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.

Voice Of OC And Marijuana Legalization

RETURN TO FIND A NEW SURPRISE
I returned from my wonderful birthday trip, still "high" from the experience of spending such wonderful, quality time with my lovely and very patient wife and some old friends, to find that our pals at the Voice Of OC have launched a new effort regarding presenting information on marijuana legalization efforts.

THE FIRST TWO OF A SERIES
In what apparently will be an ongoing series they currently have two articles available on their site.  The first, HERE, is titled "America's Weed Rush".  The second, HERE, is titled, "America's Weed Rush: Different States Means Different Policies.

NOT AN ENDORSEMENT, JUST INFORMATION
My mentioning this should NOT be considered an endorsement of marijuana use, medical or otherwise.  It is not.  However, this snowball is rolling downhill toward us - there may be as many as four (4) items involving marijuana on the Costa Mesa ballot next year - so the more information we can get to make informed decisions on this issue, the better.  At least, that's my opinion.

YOUR CHOICE...
So, read them if you wish.  I'll continue to remind you as new articles appear.

A Little Primer On Corruption

A VETERAN REPORTER'S VIEW

Today Tracy Wood, veteran reporter who made her bones covering the Vietnam War up close and personal, wrote a piece in the Voice of OC, HERE, that will be very interesting reading for those of us who follow politics.

CHARACTERISTICS OF CORRUPTION
In her piece, The Ingredients of Corrupt Governments, Wood describes several characteristics of government corruption, regardless the level of government.  I found it fascinating reading and I overlayed some local government issues as I quickly scanned the screen. (Photo courtesy of Voice of OC)

TAKE SOME TIME TO READ HER WORK...
She begins with this paragraph: "Corruption doesn't happen by accident.  Here's a rundown of tools used worldwide by corrupt leaders."Without plagiarizing her work, here are some captions with my comments:

Patronage and its siblings, nepotism and cronyism.
Uh, huh.  And, I wonder where we might have seen this characteristic?

Secrecy, one of the most valuable tools of a corrupt government.

Although our local government touts "transparency", it's clear from watching it work that much is already decided before it ever hits the light of day.

Attacking and even shutting down a free press.
Hmmm, this has a very familiar ring to it.  As a person who is a part of that "free press", it's clear to me that some people in charge work very hard at keeping important issues from being discussed in the open and reported by the press.  Those of us who DO manage to report on controversial issues are vilified for our efforts.

Cash, gifts or assets handed or promised to a government official...

Well, I have absolutely NO proof that anything like that has ever happened in Costa Mesa.... yet.

Contracting/procurement.
Well, now... this is a whole different matter.  No bid contracts, consultants filling positions, sweetheart deals for campaign contributors... all that has a very familiar ring to it.

Financial accountability.
The 60th Anniversary Celebration fiasco... 'nuff said.

Election Fraud.
This one is tricky.... how do you count the late presence of a person who has absolutely no chance in an election, but may appear on the ballot to syphon off votes made based only on gender?  Is it "fraud"?  Probably not, but...

One-sided justice.

Does this apply to the very special relationship the Orange County District Attorney's Office has with certain local politicians?  Do the scales of justice balance fairly in our area, where we prosecute a person for vandalizing $15.00 worth of campaign signs, yet ignore tens of thousands of dollars of probable misuse of public funds on an unnecessary city party?

Keeping voters at a distance.

Take some time to read Wood's take on this issue.  Ethics is a cornerstone here and some of our local politicians have summarily rejected a City Ethics Policy with no reason given.

Deliberately running yes-men - and now women - for office.
Take a moment and think about our last couple campaign seasons, the people who ran and those who were appointed to commissions and committees.

Read it and contemplate...
As you read through Wood's piece and the linked resources I suspect you'll find yourself overlaying local circumstances in many instances.  Enjoy.

Numbers

COMMENT PIQUED MY INTEREST
In a recent post another Costa Mesa-based blogger made mention that a site he follows is ranked high on scale provided by Alexa, so that got me thinking about my site and others around the area.

DECIDED TO TAKE A LOOK
Alexa, HERE, is a site that analyzes web sites - blogs and the like - and does a calculation to "rank" them both from a global standpoint and when comparing them to the countries in which they originate.

INTERESTING RESULTS
So, I did some research, slammed it into a little spread sheet and now present it for your viewing pleasure.  The information surprised me.  I listed these sites by "Global Rank" since some didn't have enough data to produce a number in the "United States Rank" column. The calculations were taken from the site today. 

(click on the image to enlarge it)

HAVE FUN WITH IT...
You'll see some familiar names on the list.  The top three shouldn't surprise you.  I was interested in how those of us further down the list compared - not that it means anything.  Enjoy...

OCTA Board Kicks The Can Down The (Toll) Road

"HOT" TIME AT THE OCTA BOARD MEETING

In what was reported to be another raucous meeting last Friday on the proposed plan to impose two High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes on the driving public on the I-405 from Costa Mesa to the Los Angeles County Line, the Orange County Transportation Board decided to defer a vote on the issue until their meeting on December 9th.

