Grumpy Editor

Major media underreport Vegas health clinic crisis

Grumpy Editor, on this St. Patrick's Day, finds major media --- and that includes broadcast outlets --- are looking the other way in a developing story that looks like it will go on for months, perhaps years:

As many as 40,000 people in Clark County, Nevada (and that includes Las Vegas) are at risk of exposure to hepatitis B and C, and HIV as a result of unsafe health care practices by doctors and nurses at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, between March, 2004 and Jan. 11.

It marks the largest hepatitis C scare in the nation’s history.

Now if this happened in New York, it would saturate news columns and broadcast time.

Officials say medical personnel, who should have known better, reused syringes and contaminated single-use vials --- a big no-no.

In addition, authorities are going through files and computers, hunting for medical fraud evidence.

How important is this?

It has attracted the attention of and investigators from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the FBI, Las Vegas police, State Board of Health, State Bureau of Licensure and Certification, Southern Nevada Health District, State Board of Nursing, State Board of Osteopathic Medicine, Nevada Board of Medical Examiners, state attorney general’s office, governor’s office, Clark County district attorney’s office --- and personal injury lawyers and their investigators.

With all those Sherlock Holmes types, all that’s missing is someone from CBS’ 60 Minutes.

Caller-Times bucks trend, brings back stock, fund lists

While many newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal, have chopped stock market and mutual fund listings for various reasons, Grumpy Editor is cheering the reverse action at the Caller-Times, Corpus Christi, Texas, which this week beefed up its listings.

“In the past year, we made some cuts that followed newspaper industry trends,” recaps Libby Averyt, vice president and editor of the E.W. Scripps Co. daily, in her Sunday column.  “Hearing analyst after analyst say that people go online for markets information, we eliminated lengthy stocks and mutual fund listings.”

She goes on to say, “Some markets are eliminating business sections altogether, opting to run a single business page in other sections of the paper, if at all. In some of the more crude conversations I've heard, the sentiment is that older readers are dying off anyway, so who cares if the cuts upset them for a while?

“Now, I'm no Harvard-educated businesswoman, but I am smart enough to realize that if we quit giving readers what they want, they'll quit buying us.”

Along with citing other enhanced features in the paper, Averyt mentions “our business section will make more sense.”

She points out, “Tuesday through Friday, we'll run a full page of stock listings, and on Saturday, we'll run stocks and a page of mutual funds. Best of all, our stocks page will carry a reader guarantee --- if there's a stock you want listed, call us…and we'll list it. Let me repeat: Call us and I guarantee we will include the stock in our new stocks listings.”

Does this Texas-style personal service pay off?

“Unlike many newspapers in this country, our circulation actually is growing and has been for the past two years," Averyt beams.

Grumpy Editor’s end-of-week leftover notes:

One word missing from most stories on this week’s prostitution scandal involving New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, a Democrat who is resigning on Monday --- his political party affiliation…Subscription-seeking Condé  Nast Traveler, via a card inserted in the March issue, offers a one-year subscription for $10, with fine print that adds, “plus $3 shipping & handling.”  Why not just pitch $13?...Sneaky move, bad PR:  Cox Communications, quietly and without advance notice to its customers, upped its cable service cost on monthly bills, perhaps hoping the increase would go unnoticed…Boosting business for getting eyes checked:  A pumpkin-looking four-page Charles Schwab ad section in Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal  had readers squinting at difficult-to-follow small white type against an orange background…Brent Hopkins, a departing business reporter from the shrinking editorial staff at the Daily News, Los Angeles, is making a major career switch.  He plans to become a cop, starting classes next month at the Los Angeles Police Academy…Some newspapers are being hoodwinked by some tricky Nigerians in a “puppy scam” through placement of enticing classified ads that tout expensive breeds available for adoption.  Bargain-seeking dog lovers, send money, sometimes followed by additional money.  But no puppy arrives.

U.S. daily newspaper readership continues to ebb

Total newspaper circulation with the 20 top U.S. dailies has dropped by about 1.4 million copies in four years, according to an Editor & Publisher analysis of Audit Bureau of Circulations data.

While U.S. population gained 8.5 million in that four-year span, the downward trend in newspaper readership should ring some alarm bells for publishers, editors and investors, declares Grumpy Editor.

