Media: PJS editorial can’t keep the lies straight
Nothing at all shocking about this morning’s editorial, which was glowing in support for the museum tax. The Journal Star editorial cast it as a long struggle to bring culture and education to ungrateful citizens who nitpick too much. Fine. Whatever. The article sorta addressed the complaints, except it didn’t.
This was the most glaring whopper:
“Caterpillar has never threatened to leave Peoria if the referendum fails. Those are all non-issues drummed up by the opposition.”
Bullshit. The lie that Caterpillar would leave was drummed up by the proponents. Think for a second, people. Why would opponents to the tax tell people that Caterpillar would leave if it doesn’t pass. That Cat would leave is an argument in favor of the tax. Many of the people spreading this lie sit on the City Council, told in terms of the need to help Cat “grow roots” in the community.
It was the opposition — myself included — that finally, FINALLY got someone from Caterpillar to admit, on the record, that of course Caterpillar is not going to move its world headquarters somewhere else if this referendum fails. But even after this admission was made, the Journal Star’s own columnist spread the same lies. But then I am not surprised the anonymous gnomes on the Journal Star editorial board don’t bother reading their paper’’s own front page. Too depressing, I suppose.
This editorial, unsigned, is allegedly the position of the institution of the Peoria Journal Star. I would wager money that if one were to take a pole of the employees — those who still work there, anyway — one would find a lack of support. You see, real journalists have finely tuned bullshit detectors. Not so true, apparently, of anonymous gnomes cherry pick facts to suit their agendas.
April 5th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Have ta say…their endorsement of the Museum gave me goosebumps – in a good way.
April 5th, 2009 at 11:13 am
Bill: I can’t read that and not think that someone outside of Peoria is writing the editorial and that they are barely reading their own coverage of this issue.
April 5th, 2009 at 11:53 am
REAL journalists know how to spell “poll.”
April 5th, 2009 at 11:56 am
thpt.
Did I spell that correctly?
April 5th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
So if Mike Bailey and that Chris guy put their names at the bottom, it’d be okay. Yet knowing they are the only two editorial writers isn’t??
April 5th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
I think that’s the point, anonymous. There are two people writing these editorials, yet they are claiming to represent the Peoria Journal Star as a whole. That’s an outdated conceit, IMO.
April 5th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
These two people do NOT, on their own, decide who gets endorsed. The entire process is NOT transparent. Placing their names at the bottom of the editorials implies this is the opinion of the writer. It is not. So, whose opinion is it?
April 5th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Billy,
I know you’re not wild about how newspaper editorial boards have operated for more than 200 years in this country.
And I can’t even say you are necessarily wrong, although I don’t think anonymous Internet bloggers telling people how they should think is any different than anonymous newspaper editorial boards doing it.
But you’re wrong on this particular issue.
Do you think there is some secret cabal of community leaders who come in and tell the PJS editorial board who or what to endorse?
Do you think Gatehouse really gives a rat’s a$$ who or what gets endorsed in Peoria, IL?
Do you REALLY think the PJS publisher cares? Henry Slane used to. No one else has.
As someone who not only worked at that newspaper for 25 years — including 15 years as an editor — AND as someone who ran a Congressional campaign that included spending a lot of time interviewing with editorial boards, I know exactly who makes the endorsements.
Mike and Chris do. Period.
I don’t know how they could be more transparent. I mean, there are two of them. They talk about it and come to an agreement. I’ve seen it happen dozens of times.
And their editorials represent the newspaper INSTITUTIONALLY. That doesn’t mean they represent everyone there — any more than your opinions represent all of Blog Peoria. That’s why the editorials appear on the opinion page, along with the opinions of several average readers and columnists of all political stripes.
April 5th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
And yes, you spelled thpt correctly.
April 5th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
I still think it’s funny to hear them referred to as “anonymous gnomes.” The turn of phrase makes me laugh.
April 5th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Terry plickenbaughm writes
wasn’t caterpillar in the beginning holt manufacturing, And mr murray was was in charge and that how the murray baker bridge got its name. Peoria honored him and his effort, if that how bridges next to cities get named.
