AnnArbor.com - editorial board's massive, epic fail

One of the two new editorial board members is a spokesman for the University of Michigan who spent six months fighting The Ann Arbor News (remember that paper?) during its investigation into academics and athletics at U-M.

Seriously. (and yes, I am a former Newsie)

http://www.annarbor.com/about/two-new-members-join-the-annarborcom-editorial-board/

 

I think it's a great idea. He might help some of those journalists make the transition to PR.

 

Jim Carty getting a lot of run on Romenesko for posting the first comment:

Jim at 5:22 PM on March 22, 2011

David Lampe spent a good six months fighting The Ann Arbor News at every single point of our academics and athletics investigation. He is a well-paid professional spinner for the biggest organization you cover. The idea you would put him on your editorial board would be nothing less than mind-boggling if it weren't for everything we've seen over the past year-plus. Pretty much epic fail on every front at this point, Tony.

 

Every time I read someone say they are satisfied with another person's integrity when it comes to protecting journalism, it usually means the opposite is true.

I never trust editors who say the publisher doesn't interfere or there is a strict line between advertising and editorial, because that isn't the case.

 

Gotta love how the writer tool is defending it...Sounds like he's gotta gun to his head in the comments section as every single person calls him out. Talk about a worthless website.

 

That is priceless!

 

I think you have the ann arbor folks all wrong. I bet they invite this clown in so they could put ex lax in his coffee and make funny faces behind his back. All that sort of stuff.

He won't know what he's in for!

 

I wish you were right, but knowing these people ....

 

Just once I'd love to log on to a website and read about massive, epic succeed.

 

I think you're onto something.

 

I swear the bulk of their stories are house fires, car accidents and U-M happenings (news and sports).

I wonder how much of their "news reporting" is done off the fax machine, instead of going out and finding news. It will probably get even worse now.