Grumpy Editor

Washington Post stats slump as executives scratch heads

As circulation and advertising figures slide at the Washington Post Co., management is probably wondering why --- and the Internet is not wholly to blame, notes Grumpy Editor. 

The Post reports print advertising skidded 12 percent in the 2012 fourth quarter, to $67.5 million.  The Post also cites average daily circulation in 2012 declined 8.6 percent to an average of 471,800, while average Sunday circulation fell 6.2 percent to 687,200. 

What’s behind advertising and circulation drifting lower at most newspapers?

When businesses, large and small, envision less money to spend, advertising is one of the first things slashed. 

Daily news reports are loaded with uncertainty, especially with predictions --- and scares from the nation’s capital --- of economic messes ahead. 

A heavy flow of new business/personal rules, regulations and taxes coming out of Washington plus the confusing financial wake looming from ObamaCare and the upcoming sequestration are among key contributors to the wide-scale uncertainty. 

For businesses, that’s not conducive to boosting advertising. 

Thus, the constant negativity running in news columns triggers less advertising space sold, putting a major dent in the bottom line of newspaper publishers. 

Eventually, and sadly, this also results in newspapers’ periodic staff trimming, among other measures. 

With circulation, when readers find their favorite newspaper is more of a lap dog rather than a watchdog --- echoing information, especially fuzzy math and misleading facts, fed from the White House and some lawmakers without newspaper fact checking or solid investigating --- they move on to other news sources. 

Getting back to the Washington Post:  Seeking to highlight a bright spot in the company’s glum 2012 financial figures, the Post cited:  “One benefit of the paper’s woes: lower newsprint costs,” down 10 percent.

 

 

AP okays ‘husband,’ ‘wife’ for same-sex couples

Updated in the Associated Press Stylebook, used by most newsrooms:  

Regardless of sexual orientation, use of husband or wife is acceptable in all references to individuals in any legally-recognized marriage. 

Spouse or partner may be used if requested, adds AP.

 

In case you missed these… 

Time magazine runs the longest article in its 90-years of publishing with a 24,000-word piece on “Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us” by Steven Brill…The New York Times Co. is putting the “for sale” sign on its Boston Globe which also includes the Worcester (Mass.) Telegram & Gazette…CBS News’  Bob Schieffer will receive the National Association of Broadcasters distinguished service award on April 8 in Las Vegas…David Axelrod, former White House senior adviser and senior strategist for President Barack Obama’s 2008 and 2012 campaigns, joins NBC News and MSNBC as a senior political analyst…Los Angeles Times scrubs its daily prime time television schedule from the newspaper’s Calendar section starting tomorrow…CNBC acquires the long-running Nightly Business Report from PBS and will move production from Miami to CNBC headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. on March 4…Generally overlooked in coverage of the wide-scale manhunt for rogue ex-Los Angeles Police Department officer Christopher Dorner, who later died in a Big Bear (Calif.) cabin fire, was the early-morning shooting in Torrance, Calif. of two L.A. Times delivery women by eight LAPD officers who mistook them for Dorner.  The injured women’s attorney says he counted 102 bullet holes in their blue Toyota Tacoma…Comedian Conan O'Brien, who hosts a nightly show on TBS, will emcee the annual White House Correspondents Dinner on April 27, airing on C-Span…Journal Register Co., which owns --- and plans to sell --- Michigan dailies The Oakland Press, The Macomb Daily, Morning Sun and Daily Tribune, says it plans to lay off more than 840 employees, with hopes that the new owner will rehire them. 

Weighty matter: Lawmakers focus on $1 coins --- again

Many newspapers over the weekend carried a lengthy Associated Press story on a pending push for still another $1 coin to replace the dollar bill in efforts to “save taxpayers some $4.4 billion over the next 30 years,” notes Grumpy Editor.

The move comes despite past efforts (some continuing) to go metal rather than paper for $1 have proven to be unpopular with the public and businesses.

Over the past four decades, attempts to utilize coins in place of $1 bills have been snubbed.

With $1 in coins rather than in paper, it means carrying extra weight, now in addition to cell phones and other modern gear.  Imagine the additional pounds in lugging $15 or $20 in $1 coins.

The latest effort to go to $1 via coins route stems as lawmakers --- rather than putting a critical or investigative eye on fraud, waste and duplication in federal operations --- explore ways for the government to save money.  So, for them, switching to more durable $1 coins seems one way to go.

Along with a change in composition, the $1 metal version would require new equipment to be purchased or existing production methods overhauled --- using taxpayer funds, of course.

Most noteworthy (not mentioned in the AP story), is that the Susan B. Anthony $1 coin, minted from 1979 to 1981 with another try in 1999, fizzled.

Circulation of the Sacagawea dollar coin, minted since 2002, also has been unpopular.

Then there was the Eisenhower $1 coin, issued from 1971 to 1978, which saw limited circulation.

But an Eisenhower coin will return in 2015, as part of the Presidential $1 Coin Program.  Coins in that program now are minted only for collectors.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D., N.Y.) sums up the feelings of many who frown on the $1 coin: 

“If the people don’t want it and they don’t want to use it, why in the world are we even talking about changing it?”