 (The dreaded Alternate #3)

TWO EXCELLENT REPORTS
I did not attend the meeting, but Nick Gerda of the Voice of OC provided an excellent report of the proceedings, HERE.  And, if you're looking for a report of the event with a little more "spice", try Vern Nelson's take on the meeting in his Orange Juice Blog entry, HERE.

RIGHEIMER RANTS
Both of the accounts mention comments by our mayor, Jim Righeimer, and quote other politicians, too.  Both are worth a read. 

STALLING FOR TIME...
I suspect the members of the OCTA Board who are inclined to vote to move forward with the HOT lane concept may think the December meeting - with holidays, not toll roads, in most of our minds - might make for a "kinder, gentler" meeting at which they could impose their will on us with fewer angry residents there to oppose them.  Righeimer as much as promised to "pack the place" on December 9th.

KEEPING THE PRESSURE ON...
So, the beat goes on and representatives of the corridor cities who oppose the HOT lane concept will keep the pressure on the Board.  And, we can also participate by going to the Costa Mesa web site, HERE, and write to each of the board members to express your views.

LAKE (Costa)FOREST(Mesa)

ANOTHER BIG STORY FROM THE VOICE OF OC

In case you missed it, Nick Gerda over at the Voice of OC had an interesting piece yesterday about Peter Herzog, a councilman down in Lake Forest who threw a hissy fit and resigned.  That's pretty big news, but the bigger news is the letter he left behind.  You can read Nick's piece HERE, and the fascinating letter HERE.


SOUNDS TOO FAMILIAR
As you read down through Herzog's letter I suspect you'll get the uneasy feeling that this sounds all too familiar - and way, way too close to home.  Apparently, such is life among the political players within my Republican party.  Sigh....

Moorlach's Pension Dance

ANOTHER "PENSION" WHACK IN THE HEAD
Almost everyone who opens their eyes in the morning these days is aware of the difficulties most governmental entities face with the looming pension crisis.  In Costa Mesa Mayor Jim Righeimer has used it as a cudgel to bludgeon us during almost every meeting.

BANKRUPTCY PENDING?

The Pension Oversight Committee, stacked with several of Righeimer's pals, continues their exercise in futility - they can do NOTHING about municipal pensions except worry about them like the rest of us.  They have, though, recently heard a primer on Municipal Bankruptcy, conducted by one of their members - Rick Kapko - who apparently has expertise in bankruptcies.  One could probably accurately assume that our Mayor is laying the groundwork for a bankruptcy action for Costa Mesa - the ONLY real way to resolve the unfunded pension liability obligation that exists in a timely manner.

MOORLACH'S PENSION WALTZ
Then, today, Norberto Santana, Jr., over at the Voice Of OC presents us with an interesting essay regarding our termed-out supervisor, John Moorlach, and his personal waltz with pensions as a county employee.  Read it HERE.

DOES IT SQUARE?
In my view, although I'm not happy he's so tightly snuggled up to the OC GOP power elite, Moorlach has done a pretty good job as a public servant.  However, he seems now to be  trapped in that quagmire and is looking for another seat when the music stops in November, 2014.  Read the Voice of OC piece and see if you think Moorlach's pension situation squares with the position of his other OC GOP pals.

MAKES ME SMILE...
You know, you just couldn't make this stuff up!

Norberto Santana Talks Costa Mesa On PBS SoCal

VOICE OF OC CHIEF SPEAKS...
If you find yourself with seven minutes of empty time today check out Norberto Santana, Jr.'s take on current events in Costa Mesa and more as he presents his views on The Real Orange on PBS SoCal, HERE.  Although this segment covers other subjects, too, the first few minutes cover Costa Mesa issues, so you can bail out after that portion, if you wish.

WORTH A LOOK AND LISTEN
Santana is the Editor-in-Chief of the Voice of OC, an investigative news site that seems to be hardwired into most of the seats of power in Orange County.  Yes, organized labor provides much of the funding for this organization, but that doesn't mean it doesn't provide a valuable service to the community with crisp, timely and insightful coverage of important issues.  If you want to visit the Voice of OC site click HERE.

Fairgrounds Drama Continues - CEO Resigns!

 WHAT'S NEXT AT THE FAIRGROUNDS?
Will the drama at the Orange County Fair and Event Center ever stop?  This morning The Voice of OC reports that Jerome Hoban, CEO of the Fairgrounds, has resigned to take a similar job with the Alameda County Fair.  Read the Voice of OC entry HERE.

MORE REVELATIONS
I won't attempt to regurgitate what is in that entry, but will observe that this is only the most recent "interesting" event at the Fairgrounds since the new Board has taken control.  Watching this all unfold over the years, one gets the strong impression that there's much, much more to the whole attempt to sell off that asset by the previous board - the one headed by Dave Ellis.

WHAT WILL RACKAKUS DO?
It's going to be very interesting to watch this play out, and to see just what the District Attorney Tony Rackakus will do with the information recently provided to him by the Fair Board-approved committee.  Could the not-to-faint whiff of corruption be mingled with the fragrance of animal waste over there?  We'll see...