CJR story on Dallas Morning News

[lone star scribe]

Re: CJR's take on DMN cutbacks

A very informative read. The CueCat was laughable, but there was also Texas Cable News, the circulation scandal, and a very ill-timed push into the northern suburbs to cover ninth-grade volleyball.

It remains to be seen whether Quick (the free tabloid they ginned up to head off a competitor), Al Dia or Neighbors have any staying power.

But it was definitely the circulation scandal that brought the House of Belo to its knees.

I never understood the push to the northern suburbs. The folks in Plano were taking the paper already, the opportunity for new readers appeared to be in NE Tarrant. Maybe they got scared after getting their heads handed to them with the Arlington Morning News idea.

Actually, the push to the northern suburbs was a good idea, badly executed. Circulation was surprisingly light up there, but after the DMN poured huge money, resources and staff into Plano and gave it wall-to-wall coverage, circulation didn't budge an inch.

 

[Satchel Pooch]

Re: CJR's take on DMN cutbacks

Good for Gary West.

Two things annoyed me about the article: they didn't catch up with anyone who was unhappy following their leaving the paper and numeralize the frigging ages, please.

 

[gandhithegreat]

Re: CJR's take on DMN cutbacks

...

 

[SF_Express]

Re: CJR's take on DMN cutbacks

numeralize the frigging ages, please.

Yeah, the bugged me, too.

 

[dargan]

Re: CJR's take on DMN cutbacks

A friend of mine interviewed Randy Galloway once for a school project and asked him why he left the DMN for the Star Telegram. Galloway told him anyone who tells you it's not about the money is full of you know what.

I grew up thinking the DMN was the gold standard, especially since its MLB boxscores had season RBI totals in them and the Chronicle's didn't (huge sticking point to a 10-year-old). There's been some turnover (obviously) in sports, but at least they still have Kevin Sherrington, who I think is the most interesting columnist since Galloway's been gone.

 

[Angola!]

Re: CJR's take on DMN cutbacks

A friend of mine interviewed Randy Galloway once for a school project and asked him why he left the DMN for the Star Telegram. Galloway told him anyone who tells you it's not about the money is full of you know what.

I grew up thinking the DMN was the gold standard, especially since its MLB boxscores had season RBI totals in them and the Chronicle's didn't (huge sticking point to a 10-year-old). There's been some turnover (obviously) in sports, but at least they still have Kevin Sherrington, who I think is the most interesting columnist since Galloway's been gone.

From what I see of the papers that way, I like the Star Telegram a lot better - except for the redesign. I just haven't been very impressed with the Dallas Morning News in the last year, at least compared to major metros elsewhere in the country.
Though I am told by longtime Texas sportswriters that the Dallas Morning News used to be the gold standard in this region of the country.

 

[dargan]

Re: CJR's take on DMN cutbacks

A friend of mine interviewed Randy Galloway once for a school project and asked him why he left the DMN for the Star Telegram. Galloway told him anyone who tells you it's not about the money is full of you know what.

I grew up thinking the DMN was the gold standard, especially since its MLB boxscores had season RBI totals in them and the Chronicle's didn't (huge sticking point to a 10-year-old). There's been some turnover (obviously) in sports, but at least they still have Kevin Sherrington, who I think is the most interesting columnist since Galloway's been gone.

From what I see of the papers that way, I like the Star Telegram a lot better - except for the redesign. I just haven't been very impressed with the Dallas Morning News in the last year, at least compared to major metros elsewhere in the country.
Though I am told by longtime Texas sportswriters that the Dallas Morning News used to be the gold standard in this region of the country.

Angola, I agree. The Star Telegram is probably the top paper out there now, though I concur on the redesign. With Galloway and guys like Jim Reeves, they've got strong columnists. I like the way the Austin American-Statesman looks, too, but I'm no design wizard.

 

[Angola!]

Re: CJR's take on DMN cutbacks

A friend of mine interviewed Randy Galloway once for a school project and asked him why he left the DMN for the Star Telegram. Galloway told him anyone who tells you it's not about the money is full of you know what.

I grew up thinking the DMN was the gold standard, especially since its MLB boxscores had season RBI totals in them and the Chronicle's didn't (huge sticking point to a 10-year-old). There's been some turnover (obviously) in sports, but at least they still have Kevin Sherrington, who I think is the most interesting columnist since Galloway's been gone.