Who’s ‘minding the store’ this week in Washington?

Despite growing hostilities in the Middle East, aggressive actions elsewhere, continued post-superstorm Sandy struggles plus the looming fiscal cliff at home, Washington is at a standstill this week as key government leaders and Congress are away from their desks, observes Grumpy Editor. 

President Barack Obama is in Myanmar (also known as Burma) today, the second day into a four-day tour that started in Thailand yesterday, with Cambodia slated for tomorrow. 

Not widely broadcast in the first leg of his around-the-world flight, is that Air Force One headed east from Washington with a stop in Germany on Saturday.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, also in the Southeast Asia-Australia region, joined Obama in Thailand. 

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was traveling from Southeast Asia over the weekend, after a week-long trip that took him to Australia, Thailand and Cambodia. 

The House and Senate are on a Thanksgiving break this week. 

The Senate, by the way, met in a pro forma session Friday for a whopping 28 seconds and reconvenes at 2 p.m. Nov. 26. 

So who is "minding the store."? 

After being on the road yesterday touring superstorm Sandy-wrecked parts of New Jersey, Vice President Joe Biden remains, quietly, in D.C. today. 

His official Website notes “no public schedule” this week.

But there may be some stirring at the vice president's residence tomorrow.

It’s his 70th birthday.

Inquisitive minds muzzled at Obama press conference

In reporting on President Barack Obama’s first news conference in eight months, newspaper stories yesterday were missing some items of interest to ever-squeezed taxpayers, notes Grumpy Editor. 

With the economy, Benghazi and taxes of most concern to Americans, among questions fielded by the president at the White House news conference pertained to immigration and climate change --- overcovered topics that brought lengthy responses parallel to what was heard for months on the campaign trail leading to Obama's Nov. 6 re-election. 

During his 50-minute appearance (clocked at one hour by the Washington Post) in which he called on reporters from a pre-selected list of names, the president repeated some other campaign stump material. 

Among his comments: 

(Under a law awaiting passage in Congress), “98 percent of all Americans and 97 percent of all small businesses won’t see their taxes go up a single dime.” 

“Five and a half million jobs have been created.” 

“I know the math well.  There will be a modest tax increase on the wealthy.” 

“I’m open to new ideas on tax rates.” 

No member of the note-taking press was allowed to raise a hand in seeking amplification on any of the above statements. 

Also, no questions were asked about Obama’s Southeast Asia trip, departing tomorrow, to Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia and Thailand.

Meanwhile, a Wall Street Journal story yesterday that focused on the president pressing for higher taxes mentioned: 

“About $400 billion in tax increases on virtually all working Americans will begin Jan. 2 unless an alternative plan is hatched.”

No sooner back in D.C., lawmakers eager to leave town

As soon as Congress returned from a five-week recess on Monday, Capitol Hill talk immediately turned to taking more time off, starting with senators on Friday, finds Grumpy Editor. 

Such action --- or inaction --- underscores why taxpayers give the lawmakers a record-low approval rating. 

Senators are the most eager to get more free time, some to campaign in their home states, and return after the Nov. 6 elections.  Party leaders would like to depart again on Friday, says Dick Durbin (D., Ill.), majority whip. 

However, senators face action on a six-month stopgap measure to keep the federal government operating after Oct. 1. 

Also eager to finish business early is Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.). 

But he is not giving a target date, although “the word is out” (as Reid likes to say), that Senate offices have been alerted unofficially that they would recess at the end of this week. 

The House is scheduled to leave for recess at the end of next week and return for a few more days in October. 

Some lawmakers want Congress to stay in session to finalize action on a multiyear farm bill.  

Members of Congress “need to show they’re doing their job,” says Ross K. Baker, a political science professor at Rutgers University. 

An August Gallup poll finds only one in 10 Americans approves the work Congress is doing.  That record low compares with 84 percent in 2002.

U.S. buys Russian helicopters for Afghanistan’s air force

Despite cries for more U.S. jobs, one of the strangest deals has American taxpayers footing the bill for almost two dozen Russian-built helicopters for use by the Afghanistan air force, notes Grumpy Editor. 

Other than Bloomberg News three months ago and this week’s issue of Bloomberg Businessweek, little has been reported by U.S. media about the unusual transaction.

Newspaper editorial page writers should get somewhat excited over this, especially during the summer doldrums.  

Bloomberg Businessweek writers Danielle Ivory and Kathleen Miller point out, “Since May 2011, the Pentagon has paid Rosoboronexport $411 million for 21 Mi-17 helicopters.” 

Rosoboronexport is the state-run arms trader that Congress says is arming Syria. 

Kazan Helicopter manufactures the medium twin-turbine transport at two Russian plants. 

The Bloomberg Businessweek writers also reveal the “Pentagon didn’t solicit bids from any other company for the helicopters.” They add that Sen. John Cornyn (R., Texas) --- leading 17 U.S. senators seeking to cancel the deal --- says the no-bid order “seems just plain stupid.” 

