The Tennessean has finally latched onto an issue that could draw more reader attentiveness and satisfaction with the ongoing scandal at the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
Put the preachiness of Editor Mark Silverman and columnist Gail Kerr has been a litte too much to take considering where they work and its lack of transparency -- not only with the public but its own over-burdened workers.
Silverman cries for more open records, yet Tennessean employees just recently had to endure a long weekend of not knowing if they would be laid-off and their families sent into harm's way. That was inexcusable and inhumane.
Kerr, too, has remained silent in print on that matter and other ill treatments of Tennessean workers. Of course, if she would write something, then she'd probably lose her job. So now you know why many good THP officers and employees have been reticent to speak up about the mounting scandals at their workplace.
Yes, criticism belongs at the top, and so it is with Gov. Phil Bredesen as he huddles with real Democrats in Denver. And the blame for the lack of transparency at The Tennessean also belongs at the top, not only with the editor and publisher but with corporate bigwigs in Virginia at Gannett Co. Inc.
The news media always wants it both ways. They criticize government organizations and officials over their lack of openness because these entities are supposed to represent the people. Yet they stay secretive because they're privately owned. Still, they constantly preach in advertising how it's "your Tennessean", or how they are committed to knowing about what's important in your life and reporting it.
Every parent has taught his or her children to model the kind of conduct they expect from others. So The Tennessean and Gannett could accept this constructive criticism by providing transparency to the public in which the public is discussed or affected.
For instance, news meetings -- in which what the public wants to know is discussed by editors -- would be improved if that public could attend or at least watch the meeetings over The Tennessean web site. Readers would be invited to comment and limitedly participate in the meetings on what is being discussed. More importantly, they could let editors directly know about things they're not discussing.
No, a news organization does not want to give away what it is writing to competitors. But some issues are already known, such as the THP scandal and speeches at the Democratic National Convention. Public comment early in the day could vastly improve newspaper coverage by giving readers information they want to know instead of information editors believe they want to know.
Inviting the public into editorial board meetings is a must. We did as much 13 years ago at the Gannett newspaper in Utica, N.Y., where I was opinion page editor for four years. Members of the public were asked their opinion while the editorial board was discussing positions on issues. So the public had input before editorials were written. Imagine that? Surely more sophisticated journalism leaders at The Tennessean could improve on the poor model we had in Utica.
At the corporate level, Gannett at the very least could promise its own employees that they never will have to endure the kind of weekend of worry over layoffs as recently transpired. It also could invite the public to comment on layoffs before they happen. Readers should know how the product they buy is going to be affected instead of reading misleading columns by editors about how they're getting so much more.
So those are my constructive recommendations to The Tennenssean on how it could really lead on the THP issue. It also is how it could prove that the words in all its advertising, marketing pitches and editor columns are more than empty words.
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8 comments:
Tim, you know the difference between government records and a private business's personel matters. Employees, you and me have no right to company documents. We all have a right to government documents.
Thank you for talking about how news organizations in America are privately owned.
Ideally those in journalism are supposed to give us the facts we need to know in order that we may govern ourselves and be a watchdog on government.
But since all of the media in America is privately owned they give us only the facts they want us to know so they can manipulate us and they work with the government rather than acting as watchdogs because the same people own the media who run the government.
A glaring issue that faces America is the loss of protection of our sovernign borders which we have protected for over two hundred years.
Business wants cheap labor to pour into our country. So therefore they don't report the facts about how our laws are broken by big business and their cheap illegal labor.
It is torture to not know if you are going to keep your job or lose it but the torture is a hundred times worse to not know if you are going to lose your country or be able to keep it because of the corporate/government corruption and symbeotic relationship between government and the corporate news.
Those who illegally flood into our country breaking our laws then use our laws to make demands upon Americans and they falsely label us as racist in order to extort our money and our freedoms and to break our laws.
They get away with this scot free (oh my, can I say this - sure Scots are white people) because the media and government are in cahoots. The illegals are just as diabolical as the corporate newspapers and other media as they take part in the scamming of Americans.
