THE FUTURE OF JOURNALISM - BY THOSE WHO KNOW

THREE AMIGOS

Last night I had the pleasure of attending a forum hosted by the activist group, Speak Up Newport, at the community room at Newport Beach City Hall.  The program consisted of a panel of experts on journalism, and local journalism in particular.  It included former Daily Pilot publisher and current publisher of StuNews Newport, TOM JOHNSON; former Los Angeles Times reporter, Daily Pilot Editor, podcast host and award-winning author, BILL LOBDELL and former Daily Pilot Editor, public relations expert,  college journalism instructor and current Public Information Officer for the City of Costa Mesa, TONY DODERO.

THE CROWD

Among the 80 or so people in attendance were current and former Newport Beach council members and commissioners, Daily Pilot columnists and a wide array of community activists.  Among them were folks who had, in the past, been named by the editors of the Daily Pilot as among those 103 most influential in the community - like yours truly, who was named on that fun array of movers and shakers 8 times (but who’s counting?).

THE INTRODUCTIONS

President of Speak Out Newport and former Newport Beach Mayor ED SELICH kicked off the evening, then turned the discussion over to Johnson, who moderated the conversation among his friends at the table with him.  He introduced his staff - his former wife, LANA JOHNSON, who is the editor of Stu News Newport and the person who actually gets things done, and SHAENA STABLER, his partner in the publication.

THE REMINISCENCES

The panel recalled their early days at the Daily Pilot.  When Johnson and Lobdell took over the newspaper in the early 1990s it was a struggling, poorly-run operation, described as probably the worst community newspaper in the state.  They built it into a profitable operation, recognized as the best in the state.  When they ran the operations, and later with Dodero at the helm of the news operations, the publication did outstanding work.  According to the discussion, when the Los Angeles Times acquired the Daily Pilot and several other local community newspapers the wheels began to come off.  The Daily Pilot is the last one standing and it’s teetering on the brink.

KEEPING IT REAL

Johnson shared some of the strategies that helped them become successful.  He said they “had to keep thinking of new things” to keep the Daily Pilot on the cutting edge of community engagement.  He cited the creation of the Daily Pilot Cup - a youth soccer tournament that exists  to this day, although no longer under the auspices of the Daily Pilot.  He also mentioned the Jones Cup, a women’s golf tournament.  And, of course, he spoke of the almost capricious creation of the “DP 103” - for which Lobdell, chuckling, took full credit.

WHAT HAPPENED?

According to the panelists, large newspapers, like the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register, were very slow to react to the digital realities on the news business.  The only large publications that have figured it out are the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.  Social media, with all it’s faux urgency and rampant inaccuracy, have become the go-to source of “news” by many in our society.  The iPhone has replaced the daily newspaper. According to Lobdell, there are 60% fewer journalists today than there were just a few short years ago.  They also cited mismanagement of many smaller newspapers.  The management of those operations were slow to react to the financial realities of the competition for advertising dollars in the digital world.  The failure of the Santa Barbara News Press was cited as an example.

DAY-TO-DAY AT STU NEWS…

Johnson gave us a brief tour of what it’s like at Stu News Newport, which produces a new product every Tuesday and Friday for both the Newport Beach operation and their sister publication in Laguna Beach… that’s four digital newspaper editions a week with a shoestring staff.  As I mentioned earlier, he gives LANA JOHNSON full credit for pulling off those four small miracles each week. One acknowledged shortfall is the production of true investigative reporting.  They are successful selling advertising for the “good news” they produce twice a week, but ramping up to produce a more hard-hitting product is expensive.  A discussion was held about the possibility of using interns - but that really doesn’t provide the skill set necessary for the tough reporting.  In our area there really is only one source of investigative reporting - the non-profit Voice of OC, published by former Orange County Register reporter NORBERTO SANTANA, JR.   They do an excellent job of digging up the dirt on issues, although sometimes they anger folks - a byproduct of tough reporting.

RE-BRANDING IN THE FUTURE?

There was a brief discussion of the possibility of “re-branding” Stu News - to give it a change of look.  Specifics were briefly discussed, and a January 2024 date was mentioned for a possible “new look”.

Q&A

At the end of the evening Johnson entertained questions from the audience.  Fewer than a dozen people stepped to the microphone.  One person mentioned the curiously fortuitous timing of a column published that very day in the Daily Pilot by columnist PATRICE APODACA on the subject of the decline of local newspapers.  Another speaker  complimented them for their work on the Daily Pilot, and described how family members always visited those pages for family members names in box scores and social events.  Others spoke of the need for strong investigative reporting and the fun that was had when one’s name appeared in the DP 103 list.

