BlogaBarbara

Santa Barbara Politics, Media & Culture

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Speaker Update for Noon Rally at DLG Plaza

David Pritchett sent this update along -- it's worth of a post, thanks David:

People's Rally to Restore the News-Press
De La Guerra Plaza, downtown Santa Barbara, in public park in front of News-Press building
Tuesday, 18th July, at 12 noon for about a half-hour


The purpose is to demand that Santa Barbara News-Press ownership and management operate the newspaper with a clear separation of news and opinion, and thus restore the credibility and believability of this newspaper. We also want to honor the now-NINE editors, columnist, and senior reporter who resigned their jobs to stand up for journalistic integrity. And, we want to show support for the employees who remain, under siege, and cannot afford to leave while they start organizing under a labor union. Finally, we are encouraging readers to cancel their subscriptions and to inform advertisers that the newspaper has lost credibility and the public’s trust. Call them at 966-7171 to cancel your subscription and get a refund (actually a fast and easy process, and they even ask why a cancellation).

Here are the confirmed speakers, with a possibility of one or two other high-stature people to be confirmed by the time of the rally. Others from business and civic circles also agree with the message of the rally and would like to speak, but are under the chilling effect and concern about retributions.

RALLY SPEAKERS CONFIRMED:
* Marty Blum, Mayor of Santa Barbara
* Jonny Wallis, Mayor of Goleta
* Brad Stein, Mayor of Carpinteria
* Don Murphy, recently former 19-year N-P reporter and editor
* Cheri Rae, neighborhood association founder-activist and writer
* Marc Chytilo, public interest environmental attorney
* Scott Hadly, recently former 8-year N-P reporter
* outro music singing by soul singer Ron Paris

Participants are asked to bring noise-makers, and their loud voices, so that the newspaper owner and publisher will hear our message. Everyone who cares about having a credible and trustworthy daily newspaper should come and make some noise at this event. A big turnout will demonstrate community support and may inspire someone out there to purchase the New-Press from Ms. McCaw.

11 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Did anyone ever consider that Mr. Armstrong didn't want the position of acting publisher, but in fact is performing the duties so other employed by the paper don't lose their jobs that support their families?

There are always several sides to a story. Please take time to consider them!

7/18/2006 8:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We should rally in support of local blogs and websites that are run by local people, not billionaires or large corporations.

Local newspapers are dinosaurs. We need them as much as we need payphones.

And what's this garbage about "restoring the News-Press"? It's been the New-Supress for as long as I can remember.

7/18/2006 9:21 AM  
Blogger Bill Carson said...

Are you censoring my opinon regarding Mayor Blum? If so...shame on you.

7/18/2006 1:38 PM  
Blogger Sara De la Guerra said...

Opinion? or Attack? I guess I am -- the comment got a little too mean which I'm trying to have this blog stay away from.

7/18/2006 2:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"...There are always several sides to a story. Please take time to consider them!"

8:52 AM

That's true, 8:52, but it is hard for readers to consider the sides (or even side) if there are no news articles, only Management Says... pieces.

That being so, one relies on the Indy and Barney's article and the actual pdfs linked there. And relies, too, on the lack of evidence, as in the dog that didn't bark, of any prior acts of protecting fellow employees or working with the (former) editorial team.

7/18/2006 3:01 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"...There are always several sides to a story. Please take time to consider them!"

8:52 AM

That's true, 8:52, but it is hard for readers to consider the sides (or even side) if there are no news articles, only Management Says... pieces.

That being so, one relies on the Indy and Barney's article and the actual pdfs linked there. And relies, too, on the lack of evidence, as in the dog that didn't bark, of any prior acts of protecting fellow employees or working with the (former) editorial team.


Maybe because the atrocities that every claims to have occurred aren't really atrocities or haven't even occurred, and therefore is not newsworthy.

Yeah, let's rely on the Indy to get the story straight. We're saved. At least they don't have reporters who cross the line from editorials to news articles. I've never seen that.

7/19/2006 11:12 AM  
Blogger Bill Carson said...

Let me get this straight...it's O.K. for Nick Welch to write opinion AND news, but it's not O.K. for Travis?

And, of course, the Independent is ALWAYS unbiased and objective in its news reporting...Uh huh.

7/19/2006 1:33 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Opinion? or Attack? I guess I am -- the comment got a little too mean which I'm trying to have this blog stay away from.

Unless of course you're falsely acccusing someone of sexism. That's OK.

7/19/2006 2:02 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Let's start a rally to promote the blurring of opinion and news in the Independent. Oh wait, nevermind.

7/19/2006 3:14 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Let me get this straight...it's O.K. for Nick Welch to write opinion AND news, but it's not O.K. for Travis?

And, of course, the Independent is ALWAYS unbiased and objective in its news reporting...Uh huh

Mr. Carson,

The difference is Nick Welsh doesn't write impartial news because he's at an alternative free weekly. Travis is at a daily that is supposed to publish at or above industry standards. The Indy is good at what it does while the News-Press is not.
Plus Travis doesn't write news at all, only opinion. Nick writes news and opinion.
Taking all this into consideration, the biggest difference between the two men, sans newspapers, is that Travis is downright mean and Nick is not.

-The Kid

PS: Get your facts right.

7/19/2006 3:29 PM  
Blogger Bill Carson said...

Dear "Kid",

Maybe when you grow up you'll understand the adult issues going on here.

The wanna be 60's-like activists that have been grabbing 15.1 minutes of fame the past few days are accusing the News-Press of blurring the line between opinion and news. The fracas intensified when Travis (the opinion guy) was appointed as acting-publisher (the news guy). This is about the time when you and your tie-dye compadres went berserk in the Plaza.

What many of us clear-thinkers find ironic is that Nick Welch has been bopping between news and opinion for his entire career at the Indy. And THEN, amazingly, took the lead in finger-wagging at Travis about the "wall" thing.

Like I said....you'll see all this more clearly once you grow up and become an adult.

7/19/2006 9:52 PM  

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