Comments on: Just say no to editorial boards at newspapers

By: Sayonara Editorial board: Cox cuts the brain dead

Sayonara Editorial board: Cox cuts the brain dead — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 01:03:04 +0000

[...] that the Cox flagship Atlanta Journal Constitution did away with their editorial board back in October, it’s amazing that this trio of status-quo, incumbent loving, losers managed to hang on much [...]

By: David Esrati

David Esrati — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:31:47 +0000

A Cleveland Plain Dealer editorial on why they should keep endorsing:

http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/10/newspapers_endorse_because_the.html

Although, they admit that they’ve made mistakes- something the Dayton Daily News can’t and hasn’t done.

Once the DDN endorses, or once a candidate wins- it’s really hard for the DDN to ever reverse course.

By: David Lauri

David Lauri — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:40:40 +0000

Today’s Dilbert is apropos: http://dilbert.com/dyn/str_strip/000000000/00000000/0000000/000000/70000/0000/600/70677/70677.strip.print.gif

By: David Esrati

David Esrati — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:38:09 +0000

@Jeff

The only influence that should be at play is that of the voters. Voters in Dayton don't have $1000 to give to political races thanks to the devaluation of our property from badly executed policy and leadership from City Hall.

Joey Williams says he's never received a $1000 donation. The same can't be said for his "teammates" Nan Whaley and Rhine McLin. Pre-election finance reports are due on the 22nd. Everyone will report. I'll post complete filings on my site.

We'll see where the money is coming from.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:02:05 +0000

I think the contribution is a mix of influence buying and a “vote of support” for Nan’s advocacyof a stepped-up demolition program. In other words this is at the level of policy. I don’t think it descends to the level of Nan actually influencing bids to go to this specfic contractor.

By: Molly is Bent

Molly is Bent — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:27:49 +0000

Without a doubt: Don’t Live Anywhere Near Dayton + Demolition Contractor + Dayton Has Demo Contracts to Sell + Clearly Disproportionate Donations = Dirty Money
Only a fool disagrees. Ha Ha… Ha Ha Ha… Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Cough… Gag… Cough… Ha Ha… Cough Spit…

By: Hall

Hall — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:03:54 +0000

@Molly: What “benefit” does this person get from donating to Whaley’s (and McLin’s) re-election campaign ? Or are they just personal friends ?

By: Molly Darcy

Molly Darcy — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:22:24 +0000

No it’s not “tainted” and it’s definately not “dirty money.” $50 is a high donation to you David, so until you join the ranks of someone who actually works to win an election keep your crying to yourself. Serious candidates raise money, period. By your definition Obama is the dirtiest crook on the planet. Give me a break.

By: David Esrati

David Esrati — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:52:34 +0000

@Molly- and donation of $5.5 k from a demolition contractor in a city facing millions in demolition dollars- is tainted.

Note, even on the high side- donations are usually no more than $1000.

By: Molly Darcy

Molly Darcy — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:40:42 +0000

"And although the newspaper still claims a wall between its journalistic side and the business side, Cox Ohio, owner of Channel 7, WHIO Radio, K-99 and the Dayton Daily News, will profit from ads run with the dirty money that Nan Whaley has accepted, where quotes from the editorial are almost sure to appear." That's quite a slanderous claim there, even for you David. What "dirty money" has Nan accepted? It's one thing to blabber on about some contribution she received that you're pissed about, it's another to claim it's dity money. You better show the proof when you make a statement like that. This is a new low even for you.

