News-Sentinel should quit trying to hide its agenda
With every word on his blog, News-Sentinel editor Jack McElroy (whose boss is in bed with Bredesen) continues to prove his paper's bias and political agenda. Mr. McElroy's excuse for why the News-Sentinel failed to cover the attempted murder of a candidate for County Mayor is that:"News of gunshots outside a downtown building is a brief item, at best, and that's how we played it."
Mr. McElroy says that "that night, our city editor heard of the shooting on the police scanner and assigned a reporter to check it out. She got the essentials from the police -- that shots had been fired outside Hall's Depot Avenue business -- and tried to call Hall. He didn't answer or call back."
Okay, so the city editor got the essentials from the police-fine. The fact that this business was owned by a candidate for County Mayor and that he frequents the place apparently has no bearing in Mr. McElroy's journalistic world on whether it gets top billing. This is Knoxville, not New York-shots being fired in a downtown business is a big deal, look at how the television media tends to treat such incidents!
With every word out of McElroy's mouth, he does nothing more than prove that the News-Sentinel not only has a bias but also has an agenda. The paper's lack of ability to use every resource at its disposal to cover an attempt to shoot a candidate for our County Executive speaks volumes about the priorities of the paper. At the very least, the News-Sentinel's priorities are skewed, and at most, they are arranged to fit the paper's political agenda.
Nearly a year ago, I put in a resume at the News-Sentinel. Most places where I have put in resumes either call me for an interview or send me a courtesy letter some weeks later explaining that the position had been filled-that is the usual drill. It bears noting that since putting in my resume at the News-Sentinel, I have never heard a thing from them-no calls, no letters, no e-mails. Now, I am sure I am not the only person in that position, but it does make you wonder-how many potential reporters, writers, and other employees who are conservative have been turned away?
It bears noting in all of this that the News-Sentinel not only endorsed Mike Ragsdale, but did so in such glowing terms that you would think Ragsdale was Messiah and Lord.
Update: Here is more in the News-Sentinel's failure from Say Uncle.
Hat tip to Terry Frank.
posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 7:22 AM
4 Comments:
Mr. Oatney,
I think the KNS did a pretty good job all things considered. The article was small, but above the fold and considering everything that is known and could be confirmed I don't see how they could have written more than they did without getting into opinion and/or commentary. I expect that if Mr. Hall had given an interview or something along those lines the story would have been bigger. Without either the shooter or the shootee there's isn't awhole lot more that can or could be said. As the case unfolds and if the police catch the shooter (and seriously hope they do) then the story will get more attention.
As the bias of the KNS, I know plenty of liberals that believe the KNS is biased, only in the opposite direction :-)
I also know a few liberal journalists that have applied to the KNS and recieved the same reply (none at all) that you did. I suspect that is due to the proxoimity to UTK and an overabundence of journalistism students. They blow them off (and you) because they can.
SteveMule
Steve;
Yes, I know they blew me off because they can, but my bringing up my experience was part of a larger point-how many good people have they turned away that could have made the paper much better?
I do not agree that the story was handled properly-as I pointed out, a shooting at a candidates business is a bloody big deal in this town. They didn't begin to treat it that way until they were given Hell from a few people.
In fairness, the publisher of the News-Sentinel was credited by no less than Bredesen himself for carrying Knox County for him-that says enough for me. Although I am heartened that some of your liberal friends think it is so terrible-perhaps there is hope.
Huh? Why imply that Ragsdale is involved. Steve Hall is a good person, but county mayor? All he is running on is anti-tax. I haven't one thing he is for. He is also the one who has negatively campaigned. Ragsdale hasn't said one nasty thing about Hall, however Hall's campaign has been calling names, stealing signs, and flooding talk radio since day one. The "establishment" is not what you're against, it sounds more like anarchy...
So now Steve Hall's supporters are anarchists. That's a way to slander your fellow Republicans (I hope you are one, anonymous) and say things about them that aren't so.
"Name calling," "negative campaigning." I'm not denying that there are such things, but sometimes when one side accuses the other of being "negative," the real issue is that they are just uncomfortable with what is being said.
I did not imply that Mayor Ragsdale was involved in the attempted murder of Steve Hall. That's not to say that some misguided person who thinks they are doing Mayor Ragsdale a service is not, however. Who is behind this remains to be seen.
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