tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post2604917794004151446..comments2024-03-28T20:55:25.057-04:00Comments on Lehigh Valley Ramblings: Morning Call, Bethlehem Press, MIA at Norco Counil MeetingBernie O'Harehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-85717307345229033172010-07-21T11:47:09.204-04:002010-07-21T11:47:09.204-04:00Bernie, it's a vicious circle. Many newspapers...Bernie, it's a vicious circle. Many newspapers, especially daily newspapers are hemorrhaging money and jobs because their business model is failing under the strain of keeping up with the internet. And no reporter wants to work without pay. Perhaps journalism should be funded by non-profits, 501c3's. In this way a more public service/watchdog aspect could be invoked more fully. It works for npr, why not newspapers?<br /><br />BTW, notice the government has done nothing to help print and other traditional media journalists segue into other jobs and skills. There are no dislocated worker programs for print reporters. I believe all the politicos are quite content to leave the coverage gap unfilled. They are probably getting away with murder while print journalists starve or change fields as they can. The few reporters working on the mid and lower levels are either poorly trained and cutting teeth, competent altruists on their own personal agendas, or anachronisms accepting their new lots in life.Shakur Pfisthttp://lehighvalleywhattheheck.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-9408073153796890652009-10-19T23:26:27.141-04:002009-10-19T23:26:27.141-04:00If the MCall can't be everywhere than they sho...If the MCall can't be everywhere than they should hire some political junky as a freelancer to cover council meetings.<br /><br />Unless you have an upstart, throw the bums out type of candidate local races are not as exiting as national or state races. The issues are not as dramatic or big. I always had more fun working on local races because the impact was greater, especially when I lived in Easton, where politics used to be contact sport.Donaldhttp://viewbeyondbethlehem.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-47578487007910110562009-10-19T11:20:25.827-04:002009-10-19T11:20:25.827-04:00The Mediocre Call had all its reporters following ...The Mediocre Call had all its reporters following a lead story about a German Shepherd in a kennel.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-34318735484202495302009-10-17T20:26:45.520-04:002009-10-17T20:26:45.520-04:00Bernie... where have you been? Don't answer th...Bernie... where have you been? Don't answer that LOL. Anyway, look around, the papers have all but abandoned local government meetings. This is especially true of the Morning Call. They have cut back so much that it seems like they do not have local reporters and simply reprint AP wire stuff.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-40452302615800973062009-10-17T18:09:26.594-04:002009-10-17T18:09:26.594-04:00How to get people to care about local politics? I&...How to get people to care about local politics? I've spent many hours pounding the pavement for candidates that I knew or discovered were worth supporting. But because I'm not a big contributor, I was always treated badly by the local political organizations. I can donate ezperience, time and energy but not money. Once the elections are over, volunteers are given the old heave-ho. There's a role for local party organizations and it's making people feel they have a voice, that someone's advocating on their behalf. Local political bosses are outrageously egotistical and keep the parties starving for new blood. New blood means nothing to them but threats to their power, no matter how well-intentioned the "little people" are.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-12968363888305466532009-10-17T14:34:46.141-04:002009-10-17T14:34:46.141-04:00I'll pray for you Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss Anon...I'll pray for you Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss Anon of 1:41 PM. And you get your choice. Do you want me to pray for you in:<br /><br />1 - English<br />2 - Latin<br />3 - Arabic<br />4 - Greek<br />5 - French<br />6 - Hebrew<br />or<br />7 - Syriac<br /><br />If I don't hear back from you, it will be my choice.<br /><br />Peace be with you, ~~AlexSanctifying Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11587567660211753210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-23362952343744520812009-10-17T13:53:09.581-04:002009-10-17T13:53:09.581-04:00Great guys would allow themselves to be fimed in a...Great guys would allow themselves to be fimed in a bdebate for public office, so we could all judge for ourselves. I can basically understand Julio, but would not rely on him to convey any message of importance. His understanding of English is poor. <br /><br />I have a video clip of him in action, saying he is going to bring us nuisance crimes. <br /><br />In additions to the poor grammar, his tendency to wander all over the place makes him difficult to follow. <br /><br />And incidentally, I am bilingual. Most people in my family are proficient in more than one language. My dad spoke about 6 ifferent languages. My nephew understands several dead languauges. <br /><br />Julio may iundeed speak two languages. But if he thinks one of those languages is English, he is mistalen. That's simply reality. <br /><br />I'm not surprised to read some ignorant anon call me a racist for telling the truth. But it is the truth.Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-49332921899999581192009-10-17T13:41:55.603-04:002009-10-17T13:41:55.603-04:00Julio is a great guy and you mock his English. H...Julio is a great guy and you mock his English. He can speak two languages which is two more than you, you racist pig.<br /><br />Everyone can understand Julio's English, except you and you poison posse. Shame on you ohater, with your history you have no room to criticize. You should go to a seminary just not with the angry priest.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-87778984520775290122009-10-17T11:08:26.941-04:002009-10-17T11:08:26.941-04:00Eicardo, You must speak two laguages, maybe you sh...Eicardo, You must speak two laguages, maybe you should run for A-town City Council.Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-16387921990654695182009-10-17T07:47:05.311-04:002009-10-17T07:47:05.311-04:00Couldn't agree more. Feliz Navidad. Yo quier...Couldn't agree more. Feliz Navidad. Yo quiero Taco Bell. Muy bien, Bernardo.Ricardo Montalbannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-5176277229797779562009-10-16T21:33:33.166-04:002009-10-16T21:33:33.166-04:00Noel, Keep up the good work at neighbors of Eastom...Noel, Keep up the good work at neighbors of Eastom. I love what is going on there.Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-19818336263080982062009-10-16T19:53:55.789-04:002009-10-16T19:53:55.789-04:00Anon 6:17, your first mistake is mistaking ohares ...Anon 6:17, your first mistake is mistaking ohares blog for News or reliable information.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-23019779365571859632009-10-16T18:17:31.059-04:002009-10-16T18:17:31.059-04:00Anon 3:44,
