Feeling nostalgic on July 4th weekend, I decided to listen to air checks of some of the great DJs from the 60s and look up what happened to them. Sadly, virtually all of them are broadcasting on a frequency I’m not ready to hear just yet.
Media
My Decades Old Debts to Detroit
On Tuesday, the Detroit chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists awarded my Deadline Detroit coverage of the imploding Beaumont hospital system first prize in health reporting among its 2021 Excellence in Journalism awards. The award was a validation I’ve long sought to prove to a former Detroit News editor, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, and others they made a good bet on my journalism talents and abilities more than 30 years ago.
Stankey’s Stinky AT&T Media Divestiture
Count me among the losers who naively bought AT&T stock believing management and legions of experts who said the company’s frothy dividend was secure. AT&T’s divestiture of its media assets is yet another reminder as to why individual investors should only own diversified, low-cost ETFs.
The Media Race to the Bottom
Hard as it is to believe, the U.S. media fell to new lows these past two weeks, with USA Today, the New York Post, Fox News, the Washington Post, the New York Times, NBC News, and the University of North Carolina’s journalism school leading the charge. Given UNC’s involvement, indications are that corporate journalism is fast approaching the point of no return.
My Grudging Admiration for Jeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos’ willingness to defy Michigan Rep. Andy Levin and 50 other Congressional members is just one of many reasons I’m in awe of the Amazon founder and CEO.
Why the L.A. Times Deserves to Fail
The Los Angeles Times is a failing publication reportedly losing $50 million a year. Here’s why many of the journalists working there deserve the fate that likely awaits them.
The Cancelling of NYTimes Reporter Donald McNeil
The New York Times is Ground Zero of America’s cancel culture, and the mean spiritedness responsible for the forced resignation of veteran science reporter Donald McNeil has contaminated journalism and popular culture. The success of the Times and other once elite publications is dependent on continuously fueling negativity and anger.
The Golden Age of Liars
Unless you live in Ontario, Canada, getting caught in a lie or other forms of dishonesty doesn’t have the consequences it once did. In journalism, it’s possibly a career booster.
Why I Pity Woke Journalists
I recently learned that the Toronto Star, far-and-away the best place I ever worked, has been overrun with woke journalists. My initial reaction was anger. Upon further reflection, I came to feel sorry for them.
The Entitlement Myth of Nonprofits
Nonprofit companies prey on the public’s mistaken belief they are altruistic organizations doing God’s work. Much too often, they are merely legal tax dodge schemes. Some, like Consumer Reports, engage in business practices they purport to oppose.