tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726279577892804621.post697515719108565933..comments2023-08-26T13:48:42.277-05:00Comments on Political Salsa: Part I: The Rise and the Fall of The TennesseanTim A. Chavezhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05251795581624675910noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726279577892804621.post-37732187861813191532008-12-28T21:10:00.000-06:002008-12-28T21:10:00.000-06:00Tim, your perspective is not clear here. Mitchell ...Tim, your perspective is not clear here. Mitchell was not a good editor. Frank was the pits in many ways but not nearly as bad as Mitchell. But I agree with you that Stern missed the boat regarding Dave Green (in some respects).<BR/><BR/>I feel sorry for Silverman, but he stubbornly refuses to get a clue, so who cares. I don't anymore.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726279577892804621.post-43769016360434249952008-12-28T17:12:00.000-06:002008-12-28T17:12:00.000-06:00"Gannett could have saved many millions of dollars..."Gannett could have saved many millions of dollars by simply having its editors go out into their community and simply asking real people." <BR/><BR/>Amen.<BR/><BR/>"It was the executives on the business side on the operating committee who had spoken to readers and knew that change was needed in the product, desperately so. They were better journalists on the whole than those in the newsroom."<BR/><BR/>Interesting, can you go deeper?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726279577892804621.post-57750224224478144722008-12-28T16:14:00.000-06:002008-12-28T16:14:00.000-06:00After 17 years with Gannett, and another six befor...After 17 years with Gannett, and another six before that at Times Mirror, EJ was the worst EE that I have ever worked with or next to or on the same products. He was clearly and completely over his head, and I hope that part 2 in your series will properly reflect what happened in Nashville on his watch. It wasn't good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726279577892804621.post-75593618752689935322008-12-28T14:03:00.000-06:002008-12-28T14:03:00.000-06:00I had no problem with him whatsoever. Maybe you ne...I had no problem with him whatsoever. Maybe you need to look in the mirror and consider where you came up short. I've had that good fortune since I lost my job more than a year ago after 14 years with Gannett.<BR/>And to be anonymous ... shame on you. If you feel that strongly about him, put your name behind it. Why are journalists such cowards, and shamelessly so.<BR/>Sad, very sad. Our industry deserves what is happening to it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726279577892804621.post-18692358735882605902008-12-28T13:33:00.000-06:002008-12-28T13:33:00.000-06:00Tim--E.J. Mitchell an editor "of distinction" and ...Tim--E.J. Mitchell an editor "of distinction" and a "real leader?" <BR/><BR/>Two questions: <BR/><BR/>1) What are you smoking?<BR/>2) Can I have some...it must be potent stuff!<BR/><BR/>Having worked under E.J. for almost two years (out of 34 in the newspaper biz) I can safely say he is the most incompetent and clueless EE I've ever had the misfortune of working for (and with a quarter-century of being a Gannettoid under my belt, that is really saying something!).<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the laugh, Tim. It made my day!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726279577892804621.post-6810765856949419102008-12-28T12:14:00.000-06:002008-12-28T12:14:00.000-06:00Thanks for the comment.E.J. produced a very compel...Thanks for the comment.<BR/>E.J. produced a very compelling product on the front page than the person I won't name ever did. He also took on Bredesen over secrecy in government, something whathisname never would have.<BR/>As for not naming him, it is on purpose. Everything about him at the newspaper was for his own prosperity and recognition. Readers be damned. That's a cardinal sin for someone in a position of influence.<BR/>Here is one more thing E.J. did right: He let Brad Schmitt go. If you talked to people on the copy desk, the guy was never interested as the entertainment columnist in putting in a full day. He'd do a couple of items, then they'd fill in the five or six remaining items.<BR/>That has to get old particularly when he is making three times what you are for half the work.<BR/>Brad had two lunches each day with expense accounts to get to know celebrities. The Tennessean spent $15,000 for each of his annual parties at Hard Rock Cafe.<BR/>Leifeld overruled E.J., thinking Brad was so invaluable. His stint as Channel 2 shows he is not. He has practically disappeared there. In addition, E.J. showed me much kindness after I got leukemia. For me as a leader and a journalist, he was a good guy.<BR/>Whithisname is not even in his league.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726279577892804621.post-90775480522884365762008-12-28T11:47:00.000-06:002008-12-28T11:47:00.000-06:00I understand that this is only part one. But EJ h...I understand that this is only part one. But EJ had far more to do with the downfall of the newspaper than Frank did. I totally agree that he was more proud of himself than most, and that the aggrandizing behavior was annoying, but refusing to name him seems a tad bit childish. He's a big boy, and I am sure that he can handle it.<BR/><BR/>The bloated newsroom was just another symptom that plagued large dailies across the country in the late 1990s and subsequent 10 years. When it came time to compete with new technologies, newspapers had no idea what to do. They had enjoyed margins that made jewelry stores envious for years; raising rates on advertising as circulation fell. <BR/><BR/>Newspapers were cocky. And quite frankly, Frank was perfect for the job.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726279577892804621.post-43717922191768533662008-12-28T09:43:00.000-06:002008-12-28T09:43:00.000-06:00From Tim Chavez: As of this morning according to F...From Tim Chavez: As of this morning according to FeedBurner, I have 37 subscribers with 12 Reach. I get most of my comments from direct e-mails to me. I don't post those. I don't know how all this translates into hits. Usually, I get 25 hits every two and a half hours from the United States, Canada and Sweden.<BR/>No writer writes for how many people will read it, just for the joy of the craft and the desire to inform, even in obscurity. So you continue mostly for yourself, and the about 50 people who have made a commitment to the blog and however as many hits come.<BR/>But I may have an announcement in the coming week to change all this for the very positive. Stay tuned and thanks for reading.<BR/>And if you can summon the courage, please identify yourself to stand behind your words. That will provide credibility to what you write. No excuses, please. I don't make any.<BR/>Tim ChavezAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-726279577892804621.post-756038334741714292008-12-28T09:30:00.000-06:002008-12-28T09:30:00.000-06:00I never see any comments on your posts. Does anyon...I never see any comments on your posts. Does anyone read any of this? Do you have a site counter that show you are at least getting some traffic? I enjoy reading your posts, but if you are not drawing an audience and some decent traffic why do you continue? <BR/><BR/>Just curious in Nashville. I'm looking forward to the Tennessean's rise and fall posts by the way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com