Biggest circulation losers among the key dailies were San Francisco Chronicle, with a 28.8 percent drop to 365,234; Los Angeles Times, off 20.2 percent to 794,705 and Boston Globe, down 19.9 percent to 360,695.

However, there were gainers.  New York Post rose 2.3 percent to 667,119 and USA Today increased 2.1 percent to 2,293,137.

The Web is being blamed by many in siphoning news seekers.  But focusing on California may provide a clue.

Despite bargain subscription rates in some cases, the sag in readership may be attributed to the growing number of people in the Golden State who drift to Spanish-language publications --- and broadcast outlets.

Grumpy Editor contends among other contributing factors in fading readership:  less coverage of local happenings, especially with small businesses; more emphasis on crime stories; overabundance of glum news, and cutbacks in stock market listings and allied financial information.

Climate change conference receives scant coverage

With the controversial global warming topic grabbing headlines almost daily, it was interesting to note that major media minimized coverage of last week’s 2008 International Conference on Climate Change that attracted about 100 speakers from around the world to New York City, observes Grumpy Editor.

Coverage was scant because the conference, which attracted about 500 people, was peppered with global warming skeptics.

Speakers ranged from Vaclav Klaus, newly reelected president of the Czech Republic to John Stossel of ABC News.

Klaus, an economist and author of a new book on environmentalism, explained his strong opposition to claims that global warming is a "crisis" that requires rapid reductions in human greenhouse gas emissions, mentions Joseph Bast, president of The Heartland Institute, a national nonprofit research and education organization that sponsored the three-day gathering.

Dr. William Gray, hurricane forecaster and pioneer in tropical meteorological research, described what he called huge errors in the treatment of water vapor by computer models used to forecast future weather conditions and pointed to evidence showing the warming predicted by the models was not occurring at the altitudes and latitudes predicted by the models, reports Bast.

Stossel “delivered a withering critique of the way the news media cover science and health issues,” continues Bast.  “While confessing to have been duped into covering alleged "crises" in the past, “he said he now recognizes that advocacy groups take advantage of the scientific illiteracy of journalists and their natural interest in stories of lurking or invisible threats that only government can protect people from,” adds Bast.

After the conference concluded, print/broadcast media --- while avoiding any mention of climate change --- were reporting on a major non-global warming event:  A heavy winter storm that walloped an area extending from Arkansas to Tennessee and down to Mississippi.

Columbus, Ohio, received more than 20 inches of snow amid blizzard conditions over the weekend, breaking the city’s previous record of 15 inches set in February, 1910.  Cincinnati and Cleveland received about a foot of snow, as did portions of Arkansas and Tennessee, while northern Mississippi saw five to seven inches of the white stuff on the ground.

Some media continue with Cheney-Halliburton link

Even though Vice President Dick Cheney left Halliburton Co. as chairman and CEO eight years ago, some media continue to link him to the Houston-based firm.

As Exhibit A in the latest example, Grumpy Editor points to this lead in a Monday Associated Press story by Washington, D.C.-based Larry Margasak: “Dozens of U.S. troops in Iraq fell sick at bases using ‘unmonitored and potentially unsafe’ water supplied by the military and a contractor once owned by Vice President Dick Cheney's former company, the Pentagon's internal watchdog says.”

Now, is the use of Cheney’s name really an integral part of that story involving contractor KBR Inc.?

Would the story, which continues for another 15 paragraphs, lack “punch” without the vice president’s name in the opening sentence?

If Cheney and Halliburton are inseparable, as some media believe, then why wasn’t Cheney’s name worked into Halliburton’s latest earnings, released Jan. 28, with something like:  “Halliburton, where Vice President Dick Cheney was chairman and CEO, announced 2007 revenue jumped to $15.3 billion, an 18 percent increase from the prior year, while net income rose to $3.5 billion or $3.68 per diluted share from $2.3 billion or $2.23 a share in 2006.

KBR was separated as part of Halliburton last April.  KBR describes itself as a leading global engineering, construction and services company supporting the energy, petrochemicals, government services and civil infrastructure sectors.  It is the largest contractor for the U.S. Army and a top-10 contractor for the Department of Defense.

From reading/hearing some news accounts, one would think that Cheney, at the Halliburton helm between 1995 and 2000, was working at the company all his life, and, in some cases, was the sole owner of New York Stock Exchange-listed HAL that lists 51,000 full-time employees.