From what I see of the papers that way, I like the Star Telegram a lot better - except for the redesign. I just haven't been very impressed with the Dallas Morning News in the last year, at least compared to major metros elsewhere in the country.
Though I am told by longtime Texas sportswriters that the Dallas Morning News used to be the gold standard in this region of the country.

Angola, I agree. The Star Telegram is probably the top paper out there now, though I concur on the redesign. With Galloway and guys like Jim Reeves, they've got strong columnists. I like the way the Austin American-Statesman looks, too, but I'm no design wizard.

Nor am I a design wizard, but I like the way the Austin paper looks as well. As far as Austin's editorial, I think they are pretty shirtty. It seems like Austin is trying to be a major metro, when they aren't. They should stick to UT and high schools and not much else.

 

[dargan]

Re: CJR's take on DMN cutbacks

A friend of mine interviewed Randy Galloway once for a school project and asked him why he left the DMN for the Star Telegram. Galloway told him anyone who tells you it's not about the money is full of you know what.

I grew up thinking the DMN was the gold standard, especially since its MLB boxscores had season RBI totals in them and the Chronicle's didn't (huge sticking point to a 10-year-old). There's been some turnover (obviously) in sports, but at least they still have Kevin Sherrington, who I think is the most interesting columnist since Galloway's been gone.

From what I see of the papers that way, I like the Star Telegram a lot better - except for the redesign. I just haven't been very impressed with the Dallas Morning News in the last year, at least compared to major metros elsewhere in the country.
Though I am told by longtime Texas sportswriters that the Dallas Morning News used to be the gold standard in this region of the country.

Angola, I agree. The Star Telegram is probably the top paper out there now, though I concur on the redesign. With Galloway and guys like Jim Reeves, they've got strong columnists. I like the way the Austin American-Statesman looks, too, but I'm no design wizard.

Nor am I a design wizard, but I like the way the Austin paper looks as well. As far as Austin's editorial, I think they are pretty shirtty. It seems like Austin is trying to be a major metro, when they aren't. They should stick to UT and high schools and not much else.

I see your point, but I do like Kirk Bohls and Cedric Golden. I think they could do a much better job covering the Spurs, considering Austin is Spurs territory. But my question would be if Austin is over 700,000 people with a circ. around what, 200K, shouldn't the Statesman be a major metro?

 

[Angola!]

Re: CJR's take on DMN cutbacks

A friend of mine interviewed Randy Galloway once for a school project and asked him why he left the DMN for the Star Telegram. Galloway told him anyone who tells you it's not about the money is full of you know what.

I grew up thinking the DMN was the gold standard, especially since its MLB boxscores had season RBI totals in them and the Chronicle's didn't (huge sticking point to a 10-year-old). There's been some turnover (obviously) in sports, but at least they still have Kevin Sherrington, who I think is the most interesting columnist since Galloway's been gone.

From what I see of the papers that way, I like the Star Telegram a lot better - except for the redesign. I just haven't been very impressed with the Dallas Morning News in the last year, at least compared to major metros elsewhere in the country.
Though I am told by longtime Texas sportswriters that the Dallas Morning News used to be the gold standard in this region of the country.

Angola, I agree. The Star Telegram is probably the top paper out there now, though I concur on the redesign. With Galloway and guys like Jim Reeves, they've got strong columnists. I like the way the Austin American-Statesman looks, too, but I'm no design wizard.

Nor am I a design wizard, but I like the way the Austin paper looks as well. As far as Austin's editorial, I think they are pretty shirtty. It seems like Austin is trying to be a major metro, when they aren't. They should stick to UT and high schools and not much else.

I see your point, but I do like Kirk Bohls and Cedric Golden. I think they could do a much better job covering the Spurs, considering Austin is Spurs territory. But my question would be if Austin is over 700,000 people with a circ. around what, 200K, shouldn't the Statesman be a major metro?

In theory it should be a major metro, but they don't have any professional sports.
I agree with covering the Spurs, but they need to define what they are going to cover. shirt, Dallas isn't that far away, do the cover the Mavericks and the Stars as well? All I am saying is, it is a major city, but based on their market it isn't a major metro, so they should worry a lot more about UT and high schools than they do.

 

[IGotQuestions]

Anyone else see the Columbia Journalism Review story/poll of laid off/bought out employees and inner workings of Dallas Morning News since 2004. Horrific.

 

[chazp]

Do you have a link?