My friend Maureen Turner has written a very nice piece on my Springfield post card book in this week's edition of The Valley Advocate:
http://www.valleyadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=8614
I really appreciate the coverage the book has received. Susan Kaplan of WFCR taped an interview, which has yet to run and basically every outlet that could have run a story has done that – not to count television which would never run such a story.
The Republican received a review copy from the company, but would only mention me in their paper if I dropped dead. And even then they might resist.
Although I'm on a friendly basis with a number of the reporters from the daily, the powers-that-be have never been very happy with me because I have been willing to criticize their publication. It was the unwritten rule of the press in the area that Valley media outlets don't acknowledge one another or criticize one another unless there is some sort of business arrangement between them.
Personally I think it's fine to give a wink and a nod to other media – which I've done – and not to hesitate to blast them if they deserve it.
In any event, thanks Mo for the story!
3 comments:
Congrats MIke, it was a great article. I read it yesterday and it brought a piece of brightness to my mundane grey world.
BTW, my word verification today is "sipnessi".
Best one yet
Re: "the unwritten rule of the local press"
I like to call this the "Tinkerbell Principle." You know that scene in Peter Pan when Tinkerbell's light is fading and the only way to save her is for all the kids in the audience to yell, "I do believe in fairies! I do, I do!", and if they don't, it's implied, she'll just cease to exist?
I think it's something like that. If you never mention your competitors -- whether to compliment them or call them out -- maybe they'll just cease to exist.
Of course, I'm always curious about the opposite. How much more vibrant would the local press be if there were a real out-in-the-open culture of dialog, competition and media criticism?
I do believe in Mike Dobbs and Tom Vannah! I do, I do!
- Greg Saulmon / Local Buzz
That was a great article on your book, Mike. I, like you, believe this city has the potential to be something great again. It just needs more young people like me to believe that too.
--Courtney
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