The Oregonian, the Downing Street Memo, Thom Hartmann

[kaitykaity]

There was a guy on Thursday who called Randi Rhodes' show
and told her that when he called The Oregonian and asked
why their coverage of the Downing Street Memo was so
scanty, they said, "It's not news."

I wrote to to the Public Editor at The Oregonian and gave
him a ration of shit about this. He got defensive with me,
but said he'd take my concerns to the editorial board about
why the paper itself hasn't take a position on the memo.

Then I called Thom Hartmann's local program on KPOJ on Friday
and told him about the call to Randi and my conversation with
the Public Editor.

Hartmann got up in arms about this, and talked about it
for the rest of his show on Friday.

I guess we got under the Public Editor's skin, because his
column today was full of rationalizations about how the paper's
coverage has been okay.

http://www.oregonlive.com/weblogs/publiceditor/

:wtf:

Will have to see what Thom has to say tomorrow.

[satya]

1. WTG, kaitykaity! Cheers to ya for making some noise!! n/t

[kaitykaity]

2. Strange how it all clicked together.

Fun, too!!

[jaysunb]

3. Are people on the left

simply " special interest " groups and those on the right the mainstream ? That's what all the excuse makers for these papers seem to be saying.

The same goes for their reference to " orchestrated " responses. The fundies and others also organize mailings and phone calls when they disagree with something--which is just about everything-- with the only difference being the favorable response they get.

What a crock !

[kaitykaity]

4. Write to him and let him know.

If you're local, you could remind him how much the
paper kowtows to the likes of Lars Larson and doesn't
throw insults in the process.

:grr:

The guy is really defensive, so we must have hit a nerve.

[jaysunb]

5. I'm a Californian, but

I'll write anyway. Also the other obudsmen who were quoted in the links.

I really resent those media types who feel them are the sole arbiters of what is worthy of printing/airing. I've often suggested they simply tell the truth and see what happens....

[kaitykaity]

6. He has an online form.

Here.

http://www.oregonlive.com/weblogs/publiceditor/?/weblogs/publiceditor/email_author.html

Give him hell.

:thumbsup:

[oregonjen]

7. Thanks kaitykaity!

I've been wondering why The Oregonian hasn't written anything yet. I missed Thom's show on Friday. I emailed him yesterday thanking him for a local Portland show. Within hours, a nice reply came. I like the fact that he is so accessable!

Thanks for what you are doing! :yourock:

[0rganism]

8. Notice how 2 of the 5 articles he cites are actually "news" pieces

and the other 3 are editorials -- ALL FROM LEFTIES!

The RightWing apparently has NO POSITION on the Downing Street Minutes. They expect it will simply disappear, blow over, etc. It's not news BECAUSE THEY SAY IT ISN'T NEWS.

Bottom line: the liberal media is exactly as liberal as its owners allow it to be.

[kaitykaity]

9. Update -- caller on Randi's show protested the O today.

He and his friend protested at the Oregonian
today. He said that an editor actually came out
to talk to him.

"But it's been discredited."

"No it hasn't."

"But we ran some stories."

"You didn't run the actual memo."


The guy said that they got a lot of support from
people, but he said even more people were like,
"What memo?"