Ludington Daily News Has New Leadership

[XLFD]

But Will They Have New Readership?

 

As reported in today's front page of that august local publication, Shoreline Media (which includes the LDN, the Oceana Herald-Journal, and the White Lake Beacon among its assets) was sold to an Illinois-based organization called Community Media Group.  The group serves eight states in the midwest and the northeast, and plans to continue providing the areas covered by those newspapers with coverage, and likely some changes.  

As Jim Young, who publishes both Oceana papers stated: 

“Every time, there was a little concern about what will happen (in an ownership change), and every time there was an influx of ideas that made the papers stronger and better.”

We at the Ludington Torch are happy for David Jackson, who, when he was fresh on the scene, was a positive force for the community, and put out a quality product.  With the absence of any solid leadership over the last few years, the newspaper's contents, editorial-direction, and reportage have deteriorated drastically, along with the readership. 

Meanwhile, it has been published that there have been a fair deal of debts piling up for the local papers to local lending institutions, which may have precipitated an earlier than wanted retirement for David Jackson, when he found a willing purchaser.

Whatever the case may be, we welcome aboard the new media group and hope they make the changes necessary to get the Daily News back to being a proud member of the Fourth Estate once again.  Here is a supplementary article about the transaction in MLIve

[Dave]

Real journalism? LDN? On what planet?

Jounalism isn't about pretty pictures :-)

[Willy]

Heaven

I want a paper that get's it's hands dirty by digging into the truth about local politics. I like LDN's photography and sports reporting, heck I even like Steve but there is a huge void in the LDN when it comes to reporting the shenanigans at City Hall, the County and other similar organizations. And I'm talking serious stories that should be covered but aren't. In my opinion, Tom Rottas banishment from City Hall is an extremely important topic that should have been thoroughly covered by the LDN. Both sides of the issue should have been put out to air, but the LDN decided to make a joke of it. How on Earth can a taxpaying citizen be banned from entering the very buildings he helped pay for and maintain. The City even admits that there was no criminal intent or any malicious act committed by Tom but only the unsubstantiated complaint from a city employee who felt uncomfortable being in Toms presence. Don't you realize that stripping a citizen of their Constitutional rights is a very serious act because if they can do that to one person they can do it to anyone they choose. The LDN obviously has the same opinion as you. That is, they couldn't care less about an overbearing, lying, cheating and corrupt Government or wasteful spending of the taxpayers hard earned tax dollars. All the LDN cares about is their advertising money and keeping a cozy relationship with those in power. That makes LDN part of the problem and no friend to the people who read it's pages.

[Heaven Therzke]

but they did cover that banishment story.  they made a special article and put it out there that mr. rotta had made someone feel threatened by him and his zombie torch hordes.  he brought it upon himself.  he has no one to blame but himself and his freinds who wasted many hours of our public leaderses time looking up stuff for foias which still haven't turned up skwat.

[Dave]

You mean they did a one sided story and made no attempt at getting the other side of the story. You see, a real journalist would actually want to get both sides of the story, not just accept the one side that they like.

Also, for a person that suggest your smarter then us by attempting to ridicule people that you don't agree with... might I suggest maybe a spelling class? It might help make your case that your so much smarter then us :-)

[XLFD]

This is a link to that story Heaven, I didn't see my zombie hordes mentioned.  I was mentioned, in this sizable article on page three of my local paper, as having threatened and intimidated someone.  I would not even know who I threatened and intimidated without using FOIAs, nor would I have believed the deception and banality of the whole process without FOIA responses which showed a false complaint by Heather Venzke and a police report on disorderly conduct issued about using this public link on my site.  Enjoy making up your own mythos in one of those on-line fantasy games so popular nowadays.

[Willy]

Sorry John but I have to disagree with you. The old saying  "what goes around, comes around" will, no doubt, apply to LDN's staff. A perfect example is the article reported and printed about Tom Rotta's banishment from city hall. This article  revealed an extreme lack of journalistic integrity and lacked any sort of fair play with regards to reporting both sides of  the story and any other facts which should have been uncovered and exposed. The article  boardered on maliciousness due to false and or misleading information. If someone is going to operate a newspaper then the employees, editors and publishers should at least give the appearance that they know what they are doing. If the people of Mason County cannot rely on the LDN to provide fair, accurate, in depth  and comprehensive news then why should anyone support them. I can't read this paper with the knowledge that I am getting all of the story, accurately reported and without bias. I just don't have any confidence in the LDN to deliver accurate information.

