January 21st, 2009
Among the things the new president did today were three that ought to become “best practices” here at home.
He froze salaries for White House staff earning $100,000 or more, about 100 people in all.
He signed new Freedom of Information Act rules, making it harder to keep the workings of government secret.
And, he tightened up ethics rules to reduce potential conflicts of interest with guidelines about when administration officials can work on issues on which they previously lobbied governmental agencies, and banning them from lobbying the Obama administration after leaving government service.
Let’s see: freeze wages, open up government so the public knows what’s going on, and make sure conflicts of interest don’t derail good government. What’s good for the Obama administration ought to be good enough for the local folks, too.
January 21st, 2009
It it were up to me (and it’s probably a good thing it isn’t), I would eliminate the Sunday television listings booklet. I switched to TIVO years ago, and after swearing under my breath for the couple hours it took me to hook it up and program it, I haven’t picked up a “What’s on TV” since.
I watch a lot of television. I like television. I don’t need my listings in print. But, I know some folks are lost without their printed listings. So, we’re sticking with the daily listings and with the Sunday TV book — sort of. Beginning Feb. 15, the only subscribers who will get a TV book delivered to their homes will be those who opt in. We’re eliminating distribution to everyone else.
So, why? Actually, the honest answer is simple: We had to cut expenses again. The TV book consumes hundreds of thousands of dollars in newsprint, and it was better to cut the paper than to cut more people. The paper for the book pretty much pays for the salaries and benefits of three or four staffers.
I could spin a whole bunch of nonsense about changing lifestyles (true), other sources of listings (true) and responsible use of natural resources (also true), but the fact is, we’re making this change because it’s a smart way to cut costs in very lean times.
Those subscribers who want the Sunday book, get it. Those who don’t, don’t. And, those who buy single copy get it, too. Nope, we’re not increasing the price of the paper for those who “opt in,” but we’re not reducing it for those who don’t.
Details on how to opt in are on the front cover of the Sunday TV book.
I figure anyone reading this on my blog post hasn’t looked at a print television listing in years. But, if you are a subscriber and you have some burning desire to keep the printed book, you can opt in online.
January 21st, 2009
If the Rockford Register Star portrayed Rockford the way the Wall Street Journal’s Main Street blog does, the city’s mayor would likely be having apoplexy about the patronizing, negative tone and demanding a sit-down with the editorial board. Instead, he’s putting out press releases waxing enthusiastic at how wonderful it is that the WSJ is noticing our little ol’ Rockford.
You can check out the Main Street blog though I warn you: Be prepared for the obligatory “big city reporter meets gritty small city” prose like this description: “… beaten-down Midwest manufacturing city…” The posts are factual enough; I’m not quibbling about that.
And, Rockford has for 100 years or so been the darling of metro media when reporters wanted to find an “All-American city” close enough to a major metropolitan airport that access was easy; and far enough into the hinterlands that there might be a cornfield and a cow to mention.
I’m just amused at the mayor putting out a press release that boils down to “newspaper writes story about Rockford.” Maybe the next blog post ought to start out: “So quaint is this gritty little city that its mayor was wowed by our covering his town and issued a press release just to tell his folks we’d come to town.”
Be careful what you ask for.