A popular thing for the media to do is to lie to people and then ask for the public's opinions in order to see if their lies are working. What good is an uninformed opinion. What good is an opinion about illegal aliens in America if the people have been made to feel like racists and given a white guilt trip by the liars and propagandists.
Perhaps we should ask ourselves who exactly owns the media. For they are traitors to America and for that they should hang.
Perhaps if they are not white people they should have to pay us reparations for all the problems they have caused us and our country.
I'm not talking about the law. I'm talking about the example an institution serving the people should provide. That's morality.
I'm so tired of people hiding behind the law to rationalize not doing the right thing.
The print news media can only gain credibility and turn its fortunes around by opening itself up to the public while demanding government do the same.
Private personnel matters? Who is talking about personnel matters? I'm writing about how an institution that claims it is serving the public conducts itself.
Tim Chavez
Apologists only serve the few at the expense of the many.
Barbara's opinion is interesting in tying human beings here without documentation for shortcomings in the news media.
Recently, an anti-immigration group claimed that undocumented human beings were responsible for this nation's ecological woes.
Most of the time, we need to simply look in the mirror for what is wrong with this nation. I agree with former Republican U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm who called America a nation of whiners. Indeed! Es verdad!
It is tragic how often we repeat history. During their economic woes, enough people of post-WWI Germany were convinced by a former Army corporal that their Jewish brothers and sisters were responsible for all their nation's ills by breaking laws and being greedy.
Not all Germans believed the falsehood. Some spoke up and fought back and suffered for it. And Germans of different sexual orientation also became victims who were rounded up and imprisoned.
Ultimately, we know what happened afterward -- 6 million precious souls were exterminated.
People like Barbara only ensure such history will be repeated. Beware.
Tim Chavez
Tim says that he is not talking about "law" but "morality". Excuse me Tim, but the United States of America is a nation that has "rule of law". We don't base actions upon whether they are moral or not but upon whether they are legal or not. Morality is for the Church, not the government and not business.
Government regulation is the only thing that prevents corporations from polluting, having products that kill people etc etc. Remember Ralph Nader and "Unsafe at any Speed"? The auto industry was forced to change when the laws changed, not because of any morality.
Laws, not morality govern our way of life. I have no idea how they do these things in Mexico however but I can see the results.
Not only is it Illegal for ILLEGAL ALIENS to enter our country but it is IMMORAL as well.
Tim expects us to limit our opinions to suit his agenda and the agenda of the Mexican government rather than consider how our interests are affected by the failures of our news media and transparency.
It will be interesting to see how far he gets with the Tennessean in forcing them to be transparent based upon morality. Let us know if they get religion and change their ways Tim. I'm sure they just want to be moral.
Once again he seeks to silence other Americans if OUR interests are not the same as THEIR interests.
I recommend that EVERY American hide behind our laws. You better not get caught breaking them - unless of course you're a Mexican.
Tim doesn't mind the print media when it protects illegal aliens but on other points he believes that the media should be transparent.
I think the media should be regulated by LAWS that make it transparent and that make it actually serve as a news media if it is going to call itself "news".
Tim says that
"Barbara's opinion is interesting in tying human beings here without documentation for shortcomings in the news media."
Then he goes on to say that some "group" tied illegals to eco problems.
The fact is that I tied the media to illegal aliens (yes they're human and not from outer space - but they are still ILLEGAL ALIENS) because the media does protect illegal aliens and doesn't report the facts about how our government is betraying us and failing to uphold rule of law and all of the other tragedies that happen to us as a result of illegal aliens being able to come here.
I am in no way responsible for what some "group" has said or done. I believe that the group was within its right to raise the issue for public debate but that is what Tim doesn't understand about America and our way of life. He doesn't want to assimilate he just wants what is in the interests of Mexicans but I value our system and I like the way it works on behalf of EVERYONE.
Given our system and way of life and the fact that America is the most diverse nation on Earth it is amusing to hear a Mexican call us racist.
Americans have a RIGHT to public debate whether Tim and others like him approve of their speech or not.
but just because this "group" raised an issue regarding illegal aliens does not make my point invalid or incorrect. Tim attempted to use demogougry against me rather than addressing the issue.