"No one cares about county govern...Anon 3:44,<br /><br />"No one cares about county government. School boards and municipal governments are much more relevant to everyday lives of most people."<br /><br />Oh, but I wish that were true in Easton. We had 69% of registered voters vote in the presidential election (beating the national average) but only 6.8% voted in the local primaries for City Council. Even of that small percentage, there was a high amount of "undervoting" where people show up to vote for a candidate they know personally, and don't bother to vote for any of the other offices being contested.<br /><br />If anyone has the magic words, potion, alarm clock that is going to make local elections as important to residents as the presidential election, please post it here! I'm not being snarky--I really mean it. I've been beating my head against a wall trying to figure out the secret to inspiring political will in a disenfranchised and apathetic community, and really want to hear readers' different ideas on what it's going to take to inspire people to exercise their right as Americans and take their democracy back.<br /><br />As for delivering real news on a consistent basis--thank god for blogs like Bernie's!noel joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07771648864731469389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-27952177678123353552009-10-16T18:07:55.322-04:002009-10-16T18:07:55.322-04:00The newspapers are in the tank for Stoffa, always ...The newspapers are in the tank for Stoffa, always have been. They love his folksy incompetence.<br /><br />This is not the place to come for election coverage. Edited tapes, twisted quotes out of context.<br /><br />Ohare hasn't really changed much in twenty years, he just found a new way to chnnel his rage and anger. You really need to go back to therapy ohare, clinically you are nuts!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-79238206183552994202009-10-16T16:21:40.964-04:002009-10-16T16:21:40.964-04:00I think you can expect more of the same.
newspa...I think you can expect more of the same. <br /><br />newspapers are in rigor mortis. I doubt that they will ever be the same again. I would not be surprised if one of the two valley papers fold in the next couple of years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-19913804095342319902009-10-16T15:44:11.874-04:002009-10-16T15:44:11.874-04:00No one cares about county government. School boar...No one cares about county government. School boards and municipal governments are much more relevant to everyday lives of most people.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-80018432821493052352009-10-16T13:10:29.810-04:002009-10-16T13:10:29.810-04:00In allentown the only coverage on the city council...In allentown the only coverage on the city council race is your blog I Am sure the candidates that appear at the forum you attend, tell those in attndance the reasons\why theynshould beelected. Many can not attend these forums and would be interested in what the candidates are proposing. when you can not attend forums in Allentown, could you get someone that attended and pass the information to you and you post.iiIt seems MORNING cALL and 69 NEWS care less or they would be reporting on the Allentown City Council raceWhat happened to televised debatesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-84134444739818320792009-10-16T12:04:49.388-04:002009-10-16T12:04:49.388-04:00Yeah, he's looking fora dumpster.Yeah, he's looking fora dumpster.Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-6269620710181596112009-10-16T11:56:41.755-04:002009-10-16T11:56:41.755-04:00I appreciate the election stories here for exactly...I appreciate the election stories here for exactly the reasons you state. The lack of local jouranalistic interest in our state legislators during the budget fiasco was also appalling. Nobody was asked any questions of the locals. <br /><br />BTW, is that Mike Fleck in the photo?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-55607486486492040322009-10-16T11:17:39.181-04:002009-10-16T11:17:39.181-04:00Yeah, those ad experts and investor groups are rea...Yeah, those ad experts and investor groups are really cleaning up. <br /><br />I see it myself. My readership spikes when I write election stories. People are hungry for that kind of information, and they're not getting it. Do you honestly think those vapid stories draw readers? People want hard news.Bernie O'Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13756311150988957401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-66161377899744864302009-10-16T11:12:56.732-04:002009-10-16T11:12:56.732-04:00"newspapers exist to keep an eye on possible ..."newspapers exist to keep an eye on possible government abuse."<br /><br />That would be a nice function, but I"m not sure the people who founded the papers would agree with that as the purpose for their existence. Likewise, I'm sure the investor groups are likely to disagree... the reasons papers exist now is to make money. You can argue all you want about effectively covering local matters leads to higher profit margins, but something tells me that people with a better understanding of the newspaper industry and selling ads would disagree. I tend to go with the people who are in the business of making money over somebody woh has never published a paper before. <br /><br />Now, if you disagree with that, then newspapers would have to presume they are no longer expected to make money. So they become non-profit organizations. I guess that's possible, but I don't think it's likely.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9299655.post-7642079031164953672009-10-16T11:08:26.751-04:002009-10-16T11:08:26.751-04:00there's an old joke asking why men die before ...there's an old joke asking why men die before women, the answer; they want to<br /><br />why can the papers get away with not covering the meetings; nobody caresmichael molovinskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12581039755319742687noreply@blogger.com