Ann Arbor News Endorsement

[ypsiguy]

In 2000 The Ann Arbor News endorsed GW Bush because Al Gore would "say anything to get elected". Four years later they again endorsed GW Bush, because he was "the less objectionable of the two choices". This year they chose not to endorse anyone, because both candidates are so very flawed. The paper itself isn't very good, but the editorial board makes it unreadable. Subscribe? Never.

[SharonRB]

1. The Detroit News took the chicken's way out last time

But this time they endorsed McCain.

It's so strange to me that a liberal town like Ann Arbor would have such a conservative paper. I bet I can guess who the Michigan Daily endorsed, though.

[cyclezealot]

2. Check out their ownership

Like everything else in America.. It used to be the old Booth Chain.. Their national connections need be revealed. They are aligned with the same ilk as the Grand Rapids Press, does that not explain everything one need know.. My understanding, when the AA News endorsed GW Bush, the editorial staff almost staged a walkout.. The make up of a newspaper often does not reflect the paper's employees' , just the ownership.

[Festivito]

3. When ole Henry died, an era ended.

But, it wasn't just him. Corporations slowly took it all from all around.

[cyclezealot]

4. Coverage is also pretty lousy

Can't we do better than the old Booth Newspspers. Maybe in part a reason why outstate Michigan is considered so backward, by some.. Best Outstate newspaper, The Lansing State Journal.. But, then at least the Ann Arbor news at least carries Paul Krugman.

[Festivito]

5. Don't think newspapers will get better. Outmoded by TV then Internet.

The big problem of outstate, rural Michigan is that they have nothing on the radio except RW talkers, an RW TV heads with their blow-dried brains.

New York has a variety and NY votes reasonably. We have Air America in Detroit and Ann Arbor, not sure of Grand Rapids, but I think that would be all. The rest of the state is stuck.

[cyclezealot]

6. Yes. INternet has some great resources.

But, all news distribution requires some kind of infrastructure and professional reporting to disemenate the news. Reliable News just does not spring up on the internet without using that same infrastructure. So, without newspapers and their news collecting ability , don't count upon Internet news being unaffected. And how many US news agencies have news collecting abilities. The New York Times and the Washington Post is about it.. The Miami Herald specializes in Latin America.. For anyone else, news collection is just beyond the means of our profit driven newspapers, who no longer look upon the news collection as different from say, soap.

[1gobluedem]

7. A2 News editor is an ass

And he wonders why circulation continues to decline. Twice he endorsed Bush and in between wrote a delightful little editorial about working as a scab in Dayton when the printers were on strike.

He uses his position to publicize his personal conservative viewpoint instead of reporting the facts to the readers.

I have to subscribe because I work in media myself and need to keep up with the local paper. But it's so, so bad.

[annarbor]

8. The editor lives in Jackson, MI

The bastion of liberalism in Michigan! I may bastardize the spelling, but I think his name is Ed Petakevitch. One of their lead reporters, Tom Gantert lives there too. I no longer have any use for the A2 News. I just use the blog for local information now.