The Jews have made an industry of The Holocaust which has taken the place that Christianity once played in America. They use The Holocaust, which is enforced by every Editor, educator and Politician across this land in order that Jews can do whatever they please and Americans will fear opposing them for fear of being labeled an anti-semite. Now Tim and others are using those same tactics against Americans and calling us racists if we don't let them invade our country and then give them political correctness.
The historic fact is that sixty million people died in WW2. I fail to see how everyone else are second class victims to the obnoxious self interested self serving Jews who are low enough to use the suffering of their own people to get political advantage today.
Americans have never done anything to Jews but create a safe place where they could become the richest segment of the population. In no way should we EVER be labeled anti semitic because if such a thing ever existed it existed in another place and time.
Just the fact that Jews and Hispanics threaten us with accusations of racism if we don't give up our rights and allow them to do whatever is in their Personal interests at the expense of the general welfare shows that THEY are the problem. Mexicans expect us to allow them to pour into our country illegally and if we don't then they call us Nazis.
I would like to ask Tim to explain the difference between a Nazi and a Zionist. What is the difference between an Aryan nation and a Jewish state other than one is Aryan and the other Jewish?
The Jews use anti-semitism against us and people are afraid to oppose them and now they have us securing for them a pure ethnic state at the same time they demand that we have diversity.
This is one way that white people are made to suffer because of diversity. And it is no small thing to commit a holocaust against people in the MIddle east and to have our Christian children killing Muslims and being killed by them.
But if we oppose these things then immediately we are called racist. We are not allowed to pursue what we see as OUR interests.
Now Mexicans are playing the same games as the Jews before them.
If it is acceptable for Jews and Mexicans to pursue their interests then give me one good reason why white people should not be able to pursue what we see as our interests. Why is it racist when we do it but acceptable when YOU do it Tim.
This is the failure of our news media to give us the facts so that we can defend ourselves and not be put into a position where phonies seeking their own interests can label us as racists.
The German people are a great people. I greatly admire them but I have nothing but contempt for the Jews who have been hated and driven from every nation where they ever lived. Only a fool would believe that Jews are innocent victims. Everybody else cannot be wrong.
Take a good hard look at what Israelis are doing and then take a look at their counterparts in our government and media and explain why we should sit by and allow jews to destroy us from within. We shouldn't be labed racist for opposing them.
But because there are Mexicans, Jews, and everybody else we are so divided that we can't seem to get a handle on anything, not the Jews, not globalism, not the media, not illegal aliens or anything else. We are being destroyed by all the demands upon us. But people like Tim couldn't care less as long as they get what they want which shows how much they love America.
They don't love America. They stick together because they love themselves and they love Mexico. They just want to take all they can and then when we are in decline they can shuffle back to mexico.
A thing is either right or it is wrong. It can't be wrong for Aryans but acceptable for jews or Mexicans.
People have a lot of nerve to come to this country because it is great and desirable and then to set about trying to change it and to attack those who already live here and try to take away our rights. We should be able to defend ourselves and to do so without being called racist.
I appreciate Barbara proving my points with her writing. She truly is a scary person.
Morality is not religious. Some of the most moral people I know do not believe in God. Morality is a matter of integrity -- do as you would want others to act.
It's that simple. And it is people who own the major media companies, not executives, as something called stockholders. Most of those people are retirees whose pension funds invest for the greatest return on their money.
Media companies like Gannett have kept that investment by returning profits of 25% each year.
That's American capitalism, not something from the Mexican government.
I feel sad for Barbara. She is angry, but she is not aware enough about where to focus it.
Focusing anger on people who look different from you is a long American tradition. And sadly, this nation had harvested bitterness as often as progress.
She really is embarrassed by her feelings. That's why she won't use her full name with her own opinion.
Again, it is sad.
Tim Chavez
Gee Tim you are the one who is always talking about how Americans don't serve up enough political correctness so it sounds like you are the one who is angry all the time because minorities don't get enough special dispensation, compensation and everything else from the government and the populace.
Mexicans are the ones who are invading the United States illegally. I am not in Mexico. I am not bothering Mexicans and I have never done anything to Mexico.
