print, Record Searchlight
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