Comments on: Media: Who the Hell is Chris Kaergard? (UPDATED)

By: anotherexjser

anotherexjser — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 05:55:54 +0000

Public figures of all kinds come to the Journal Star continually for meetings with the opinion editors.

Kaergard went to school in Peoria, lives in Peoria, works in Peoria, owns property in Peoria and pays taxes in Peoria. I’m sorry he didn’t come over on the Mayflower.

The ultimate answer to “Who the Hell is Chris Kaergard?” is: “Someone who gets paid good money to express his opinions, unlike most bloggers.”

By: Billy Dennis

Billy Dennis — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:22:27 +0000

I suppose if you want editorials that sparkle with their wit and kill with their sarcasm, you want someone who’s skill set is how to improve copy, and who perhaps has read a lot of the articles about such things. But if I were hiring someone to write editorials explaing to residents of the city of Peoria how things work, or why they don’t, I might instead select someone who took a tour on a beat that reported on how Peoria works or doesn’t, you know someone who has MET and INTERVIEWED the people he will be passing judgement on. The former approach might work fine if the goal is to win awards judged by out-of-towners. If the goal is to be credible with the peoeple who live and work and raise families in Peoria, I would think the latter approachmight be preferref.

I’m sure he will do a fine job and the PJS will continue to win awards. Whether the board has respect from readers who KNOW about the things the editorial board writes about, only time will tell.

By: anotherexjser

anotherexjser — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:22:10 +0000

So, Billy, what beats would a reporter have to cover and for how long in order to write editorials? I assume you think Peoria city government is the most important beat, but the whole world doesn’t revolve around that entity. Are you saying opinion editors can write only about people they’ve met?

I should point out that Kaergard’s predecessor came directly from the night copy desk, too. I haven’t seen a similar survey recently, but I recall one from a few years back that, nationwide, found newsroom managerial ranks were filled disproportionately with former copy editors. We must be doing something right.

Epstein had been a reporter but spent the last few years before his appointment to the editorial board as an assistant city editor. That’s where Barb Mantz Drake spent her immediately preceding years, too.

By: Billy Dennis

Billy Dennis — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:21:52 +0000

I am NOT saying copy editors aren’t paying attention to what they edit. But there’s a difference between reading about local politics, business, crime and government and being out in the trenches reporting on it first hand. There’s a reason they send reporters out to cover events live rather than just work the phone. Mr. Kaergard will be telling PJS readers what to think and feel about people he has never met face to face.

By: anotherexjser

anotherexjser — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:17:31 +0000

Good points, justme. Copy editors probably have a better idea than reporters do of what’s going, since they see all the local, regional, state, national and world news. Who has a better idea of what’s in a restaurant’s food — the worker who picks the tomatoes or the chef?

By: justme

justme — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:40:53 +0000

Chris has to be one of the nicest, most hard-working people I knew in my time at the PJS. He is one heck of a copy editor and I know he’ll be one heck of a deputy opinion editor.

Just because someone doesn’t report on things around town doesn’t mean they don’t know what’s going on. And, the reverse also works.

Clips aren’t everything. It’s talent and a decent brain in the head that make all the difference in the world.

By: Michael Davis

Michael Davis — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:53:59 +0000

I was gonna say… “her or her bones,” Billy? You really are jonesing for those girls at the PJ Star now?

As for Chris, maybe someone who is outside the “circle” might be just what that position needs. As much as I love your blog, Billy, I will say that I look forward to this kid giving you a run for your money. We could always use a new face in the blog/media crowd.

By: anotherexjser

anotherexjser — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:39:38 +0000

“… all heâ€™s done there is copy desk work.”

Don’t be messin’ with copy editors. The levers of government in most industrialized countries are controlled by a secret cabal of copy editors.

BTW, that should read “his or her bones.”

By: postsimian

postsimian — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:30:02 +0000

Translation: the Journal Star is an evil evil place plotting to do evil evil things.

By: Billy Dennis

Billy Dennis — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:26:51 +0000

Who said he was the boogieman?

First, I question the whole concept of the unsigned editorial, which this guy will be writing.

The fact the the writer will be a guy who hasn’t don’t reporting in Peoria any time recently, and who isn’t from Peoria, is telling.