By: Ice Bandit

Ice Bandit — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:54:44 +0000

   The Old Bandito once had an associate that got a summer gig driving an ice cream truck. And though he had an unblemished driving record going back two decades, he did have one flaw. And the defect wasn’t minor; it was an pathological, highly visible and outspoken disdain and hatred of kids. For a few days rude and crude attitude dude drove the streets of east Dayton selling his wares for what he thought was a great return. However, after his consumers recoiled at being cussed out and at, and their parents later layed for his return in hopes of administering an East Fourth at Van Lear Street beatdown, his employers grabbed his truck keys, told him not to let the door hit him where the good Lord split him, and went about an ad-hoc fence mending tour. There was, the employers knew, no shortage of multi-colored, music playing, frozen sugar dispensing trucks navigating the 937 area code, and a loose cannon could destroy a customer base.
    Similar is the situation at the Dayton Daily News, and countless other city newspapers. Trapped in a box of political correctness and groupthink, the DDN editorial board effectively angers a high percentage of the demographic they need to stay afloat. If the editorializing were balanced and stayed on the op-ed page, very few would care. But the bias has bled through the coverage of news stories and other writing. The Old Bandito remembers, when Columbus was being considered for the National Rifle Association convention, the DDN comparing NRA members to “pimps and hos” on the entertainment page. Or a reviewer libeling the crowd at a Hara Arena rock concert because some waved Confederate flags. Or an editor calling the management of the Dayton Mall racists because they were considering a weekend, evening age limit. The Old Bandito has just scratched the surface of these offenses, he is confident your readers have their faves.
   And here David is the 1,000 pound gorilla that you are too great a gentleman to address. How objective can one be when they are hitched to the Grand Poo-Bah and Potentate of a local political party?
    Sometimes Christians were thrown into the lions den, and other times they jumped the turnstile and volunteered for martyrdom. But regardless of how they got there, the results were pretty much preordained. So why the surprise, Dear David, that you were dissed on and pissed on????????

By: Roger

Roger — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:54:55 +0000

When you actually WIN a campaign, I’ll come to you for help running for office… LOL

By: Roger

Roger — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:51:07 +0000

@David
If you want to get elected, it is better to have no conversation, if it is going to be like this.
Don’t feed the trolls.

By: David Esrati

David Esrati — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:45:38 +0000

@Roger

When you want help running for office, give me a call. Why don't you try having an online conversation over at the Mayor's site- or Nan Whaley's? Oh, that's right- you can't.

By: Roger

Roger — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:31:19 +0000

truddick: “and if you don’t mind a little advice from an alleged expert”… LOL. I don’t believe that David Esrati is serious about his candidacy, because he is not serious about actually doing what it would take to get the job. Keep his mouth shut.
Today’s post is so typical of his inability to control his blather. Sour grapes.

By: David Esrati

David Esrati — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:43:03 +0000

Thanks for weighing in Mr. Ruddick- but calling them more capable is a stretch. As to minor comments- again, you weren't there, but how do we start talking about regionalism without putting regional assets on the discussion table? The airport isn't going to solve the very real problems facing Dayton, and right now- shouldn't we be focusing there? How else are we going to bring people to the table?

There was a lot more discussed- and none of that made it in. As to the crack about them moving closer to Oakwood- touche to you. It was a crack- but, for them to claim to be "downtown supporters" but act differently- is about putting your money where your mouth is.

I believe that their new location is "downtown"- but I've been scoffed at for years by most for suggesting downtown be bigger than 6 square blocks.

btw- thanks to ShortWest Rick for the tip on this post.

By: truddick

truddick — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:15:45 +0000

I tend to think that Belcher, Gottleib, Elliot and Riley are somewhat more capable than the average citizen to judge a candidate.
I think so based on an assumption that I apply to lots of situations: an intelligent person who spends considerable time studying something is more likely to make wise decisions than anyone who’s not so well informed.
DDN editors and reporters are professionals who spend significant time informing themselves on the workings of this community–specifically its political, economic, business and education sectors. Why shouldn’t they exercise their traditional privilege of weighing in–and why do you skate on the edge of insulting voters by implying that too many of us are automatons who do what we’re told (even if it is true)?
And if you’re upset about “minor comments” being blown out of proportion–and if you don’t mind a little advice from an alleged expert–quit making them, especially if they’re irrelevant and likely to off-put someone needlessly. Yes, DDN moved its main offices to somewhere “closer to Oakwood” as you wrote above–a meaningless aside that weakens your point about their Franklin printing plant, one that inspires a response like “South Park is also closer to Oakwood, so is David Esrati planning on moving downtown soon?” rather than “perhaps DDN is less than faithful to Dayton.”
Just stay on your core message and they’ll have nothing else to distort.
I expect DDN will be changing its business model or it will be out of business in just a few years anyway. Perhaps you’ll get your wish for less editorializing–or perhaps you’ll just outlive them.