McCain aide: NYT not legit news source

One of the problems newspapers face is that they are regarded by many within their target demographic as being partisan.

If we compare the NYT with an Ipod for a second, both products have brand stature. However owning an Ipod - although it says lots of things about you - doesn't carry any political baggage.

If a large segment of the target demographic of Ipods wouldn't buy them because it thought owning an Ipod would signal them either as believers in and clone followers of elitist, establishment MSM or as liberal, anti-Republican people, then Apple would eliminate a sizable part of its target audience.

This wouldn't be smart.

However, whether you agree with either of those characterisations of the NYT or not, the fact is that many people do, and therefore don't buy it.


Witness this article below from Politico:

McCain aide: NYT not legit news source
By MIKE ALLEN 9/22/08 12:25 PM EDT
Steve Schmidt, a McCain campaign senior adviser, declared on a conference call with reporters Monday that The New York Times is "not ... a journalistic organization.”
His lengthy broadside, prompted by an article Monday documenting ties between the campaign and lobbying for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, was the latest in a series of grievances with the Gray Lady that that aides to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) have aired publicly.
“Whatever The New York Times once was, it is today not by any standard a journalistic organization,” Schmidt said. “It is a pro-Obama advocacy organization that every day impugns the McCain campaign, attacks Sen. McCain, attacks Gov. [Sarah] Palin. It excuse Sen. Obama. …
“Everything that is read in The New York Times that attacks this campaign should be evaluated by the American people from that perspective — that it is an organization that has made a decision to cast aside its journalistic integrity and tradition, to advocate for the defeat of one candidate — in this case, John McCain — and to advocate for the election of the other candidate, Barack Obama.”
Bill Keller, the newspaper's executive editor, said in a statement of response: "The New York Times is committed to covering the candidates fully, fairly and aggressively. It's our job to ask hard questions, fact-check their statements and their advertising, examine their programs, positions, biographies and advisors. Candidates and their campaign operatives are not always comfortable with that level of scrutiny, but it's what our readers expect and deserve."
Bill Burton, the Obama campaign's national press secretary, called Schmidt's accusation laughable, and said the Times had published more than 40 "probing stories ... over the course of the campaign about Barack Obama, his life, his religion, his childhood, his politics, his time in the state Senate, his time in the U.S. Senate, his family, his religion, his friends, his fundraising and all other manner of associations."
Burton attached a list of 42 citations, pasted below.
On Monday, the paper published an article on page A18 tying a McCain campaign manager, Rick Davis, to lobbying group set up by troubled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
When CNN’s Dana Bash asked about the article, Schmidt unloaded.
“Let me first say: We are First Amendment absolutists on this campaign,” Schmidt said. “The press, and anybody who wishes to cover this race from the blogosphere perspective or from a media perspective, … of course is constitutionally protected with regard to writing … whatever they want to write. But let’s be clear and be honest with each other about something fundamental to this race.”
Schmidt said that the Obama campaign has been “abetted” by a compliant media that gives more scrutiny to the Republican than to the Democrat.
Then, naming the Times, he said: “There is no level of public vetting with Sen. Obama’s record, his background, his past statements. There’s no level of outrage directed at his deceitful ads. This is an organization that is completely, totally, 150 percent in tank for the Democratic candidate, which is their prerogative to be. But let’s not be dishonest and call it something other than what it is.”
Burton's list of Times articles probing Obama:
1. In Law School, Obama Found Political Voice [New York Times, 1/28/07] 2. So Far, Obama Can’t Take Black Vote For Granted [New York Times, 2/2/07] 3. Obama Had Slaveowning Kin [New York Times, 3/3/07] 4. Disinvitation by Obama Is Criticized [New York Times, 3/6/07] 5. Obama, in Brief Investing Foray In '05, Took Same Path as Donors [New York Times, 3/7/07] 6. Obama Says His Investments Presented No Conflicts of Interest [New York Times, 3/8/07] 7. Charisma and a Search for Self In Obama's Hawaii Childhood [New York Times, 3/17/07] 8. Clinton Camp Challenges Obama on Iraq. [New York Times, 3/22/07] 9. After 2000 Loss, Obama Built Donor Network From Roots Up [New York Times, 4/3/07] 10. A Candidate, His Minister and the Search for Faith [New York Times, 4/30/07] 11. An Obama Patron and Friend Until an Indictment in Illinois [New York Times, 6/14/07] 12. In Illinois, Obama Proved Pragmatic and Shrewd. [New York Times, 7/30/07] 13. In 2000, a Streetwise Veteran Schooled a Bold Young Obama. [New York Times, 9/9/07] 14. Loyal Network Backs Obama After His Help. [New York Times, 10/1/07] 15. Obama’s Account of New York Years Often Differs From What Others Say. [New York Times, 10/30/07] 16. It’s Not Just ‘Ayes’ and ‘Nays’: Obama’s Votes in Illinois Echo. [New York Times, 12/20/07] 17. Nuclear Leaks and Response Tested Obama in Senate [New York Times, 2/3/08] 18. Daschle Uses Senate Ties To Blaze Path for Obama [New York Times, 2/5/08] 19. Old Friends Say Drugs Played Bit Part in Obama’s Young Life [New York Times, 2/9/08] 20. Seeking Unity, Obama Feels Pull of Racial Divide [New York Times, 2/12/08] 21. Obama Walks a Difficult Path as He Courts Jewish Voters [New York Times, 3/1/08] Obama in Senate: Star Power, Minor Role [New York Times, 3/9/08] 22. A Free-Spirited Wanderer Who Set Obama’s Path [New York Times, 3/14/08] 23.cPastor Defends His Predecessor at Obama’s Chicago Church [New York Times, 3/17/08] 24. Obama’s Narrator [New York Times, 4/1/07] 25. Wright Remains a Concern for Some Democrats [New York Times, 5/1/08] 26. A Strained Wright-Obama Bond Finally Snaps [New York Times, 5/1/08] 27. A Pulpit-and-Pews Gulf on Obama’s Ex-Pastor [New York Times, 5/2/08] 28. A Fiery Theology Under Fire [New York Times, 5/4/08] 29. Obama Secret Service Agent Tied To Sex Joke [New York Times, 5/15/08] 30. The Story of Obama, Written by Obama [New York Times, 5/18/08] 31. Following Months of Criticism, Obama Quits His Church [New York Times, 6/1/08] 32. Many Blacks Find Joy in Unexpected Breakthrough [New York Times, 6/5/08] 33. Where Whites Draw The Line [New York Times, 6/8/08]
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13733.html



