April 3, 2020
.
MAY DAY * MAY DAY * We’re Sinking !!
**
NOTE: The following commentary on the latest Misadventures of The N&O appeared yesterday – April 2, 2020 – on our companion page – SAIDWHAT! Our “Editorial Board” – i.e. me and Blondie – assumed it was too “partisan” for this page. But it really isn’t so we are simu-posting it here for “You People”.
It created an Internet Sensation among People Who Really Really Don’t Like The N&O … which seems to exceed the population of the DelMarVa Peninsula.
The News & Observer and its two sinking sisters – The Charlotte Observer and Durham Herald – are members of a dysfunctional family of financially destitute newspapers owned by the bankrupt McClatchy organization located in Sacramento CA.
Separating a soulless corporate blob from “real people” … I want to recognize the “good people” who I like / respect who, alas, bear the stigma of “Do / Did Work for The N&O”.
They are “That Damn” Dan Kane … Ruth Sheehan … Joe Giglio … Caulton Tudor … Butch Robertson … Leah Friedman … and John Drescher. There were probably a few other “decent people at The N&O” over the years, but I never encountered them.
“Dead Tree Journalism/Media” is – in 2020 – on life support with ZERO chance for recovery… having failed to recognize the emergence of dramatic innovations in information technology over the past 15-20 years… as “buggy whip manufacturers” failed to accept “horseless carriages”. “Newspapers” – as we have known them – are teetering on the edge of The Obsolescence Abyss.
The N&O / Charlotte Observer / Herald will morph into 100% digital entities – i.e. websites – within the next year or so. Employing a skeleton staff and likely run by many of the same pompous arrogant jackasses with the same radically partisan attitudes. But they will NOT be “fish wrappers” or “bird cage carpets” any longer. … READ MORE >
**
UPDATE: On Friday, The N&O’s sister “sinking ship” – Charlotte Observer posted the EXACT “Begging For Bucks” plea to its dwindling subscriber base. Only difference… the Editor signature at the bottom. I guess using the SAME LETTER saved them a coupla bucks…
**
.
.
Local Destitute Newspaper BEGS for $$$
**
To no one’s real surprise… Raleigh’s Financially Destitute Newspaper – The News & Observer – is reduced to BEGGING its motley bunch of subscribers for more $$$ PLEASE.
.
In a pathetic scene straight out of Oliver Twist… N&O’s current Executive Editor Robyn Tomlin printed a DESPERATE PLEA on April 1 begging for “more shekels” … “more porridge” … “a piece of bread” … “some magic beans” … whatever you can spare … We’re Desperate!
.
HELP! We’re sinking. We don’t know what else to do but hope “you people” are gullible enough to …. etc etc.
Look, if we “downsize” any more we – Sara &Robyn – will have to make the coffee and answer the phone and all that yucky stuff peons are supposed to do.
.
.NOTE: Whats left of The N&O subscribers is of the notoriously “cheap” left-wing persuasion never prone to parting with its own $$$. Robyn will be better off begging Would-Be-Queen Nancy Pelosi to include The N&O in her next Stimulus Scam.
.
Publisher Sara Glines and Robyn The Editor joined The N&O several years ago when parent company – McClatchy in Sacramento CA – realized that replacing expensive male executives with MUCH-less-expensive female executives would save them considerable salary $$$.
Let McClatchy’s Sr VP of Gender Diversity explains THAT New Millennium boardroom shenanigan.
.
Editor Robyn bases her impassioned BEG on the fact that for the past week or so her ever-so-caring-and benevolent newspaper generously lowered it’s digital “pay wall” – WOO HOO – to aid the community in coping with COVID-19 … reminding “said community” that…
- COVID-19 is probably “all Trump’s Fault”. We sure hope it is … and that
- NC’s Wonderful Governor Ray/Roy Cooper will be taking away many of your fundamental rights… but Ray/Roy “might” give some of’em back some day… but probably not… LOL.
“Lowering The N&O pay wall” costs the NOT-benevolent, destitute N&O absolutely nothing. It is like expecting your neighbors to “thank you” for leaving your Christmas lights up until New Years.
Robyn announced regrettable that “the pay wall” is being put back in place immediately “because Robyn says so”. Yawn.
That announcement meant absolutely nothing to any one except Eddie The Intern Nerd who has to perform the single keystroke to “do it”.
.
This Begging by The N&O follows an announcement several weeks ago by parent McClatchy that it is BANKRUPT and can no longer fund its Pension Fund. There are many more “former McClatchy employees” than there are “current McCatchy employees” by a factor of 32 to 1.
That further pissed off the angry mob of “former McClatchy employees” who were all told countless times over the past five years ….
.
“Don’t worry. We’ll all be fine. Those naive fools / “our subscribers” – can’t get along without our daily newspaper regardless how bad it is.”
.
What desperation moves The News & Observer makes are duplicated by its sister “McClatchy sinking ships” in Durham and in Charlotte. For some months “they” have simply printed one glorified high school newspaper in very large type and stick the names News & Observer or Herald-Sun or Charlotte Observer on the top of whichever stack is going where.
Since carpetbagger McClatchy became North Carolina primary publisher of highly partisan newspapers, its stated Editorial policy has been:
.
To Insult, Demean and Humiliate Anyone & Everyone who do not embrace our Radical Left-wing socio-cultural political views.
McClatchy’s newspapers have done exactly that… very effectively and aggressively for 20+ years.
.
Their whizbang research nerds neglected to inform “the accounting guys” that the Anyones & Everyones they would be insulting represented AT LEAST 50% of their target markets. That 50% of their local / regional markets aren’t even aware they are still in business … which they barely are… and don’t care if they shut down this week … next week … or whenever.
So… Why Would Anyone Bother With The News & Observer? The ONLY REASONS anyone could come up with are ..
- Obituaries … and
- Grocery coupons … and, of course
- THE BobKennel’s impassioned LTTE’s screeds
Those community services can be provided on-line by clever entrepreneurs.
Industry analysts have pondered this inevitability for several years. Best guess = the whole sad mess will be sold-off for $.10 on the $1.00 and … memorabilia such as a Barry Saunders “Cool Dude” Fedora… and Rob “RielleWho” Christensen’s Dan Rather – autographed trench coat posted on EBay expected to attract as much as $10-12 if not more.
Re: The ultimate future of the not-so Good Ship N&O… The only question to be answered as it sinks beneath the stormy seas is What tune will the orchestra play as it goes … glub … glub … glub.
It won’t be “Nearer My God To Thee”. That’s for sure.
.
More of SAIDWHAT? … Click Here
More of BobLeeSays … HERE
.
BobLeeSays has been a fully functioning website since 1999 over 2100 commentaries. BobLee is NOT “an Intellectual” … or “a Journalist”. He is a wise guy w/ a website pondering the HowComes of Life.
Reader Comments are aggressively encouraged.
.