First you provoke citizens such as myself and then when we take exception to our laws being broken then you call us angry and racist.
If you truly believed that I and other Americans like me are "scary" then you wouldn't be doing the provocative things that you are doing. The problem for us is that we are not scary at all.
Do you ever make an argument Tim or can you only call others names if we don't do what is in your interests at our own expense.
We have a right to pursue our own interests don't we. If your concern is Mexico and Mexicans then you need to address them to the Mexican government and leave the grengos alone don't you.
Why don't we talk about the failures of the Mexican government rather than blaming white people for your problems and expecting us to sacrifice for you. We are under no obligation to Mexicans.
I think I know exactly where to put my anger Tim. Thats your problem with me isn't it.
The minute you start looking around for ways to attack me personally then I know I've beaten you. People don't need to know my name Tim. I'm not a public person but just a citizen. Your other readers wouldn't want to publish their names on the internet so they will understand if I don't do it either. You can call me Barbara. The only thing others need to do is form an opinion based upon the arguments or add their own opinions. They don't need to publish their names either.
You quoted a saying that we have in the United States that boasts about our great freedoms
"I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
We'll see if you believe that Tim or if you resort to getting personal with me or to deleting my comments. We'll see how American you are.
If you can't defend your opinions then you shouldn't have them. Thats the American way Tim.
You should be glad that the Tennessean is the way it is. If the people had more say in what it did then you probably never would have had a platform to promote Mexico in the first place.
The marvelous thing about the marketplace of ideas is that it must be open to even bad ones.
Even the ignorant and uninformed are allowed to participate. What is incumbent upon others is that they confront the ignorant and uninformed in hopes that they might be educated. Some folks are not.
For Barbara and her fixation on Mexico, that's a matter for the marketplace to examine for truth based on knowledge and not hatred.
I can only speak for myself. I've never been to Mexico. I've never spoken with a Mexican official. Eight of my uncles fought for their country in WWII. Their country is the United States of America, where they were born.
I have a cousin and nephew serving in the war on terror.
America is our country, too. But we also are citizens of the world, and advocate for the humane treatment of all, particularly in a nation that claims to be under God.
Mexico currently is in an intense war with drug lords, who are better financed and better armed. Fighting breaks out in the streets, and innocents are killed and wounded. Americans buy their product, some going into Mexico and others buying it here.
Gas in Mexico is much less expensive there, so long lines of Americans are crossing the border to save money. The traffic of humanity between the two nations is not a one-way street.
Survival is a human trait. That doesn't make people bad. Americans simply want to survive financially and provide a better life for their children. Mexicans want to survive physically and provide a better life for their children.
Revolutions encouraged by foreign powers have hurt Mexicans throughout their country's history. To say the poor who are coming accross America's border should change their country is hypocritical, considering this year's presidential campaign is based on the failure to change Washington.
And I sure bet Barbara isn't going to support the change candidate in this election, Barack Obama.
As for Barbara having not done anything to Mexico, she didn't have to. The United States and a bunch of volunteers from Tennessee did all the dirty work in the mid 1800s. Texas was seized by illegal immigrants from the United States who brought arms into that country. Mexican territory of what is now called New Mexico, Arizona and California was sieged in an illegal war commenced by President Polk under the immoral banner of Manifest Destiny.
Sorry for the history lesson, but I minored in history in college. The war was so illegal that Congress passed legislation awarding $15 million to the Mexican government for damage and killings by U.S. forces. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hildalgo ended the war, and let the United States keep its spoils.
If the United States had simply followed the God under which it claimed to be, then all the Mexicans Barbara so dislikes would not be anywhere near Tennessee. They'd simply be in their own country with their economy bolstered by Texas, Arizona and California. They'd rival the Saudis in wealth.
Barbara's argument is akin to those Southern folks who say they never owned a slave when the issue of racism and the profits from it are debated. No, you didn't, but the society in which your ancestors lived did. That advantage has been passed on through the generations.
Again, this nation's historical bigotry is all really kind of sad. And the ongoing scapegoating of Hispanics is so emblematic of the Nazis in Germany with our Jewish brothers and sisters and our gay brothers and sisters.
Tim Chavez
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