A PLACE IN THE AUVERGNE

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Happily I did not spot this in the International Herald Tribune

This from Mediabistro, ever vigilant for a chance to knock MSM (from which they make their living and derive most of their content). But I have to agree with them on this one....





New York Times Trend Piece Tackles the Vital Role of Wristbands in the NFL

Scout's honor, we're trying to believe in newspapers. But wow, sometimes they make it hard. Case in point, today's The New York Times in-depth trend piece about how players in the National Football League are wearing wristbands... on their forearms.

Some football players, like Jets defensive end David Bowens, pull fat 2-inch wristbands up into the crook of the elbows. Some, like Giants defensive end Dave Tollefson, use scissors to cut a skinny edge from the elastic band for a thin strand. Some even use sliced old socks, swatches of stretchy material or athletic tape to create the wrap-around look.
Some wear the bands at the elbow. Some wear them across the middle of the biceps. Some, like Jets cornerback Dwight Lowery, wear them over the top of a long-sleeved shirt.

They paid someone to write this? Did NYT forget to tell us it was combining the Sports and Styles section?
But don't worry, there's more. 895 words more, to be exact.

Wristbands, like their stretchy ringed cousin, the headband, have long performed dual (if not dueling) roles of form and function for athletes. Depending on the sport, the era and the hipness of the wearer, they have not always been worn to good reviews.

This article performs the dual role of being vapid and sucking.

[Giants tight end Kevin Boss] looked over at tight end Michael Matthews, who was wearing wristbands, too.
"I always make fun of Mike for wearing them on his wrist," Boss said. "That's old school."

Just like newspapers.

http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/newspapers/new_york_times_trend_piece_tackles_the_vital_role_of_wristbands_in_the_nfl_94875.asp

A PLACE IN THE AUVERGNE

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"As the media industry slowly dies around us" (Media Bistro)

I've posted before on the prevailing sense of gloom, or at least that perception among media commentators and analysts, regarding the newspaper industry. It's hard to gauge exactly how this is impacting consumer confidence (in this case advertisers) in MSM like the NYT and the IHT, but there is no doubt there is a buzz in Manhattan that things are very, very bad.

Read investment bank analyst reports, read of endless newsroom cuts in the U.S.A., newspapers sharing content to counter increased A.P rates, credit ratings, share performance, it's hard to know where to turn to find a happy spin. Other of course from the naturally upbeat announcements and interviews of people like Mr. Sulzberger.

To give yet another example, this headline and opening sentence from an article from Media Bistro, one of the better barometers of the U.S media scene.

Finding Sunshine Among the New Media Clouds

As the media industry slowly dies around us, we'll happily overplay any positive story to make us feel even marginally better about our chosen career. As such, we're pleased to report that the Web site of U.S. News & World Report had a record day with over 15 million page views last week after the publication of its annual college rankings survey. All this despite the fact that fewer and fewer colleges want to participate.
Additionally, bolstered by the Olympics, Runner's World's site posted its best page view week ever with 5.14 million.
Of course, such gains only lead to success if you can monetize it. [My emphasis] While traffic to the running mag's site is up 68 percent over last year, revenue is only up 23 percent.
Then again, if even The New York Times is struggling to make money, what hope do the rest of us have?
We'll deal with that later.

"As the media industry slowly dies around us"?

Herein lies the two problems: advertiser confidence perhaps reaching a tipping point from which it won't recover and the unresolved problem of of HOW TO MONETIZE TRAFFIC.

Neither the IHT nor the NYT can monetize traffic at sufficient rates of CPM or indeed achieve significant growth in revenue, to offset the fixed costs of their newsroom operations.

So what's the solution if it isn't the Internet?

It's publishing a succesful newspaper which pulls back in print advertising AS WELL AS growing a succesful Internet operation.

That requires a major strategic rethink, and coming up with Newspaper 2.0 because Newspaper 1.0 is dead or dieing. Why newspapers can't get their heads around the fact that their core product is increasingly reduntant and change it from sail to steam remains a mystery.

No one like to let go of a piece of driftwood (however big and seemingly solid) and swim to a lifeboat in the distance, but that's the challenge.

The good news is that people will pay over the top money for seemingly reduntant items or items where there is plenty of good quality cheaper competition (a Chanel handbag for example, a watch when everyone has a clock on their cell phone).

It's brand and design and timely content: not much wrong with the IHT's content that a little tinkering with timeliness and design won't sort out. Timeliness means more articles about today and tomorrow, not yesterday.

Yesterday's news is yesterdays news.





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