[Willy]

P.S. My comments are a rebuttal  to John, not John streeter 

LDN has had almost a year to get the story straight and report the facts from both sides. Especially a story of such significance, a story about stripping  a citizen of their Constitutional rights. A story that urgently needed to be reported with in depth, fair and accurate reporting. They have left this inaccurate story swinging in the breeze without correction and therefore have caused personal harm to Mr. Rotta's reputation and denied the citizens the right to know how Ludingtons power brokers are trampling all over the Constitution. Does the LDN care about how the inaccurate and incomplete information in the article affects Mr. Rotta? Why should anyone care what happens to the LDN. A lack of respect deserves no respect.

[XLFD]

We're overwhelmed with Johns everywhere in Ludington, yet try to find a public one open this time of year. 

The Daily News' record on a tremendous blow to civil liberties that occurred starting February 28, 2011:

Fairness:  Reported the City's line verbatim with no evidence, ignored what the citizen put forth in his defense

Accuracy:  Stated City's policy and letter allowed actions not consistent with them.  Misreported citizen's traffic offense of 2008.

Relevancy:  Stated irrelevant facts concerning FOIA requests and the traffic offense.  Missed reporting relevant facts that FOIA had been used for actual news reporting the LDN was negligent at getting.

Total Coverage:  The LDN as the City's paper of record, has failed to keep up with the story, and report the controversy, the legal ramifications, or put forth any exculpatory material for the citizen defamed in their paper, further dragging them in the mud when they obeyed the City's laws and didn't show up at their so-called open candidate's forum, or find out why the citizen could not vote because of the strictures. 

 

You put that all together, and you spell F.A.R.T., the only thing that may stink worse than the bias and coverage of the LDN on topics that affect the people of this city.

[Dave]

Really, all I want to see is some integrity in the reporting... I really don't care if they want to cover local stories that for the most part are going to usually be 'fluffy' stories. When a more serious story comes up though, I would love to see both sides of the story presented, not just one side. If they can do that, then perhaps I'll start buying the LDN again.. at this point though, I haven't bought a copy in a couple years.

[AQUAMAN]

Pretty astute comments guys, except for feeling sorry for any of the bufoons. "What goes around" as Willy says, I totally agree with. But, I think that's putting the cart in front of the horse right now, I haven't heard of any firings or layoffs yet, but, I would "hope and pray" that justice is done in this regard. As far as the photography in the LDN, well, I think it's fair to midland at best, not even close to award winning or honorable mention.  I've witnessed many more pics of quality by both Willy and Christopher that would warrant their hiring in place of the current photographer for sure. And, if any reporters, editors, and such from San Antonio, Indiana, Illinois, and elsewhere want to move back in with their Mommies, good riddens to the outlanders I say. Put LOCALS back into jobs here, quit farming up the downstaters and outlanders to put our Locals out of work who have lived here for many decades. That is part and parcel of the true root of the problem, these outlanders take our local jobs, put their slant and bias into their work, then leave back with most of their monies to their homeland for vacations and investments. Why should they give a hoooot about us locals reputations or harm, they aren't one to start with.

[XLFD]

What I would call a reliable source has indicated to me that there has been a YEAR END MASSACRE at the newspaper, with the firings of at least three people at the LDN already. 

The people reportedly are two (primary) photographers, Rob Alway and Lisa Enos, along with writer Jennifer Linn Hartley.  Facebook posts by the principals would seem to confirm the first two.  All these people do have families, and have been relatively inoffensive in their reportage, and so I wish them the best for their future. 

Publisher "Jazzy" Jeff Evans and Managing Editor Steve "Baloney" Begnoche could be throwing as many sacrificial offerings on the altar in order to protect their own hide, and those of their favorites, like their prime hatchetman Kevin Braniczeski and other lickspittles like him. 

[Willy]

What I was criticizing was the reporting and fact finding. That's where the broom should be sweeping. Rob and Lisa don't deserve the hatchet but I believe they were the last ones hired and we all know the old saying,"last one hired, first one fired". I'm not sure about Jennifer. I think it all boils down to Begonche and his leadership or lack of it. I remember when LDN sent reporters to Alaska to cover the dogsled race. It still amazes me that the LDN could invest in such an intense and costly story regarding an out of state event but has such a difficult time getting a complete and accurate story right here in Ludville.