Actually, Cheney has spent more time in the political field than in the private sector.  He started in politics in 1969 as an intern for a Congressman.  That was during the Nixon administration.  He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1978 and moved upward from there.

KBR’s history, by the way, can be traced back to 1901 as a tiny pipe fabrication business in New York.

Now if any of those pipes --- if still in place --- act up, split or burst, is Cheney’s name going to be inserted into the lead of a story focusing on the incident?

IRS skips PSAs as way to convey rebate information

Uncle Sam rebate checks --- up to $600 for individuals and $1,200 for married couples --- to hypo the economy received extensive coverage in recent days via radio, TV, newspapers, magazines, the Web and word-of-mouth.

In addition, radio talk show hosts, TV commentators and columnists all had a few words to say about the planned infusion of dollars starting in May.

Yet in the current belt-tightening period, the Internal Revenue Service (which eagerly is awaiting your 2007 tax filing by April 15) is spending $41.8 million this month to send out letters to an estimated 130 million households, alerting taxpayers on the expected stimulus.

If the White House and IRS feel another serving of information is warranted, why not go to money-saving public service announcements (PSAs) on broadcast outlets, asks Grumpy Editor.

Those PSAs would make the U.S. Postal Service happy, too, since its workers would be free of the hefty tasks of sorting and delivering those millions of notices containing already widely-known rebate information.

The expensive mailout doesn’t include the tab for another round of mailings for those who didn’t file tax returns last year but still may qualify for a rebate.

Strangely, the “greens” have been silent, despite the many trees that were chopped to provide paper for the 130 million messages and envelopes.

Chinese Daily News cited in forcing long hours on staff

Irregular and long hours are common in newspaper work and those entering the field are geared up for the often rugged routine, reminds Grumpy Editor.

But being active in the newsroom for 72 hours a week on a regular basis is a bit draining, more so when supervisors call for no time out for meals or rest in violation of state and federal laws. 

It’s on par with a sweatshop.

So, in that atmosphere, about 200 past and current employees, including advertising and production staffers at the Chinese Daily News, sued.  After a four-year battle, a federal judge this week ordered the newspaper, based in Monterey Park, near Los Angeles, to pay staffers $5.18 million.

The Los Angeles Times cited Lynne Wang, a veteran reporter and one of the original plaintiffs, who mentioned a culture of fear was prevalent in the newsroom of the Chinese-language newspaper where supervisors reprimanded staffers who asked for overtime pay.  The reporter, who was fired and now is a radio broadcaster, said she worked up to 18 hours through the night.

Wang told the New York Times that "reporters were required to produce five stories a day which meant they had to race between news conferences and interviews for hours without a break.”

Grumpy Editor’s end-of-week leftover notes:

New York-based Ziff Davis Media Inc., publisher of video game and technology magazines, including PC Magazine, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing lower revenue from print advertising and subscriptions.  Perhaps an early indicator was mention to Grumpy Editor from a former PC Magazine contributor who described dealings with editors were somewhat confusing…Among Forbes magazine’s 1,125 billionaires in the world, India grabbed four names among the top 10…The headline on an Associated Press story out of Phoenix on Wednesday:  Study:  Illegal immigration costs border counties millions.  The “this just in” study by University of Arizona and San Diego State University researchers could have come up with similar findings if conducted in 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, etc…Long Beach, Calif., City Council, unhappy about layoffs and restructuring at the Press-Telegram, is considering pulling city advertising, including public notices, in efforts to affect a policy change at the daily.  Council members claim local news coverage has steadily declined since Denver-based Media News Group purchased the P-T from Knight Ridder 11 years ago…Hot off the press --- in the third month of 2008:  The 172-page 2008 Discover Ohio Travel Planner.  Looks like nothing much happens in January and February in the Buckeye State.

Knoxville News Sentinel asks extra fee for TV Week

Pay extra for a newspaper’s weekly TV section?

That’s the plan at Knoxville News Sentinel where editor Jack McElroy announced home-subscribers who want TV Week, which came out with a new look on Sunday, will have to pay 25 cents a week extra for delivery on Saturdays starting in mid-April, notes Grumpy Editor.