Back on May 8, Bloomberg News writers Tony Capaccio and David Lerman reported, "The Pentagon says it’s in a bind, with nowhere to turn for helicopters needed by Afghanistan’s air force except Russia."

The Mi-17 choppers, they added, "include full Western avionics, navigation, communications and situation-awareness capability.” 

Cost of the 21 helicopters three months ago was pegged at $375 million.  That’s $36 million below the price tag noted this month. 

What’s noteworthy about this close to half a billion dollar Pentagon-spurred deal that benefits Russia is that talk in Washington includes deep cuts in the defense budget --- for the U.S.

 

IRS lacks Olympic spirit, slaps high tax on U.S. winners

Many publications, in their heavy coverage of the 2012 Olympics in London, are missing how the Internal Revenue Service is “licking its chops” --- cheering especially for more U.S. gold medal winners --- so it can collect hefty taxes, notes Grumpy Editor. 

Under U.S. tax law, winning athletes must add the value of their Olympic medals and honorariums to taxable income. 

The IRS slaps a 35 percent tax rate on winners. 

That’s pretty rough on some athletes who are teenagers and still going to school. 

The U.S. Olympic Committee awards athletes $25,000 for gold medals, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze.

Americans for Tax Reform Foundation calculates a gold medal winner will pay the IRS up to $8,986, while silver medal winners face a tax up to $5,385 and bronze medal winners are nicked with a tax up to $3,502. 

Noting this, some Washington lawmakers are coming to the rescue to exempt U.S. medal winners from paying taxes on their Olympic achievements. 

Sen. Marco Rubio, (R., Fla.) last Wednesday introduced such a plan in the Senate, calling for a tax code overhaul “to aggressively fix ridiculous tax laws like this tax on Olympians’ medals and prize money.” 

In the House, cosponsoring a bill seeking to exempt U.S. medal winners from paying taxes, are Reps. Mary Bono Mack (R., Calif.) and G.K. Butterfield (D., N.C.).

"Only the U.S. tax code can turn the 'thrill of victory' into the agony of victory,” they declare in a statement. 

 

Poll: Public ranks ‘high confidence’ in press near bottom

The press still has much work to do in elevating its near bottom “confidence” ranking with the American public, notes Grumpy Editor after reviewing a new Harris Poll. 

Utilizing its Harris Confidence Index, the poll --- of those saying “a great deal of confidence” --- gives the press an 11. 

That ranks slightly above Wall Street, with a 7, and Congress, at the bottom, with 6. 

Highest press ranking in the past decade: 16 in 2002. 

Television news, meanwhile, gets 17 in the poll conducted by Harris Interactive between April 9 and 17.  That rank compares with a high of 24, also in 2002. 

So which institutions rank highest in the latest poll of 2,060 adults? 

The military tops the list with 55. 

Small business follows with 50. 

These are well ahead of third-place medicine with 34.

 

Lengthy Medicare paragraph features a load of ( )s

If you think some newspaper paragraphs run too long, just try to follow what’s going on with this Medicare provision, as pointed out in the Wall Street Journal, urges Grumpy Editor. 

As unearthed by WSJ writer Joe Palazzolo in Friday’s WSJ:

"In the case of a plan for which there are average per capita monthly savings described in section 1395w–24 (b)(3)(C) or 1395w–24 (b)(4)(C) of this title, as the case may be, the amount specified in this subparagraph is the amount of the monthly rebate computed under section 1395w–24 (b)(1)(C)(i) of this title for that plan and year (as reduced by the amount of any credit provided under section 1395w–24 (b)(1)(C)(iv) [2] of this title)."

Clear enough?

Nothing simple with many government texts.

Makes one think the writers get paid by the word --- or symbol.

Palazzolo also points out the Dodd-Frank financial law runs 2,300 pages while President Barrack Obama’s health-care law fills more than 900 pages.

Perhaps, in efforts to keep word volume shorter, more former tabloid newspaper staffers --- brought up to “write tight” --- should be called on to assist with authoring legislation.

 

Energy Secretary Chu doesn’t drive to work, but…

Facing a House Subcommittee on Energy and Power on a budget request yesterday, Energy Secretary Stephen Chu --- after mention of a battery-run Chevy Volt ---  revealed he didn’t drive a car and added, “I don’t own a car at the moment,” observed Grumpy Editor.

It sounded like he was doing his best to go green.

That got a lot of coverage on radio and television news, including some comments that Chu is trying to save energy, namely gasoline consumption.

On one TV network, it was suggested that perhaps Chu walks to work.

But few bothered to check further to uncover how he reaches his desk.

CNSNews.com did.

Craig Bannister, director of communications for CNSNews.com, pointed out that while Chu technically may not own a car, an Energy Department spokesman confirmed that Chu’s transportation to work is provided by a security detail.

And that his wife owns a car.

Far from being a Chevy Volt, however, a source identified the vehicle as a BMW 325i that requires premium gasoline.