THAT’S ALL, FOLKS

So there you have my summary of the highlights of the evening.  I did not provide you with a word-for-word account, but it was a very worthwhile event.  The three

panelists are my friends.  Each one nurtured me as a 50-year-old fledgling writer who offered commentaries to the Daily Pilot pages before launching my blog in 2005 - and later, too.  I admire each of them for their positive contributions to my community over the past few decades. I suspect that they may put their collective experiences to work to continue finding workable solutions to the evolution of credible digital media.  I hope so.

District Mapping Meeting Schedule Announced

MEETING SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
City Public Information Officer Tony Dodero issued a press release this afternoon announcing the series of community meetings at which the voting by district mapping program.  The community is invited to attend these meetings as convenient for them to provide input to the process.  There WILL be a voting by districts issue on the ballot in November.  This is your chance to provide input.

RSVP PREFERRED, BUT NOT REQUIRED
Here is the text of the message.  Click on the image to enlarge it if you have trouble reading it.  It will also be posted on Costa Mesa Connected and the City Facebook page shortly.

A Land Swap? Nobody's Talking...

NO INFORMATION AVAILABLE
I mentioned in my preview post about the Costa Mesa City Council meeting Tuesday, April 19th, that there was an interesting item on the Closed Session agenda, and that I'd try to get more information.

WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?
Well, nobody's talking about Item #3, which reads:

STONEWALLED
I tried to get a comment from the CEO's office several times since Tom Hatch is the negotiator.  I was told I'd get a call back - that didn't happen.  I tried Tony Dodero, the Public Information Officer, since this is public information.  No luck.  I tried the CEO's Office again this afternoon and was told, "That's all we've got."  That seems like a curious response, so I tried Vanguard University, but got no response.

IF YOU WANT TO ASK, BE THERE BY 5:00
So, how is one expected to inquire about this issue during the Public Comments segment that's available at the beginning of the Closed Session - at 5:00 p.m., before they adjourn to the 5th Floor Conference room?

WHAT'S THE STORY?
Without more information it looks like some kind of land swap is in the works.  Two of the properties are located on Newport Boulevard and Santa Isabel Street.  They share a common property line and appear in this Google Earth image to be commercial buildings.  This apparently does NOT involve the corner lot.

IS THIS A LAND SWAP?  IF SO, WHY?
So, is the City negotiating with Vanguard for some kind of a land swap involving our Civic Center Park, located on Fair Drive between the Police Headquarters and Fairview?  If so, what the heck is  going on?  Why are they considering giving up that open space that so many of the nearby neighbors complained about losing when it was considered as a possible site for a library/community center or affordable housing?

SO MUCH FOR TRANSPARENCY
It appears the only way the taxpayers of this community will learn about this deal is when it's done.  In the meantime we can only speculate about this transaction.  That seems very wrong.

Tardy Press Briefing Provides Insight

WHAT'S HAPPENING...

Costa Mesa Public Information Officer Tony Dodero issued his Monday Morning Press Briefing today - a little late, but worth the wait.

COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA
He told us right off the top that the City Council will be considering several important items at their meeting tonight, including the conversion of the Costa Mesa Motor Inn into luxury apartments, a new sober living ordinance and a proposed heliport next door to John Wayne Airport.  I've told you about those in an earlier post, HERE.

KEEPING TRACK OF HOMELESSNESS ISSUES
He also told us about a new web site that's available, HERE,  that will help residents and other interested parties stay abreast of the activities of the Network For Homeless Solutions, the successor to the Homeless Task Force which has been meeting in a semi-stealth mode for months.

MORE ENFORCEMENT STAFF ADDED
He also told us the city has added staff to deal with the group home issue.  Here's the text of that message:
Additional staff have been allocated to the group homes effort: Two existing Code Enforcement Officers have been moved to the Group Homes Section of the Code Enforcement Division.  Further, two new part-time Code Enforcement Officers have been approved are being hired to assist with enforcement of group homes as well as one part-time Management Analyst.  This will result in there being three full-time Code Enforcement Officers and two part-time Code Enforcement Officers and one part-time management analyst dedicated to the group homes effort.

GROUP HOME LEGISLATION?

Additionally, on that subject, he told us that legislation on group homes may be on the way.  Here's his text on that subject:
Assembly Member Bill Brough, R-Dana Point, and Sen. Pate Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, are forming a joint task force on Sober Living Homes.  They are planned to reintroduce legislation and they will be holding the first task force meeting soon to obtain input.  Costa Mesa city staff has spoken with staff in Assembly Member Brough’s office and expressed interest in participating in this task force. 

GONNA BE A LONG NIGHT

More on his message later.  Time to head for City Hall for what may be another marathon meeting, replete with demonstrations, long-winded speakers both on the dais and from the speaker's podium.  It's gonna be a long night...  If you cannot attend, watch it live on Costa Mesa Television or streaming live on the city website.

Another Successful "Coffee With A Cop" In The Books

IT WAS GOOD EVEN THOUGH...
Despite the fact that Mayor Steve Mensinger - who is suing the men and women of the Costa Mesa Police Department - showed up and stayed for an hour, the latest Coffee With A Cop event at the Starbucks store at Harbor and Wilson today went very well.