With newspaper managements keeping sharp eyes on bottom lines, is this the start of a trend that will see additional fees for the sports section or weekend magazines such as Parade and USA Weekend?

“The problem is --- and has been --- that TV Week, while essential to many readers, is ignored by many others and does not draw a large number of advertisers,” mentions McElroy.  “At the same time, the comprehensive listings require lots of pages of newsprint.”

Perhaps the E.W. Scripps Co. newspaper needs to ignite its News Sentinel advertising sales staff.  After all, there are advantages to advertising in a compact weekly that stays close to the sofa and TV set for a whole week, rather than being tossed out at the end of every day.

McElroy adds, “The upshot is that TV Week loses a lot of money for the News Sentinel --- hundreds of thousands of dollars a year --- while fewer and fewer readers use it.”

Maybe readership is not so gloomy.  In current economic conditions, with inflation rising and dining out or fueling family cars becoming more expensive, belt-tightening newspaper readers are spending more time at home.  That means extra TV viewing.  And channel surfers relish a program indicating where to go on the dial.

“The News Sentinel remains a very healthy business, but like any business, it must find ways to manage expenses to keep prices low,” relates McElroy.  “Sharply increasing newsprint costs are exacerbating the problem. Changing how we distribute TV Week, so the people who want it pay for it, seems like a reasonable step.”

An easier way for management:  simply lift the home delivery cost by a buck a month for all subscribers without creating potential billing and delivery problems in distinguishing those who receive TV Week and those who don’t.

With a circulation of around 122,000, that additional $1 from every subscriber would bring in $30,500 more monthly revenue for the News Sentinel.

And that nasty word --- fee --- will be avoided.

Major staff cutbacks now extend to radio stations

While layoffs at newspapers are occurring almost every day, personnel at some radio stations are being hit with pink slips, too.

Citadel Broadcasting, Corp., which calls itself “the largest pure play radio company in the United States” has laid off staffers, including on-air personalities, in the past few days, observes Grumpy Editor.

It comes after Citadel last Friday reported its fourth-quarter net loss widened to $848.1 million from a $1.08 million loss in the like year-ago period.

Performance of ABC radio stations, acquired last June, was "disappointing” and the Las Vegas-based broadcasting company is “completing a major restructuring of these stations to both improve short-term profitability as well as position them for future growth,” said Citadel chairman and CEO Farid Suleman.

Especially hard hit with staff cuts was WLS, Chicago, heavy with news and talk.  Several news veterans, including the news director and a City Hall reporter, were let go along with some ad sales and support staff.

Other cutbacks were reported at Citadel stations in San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta and Washington, D.C.

Departing at KSFO in San Francisco was morning co-host Melanie Morgan, a Bay Area radio personality for 27 years.

Citadel operates 66 AM and 177 FM stations in more than 50 markets.

Those connected with updating Citadel’s Web site might be on shaky ground.  Opening page still spotlights a Feb. 15 mention that (the already released) fourth quarter earnings would be reported on Feb. 29.

‘Ray gun,’ as seen on CBS, continues to be tested

Viewers who watched CBS’ 60 Minutes on Sunday night might have thought the segment on the “ray gun” heralds a newly-developed non-lethal system that is ideal for crowd control or deterring approaching bad guys, including terrorists.

Well, it’s not so new.

Grumpy Editor gave basic details on the system destined for the U.S. arsenal in a Jan. 29, 2007 posting --- four days after it was demonstrated.  At that time, the Active Denial System, touted as a “new weapon,” had been undergoing tests since 1995 with research involving more than 600 volunteers and more than 10,000 exposures.

Targeted subjects, such as terrorists and enemy troops, get socked with a blast of 130-degree heat, beamed from a small armored vehicle more than 500 yards away.  It is intense enough to give the sensation clothing is about to ignite. 

Latest to get smacked by the beam on camera was CBS Pentagon correspondent David Martin.

Not intended to kill, the invisible beam of high-energy radio frequency causes a person to recoil and flee --- as Martin demonstrated, including beam penetration through a mattress he was holding.

Why the system, involving Raytheon Co., Waltham, Mass., is taking so long to be put “on active duty” is a mystery.

As Grumpy Editor mentioned 13 months ago, prolonged testing gives the bad guys ample opportunity to develop countermeasures.