Mr Murray was quality people unlike me.
There a story do know. In world war II, mr murray put a new iron steel fence around his house and some one went to see him. Ask him to donate his new fence to world war II scrap iron drive and he did it. Do you know asked to donate his new fence to the war effort?
Caterpillar has quite a history right here
April 5th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
Terry is right about your obsession with anonymous editorials, Billy. Give it a rest.
That said, I have to disagree with my former colleagues (both of whom I consider friends) on the museum. It’s time for everyone — including governments — to learn to live within their means. This museum has virtually no chance of ever being self-supporting. It’s likely to become a white elephant.
I don’t live in Peoria County, but I urge residents to say no to the do-gooders who claim to know what’s best for you. These people always want to build what THEY want with YOUR money.
April 6th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
Terry Towery said, “That’s why the editorials appear on the opinion page, along with the opinions of several average readers and columnists of all political stripes.”
Mr. Towery, would you open up today’s (Monday, April 6) PRINT edition of the Journal Star to page B5? If I’m not mistaken, that is NOT the Opinion page. Now look closely at the ad in the bottom right corner. Yes, the one for the Journal Star. Yes, the one that uses the slogan “Build the Block” right in the middle of it! Do you think the ad in tomorrow’s paper will define the public facilities sales tax referendum as (No Museum Tax)?
Do you wonder WHY we question the Journal Star’s integrity?
April 6th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Hi Anne,
That is an in-house ad trumpeting the newspaper’s election coverage. It’s something that all newspapers do, along with all television stations. It is not designed to sway public opinion in any way, nor does it attempt to.
I presume the use of the phrase “Build the Block” is what angers you, right? Well, you might know what the “public facilities sales tax” referendum is, but I suspect most people don’t. But say “Build the Block” and they know exactly what referendum you are talking about. Newspapers are like that. They try to make sure everyone understands what they are saying.
I can assure you that ad came from the advertising department — the newsroom neither saw it beforehand nor had anything to do with its content. I fail to see how a boilerplate in-house ad for the paper’s election coverage in any way tarnishes the newspaper’s integrity.
Look, lest I be branded a Journal Star apologist, know that I resigned from the Journal Star two years ago under less-than-ideal conditions. Quite frankly, I’m not its biggest fan. Not even close. There’s a lot of things about the PJS that qualifies as low-hanging fruit when it comes to criticism. But this isn’t one of them.
Terry
April 6th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
I contacted Mike Cecil about this and he agreed that it was “a poor choice of words”. Wouldn’t “Museum Tax” have been a better way to describe the public facilities sales tax? Instead, the advertising department CHOSE to use a slogan that has been used by ONE SIDE of this debate for months now. If the Journal Star had run a similar ad on November 3rd with the phrase “Yes we can!” in the middle of it, would you be as willing to believe they were unworthy of criticism?
April 6th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
I never said they were unworthy of criticism. But I do think the phrase “Build the Block” has entered the public vernacular and people associate it with the museum, whether they are pro-museum or anti-museum.
I just had a conversation at the gym yesterday with a man who told me he was going to vote no on “Build the Block.”
Look, you and I both know the editorial writers at the Journal Star are for the sales tax increase. And they have every right to be. That’s their job — to take a stand on public issues.
And there are plenty of people working there who are opposed to it.
It just drives me crazy when people see these vast conspiracies at the newspaper. I mean, it takes them HOURS just to decide what kind of pizza to order on election night! I know. I used to do it.
What I am saying is, I honestly think you’re reading more into the ad than it merits.
But I will respect your view, regardless of whether I agree with it.
April 7th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Bill, you said, “These two people do NOT, on their own, decide who gets endorsed. The entire process is NOT transparent. Placing their names at the bottom of the editorials implies this is the opinion of the writer. It is not. So, whose opinion is it?”
I do not see your name anywhere at the bottom of your posts. It is at the top. Who is really writing your posts?