OTHER SENIOR STAFFERS
Not only did Mensinger grace us with his formidable presence, but CEO Tom Hatch, Assistant CEO Rick Francis and new Public Information Officer Tony Dodero also attended the event.  Councilwoman Katrina Foley showed up and visited with police, staff and residents.

MANY OF COSTA MESA'S FINEST
From the CMPD, Chief Rob Sharpnack, Captains Mark Manley and Bryan Glass, Lieutenant Vic Bakkila, Sergeant Clint Dieball, Community Service Specialist Kelly Vucinic and many other officers came and went, stopping to visit with residents.

RESIDENTS AND ACTIVISTS
Throughout the morning residents came and went, many stopping to chat with officers and to get a free cup of coffee.  I saw many familiar faces and many new ones - folks on their way for their morning cup of Joe who saw the police officers and stopped to visit.  Former City Council candidate and homelessness activist Tony Capitelli, who works for Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, also showed up to chat with the police and residents about homelessness.

RECRUITING
I saw young people, enthralled by the weaponry carried by the police officers, stop to ask questions.  We saw some disabled folks, including one disabled Marine, stop to say "Hello".

THE CHIEF IS OPTIMISTIC
We stood there as Chief Sharpnack told residents about all the exciting things happening in his department - new hires and new recruits in the pipeline; re-staffing the Detective Bureau and a new spirit of optimism.  It was good to hear.

JOSE TORRES
We had a chance to visit with long-time officer Jose Torres, now astride one of our new bicycles, who shared stories about this new adventure for the CMPD.

MIKE BRUMBAUGH
We had a chance to visit briefly with Code Enforcement Officer Mike Brumbaugh - shown below on the left - who recently lost a boss when Jerry Guarrancino abruptly left the employ of the city.  Brumbaugh will be part of the other Code Enforcement team now, but basically maintain the same assignments.

A CHUCKLE
I had to chuckle as I saw a CARE Ambulance team snuggle their rig in next to a CMPD vehicle.  CARE is at the core of controversy regarding our proper use of our brand new quarter million dollar rescue ambulances, but that's another story.

A VISIT TO WILSON PARK
On my way to Starbucks I stopped at Wilson Park, just a block East of the site, to see how many homeless/junkies/prostitutes were hanging out there.  Residents apparently have reported such activities, so we've locked the bathrooms and removed the picnic tables.  Instead of miscreants I found only Park Ranger Ann Harkey, on the job.  She and I visited about the situation in the park, which is better today than it was a month ago.  When I asked about the locked bathrooms she told me stories that made me cringe - stories about several people being seen emerging from the bathrooms following whatever illicit activities they had engaged in.  She told me about having the drains cleaned from the bathrooms and found them packed with drug residue - syringes, etc.  No, I wouldn't let a child use those bathrooms today.  When I left heading for Starbucks she also departed, leaving for a meeting, but was replaced with another Park Ranger, who was still there two hours later when I drove home.  There was still no sign of bad actors in the park.  See, a greater law enforcement presence CAN and DOES make a difference, despite with Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer tells us.

KUDOS TO ALL
So, another good day for Coffee With A Cop.  I hope this series continues because it provides an excellent opportunity for residents to meet and chat with officers in a very casual setting.  Kudos to all.

Tony Dodero New Costa Mesa Public Information Officer

GOOD NEWS FOR COSTA MESA

Costa Mesa "leaders" announced today, HERE, that former Daily Pilot Editor Tony Dodero will become the City of Costa Mesa's new Public Information Officer.

OK, BUT...
In that press release no mention about who he reports to directly - one would assume CEO Tom Hatch - nor whom, if anyone, reports to him.  Bill Lobdell - who held a similar job before he bailed out and went to the Irvine Company - had the folks at CMTV reporting to him.  Nobody was around at City Hall who could answer those questions.

SLIM NEWS ABOUT THE JOB
The press release speaks almost exclusively about Dodero's background.  The one line that DOES address his job with The City says, "Dodero will be responsible for managing the city’s media relations efforts and expanding the public’s awareness of special events, programs, services, policies and projects."





STARTS TOMORROW
Dodero will begin his new assignment tomorrow, August 11, 2015.

A GREAT GUY, SKILLED COMMUNICATOR... AND MY FRIEND
A word on this subject.  I've known Tony Dodero for more than a dozen years.  He was the Editor at the Daily Pilot when I first began writing commentaries in that fine newspaper.  He's become a friend over those years and I respect his journalistic skills and his integrity.  I look forward to his contributions to the communications coming out of our city very much.  That being said, if we hire one more manager for that 5th Floor bunker I'm afraid the building will simply topple over from being top-heavy.

YEP...
Good luck, Tony.