Grumpy Editor

2019 TRANSFORMATIVE YEAR FOR U.S. MEDIA INDUSTRY: AXIOS

 

This year, as Axios points out, indeed was "a transformative year for the U.S. news media industry," notes Grumpy Editor.

The news and technology company reminds that "there were enormous business challenges, which resulted in an unprecedented number of layoffs, desperate product maneuvers and fire-sale deals," adding, "the economic outlook of the news industry is still grim heading into 2020." 

 

Axios says "voters are starting to tune out political coverage, which for the past few years has been the news industry's biggest money-maker. That reality, coupled with an anticipated recession, has newsrooms on edge."

 

This year, it mentions, "was a particularly brutal year for older news industries, like newspapers, magazines, television and radio. Revenue for television was down nearly 4 percent this year, and for print it was down nearly 20 percent."

 

These challenges took a human toll on journalists and news industry employees around the country, observes Axios, and "by some estimates, nearly 8,000 people were laid off or lost their jobs in media in 2019. That level of attrition is on pace to be the highest it's been since the 2009 recession."

 

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

 

'HOLLAND' USE SET TO FADE.  Going into the new year, the Netherlands is set to drop from tourist promotions its long-used alternative — Holland — as it seeks to re-brand itself.  The nickname has been used for several decades. 

 

GOLDEN STATE POPULATION GROWTH SLOWS.  California’s population growth slows to a trickle --- the most sluggish rate since 1900 as residents leave and immigration decelerates.  Behind it:  fewer births, coupled with higher number of deaths with an aging population.

 

LONG-TIME SHELTER DOG FINALLY ADOPTED.  Seamus, a nine-year-old pit bull mix, spending more than 2,000 days or more than half his life in a Fresno, Calif., shelter --- The Fresno Bully Rescue --- is adopted just in time for Christmas. The shelter aims to help bully breeds, like bulldogs, pit bulls and boxers, get adopted.

 

STUDY CITES STATES WITH MISERABLE CITIES.  A Business Insider study finds the state with the most miserable cities is California, with 10 in the top 50.  Taking second place is New Jersey, with nine, then Florida with six.

 

USS MISSOURI EYEWITNESSES SOUGHT.  Organizers for a 75th anniversary event marking the end of World War II are searching for veterans who were aboard the USS Missouri where Japan officially surrendered. 

 

WILDFIRES KILL KOALAS.  Thousands of koalas in the mid-northern coast of New South Wales are feared to have died in the raging wildfires in that area that was home to about 28,000 of the animals.

 

 

NEWSEUM SHUTTERS TOMORROW.  The glass-walled journalism showcase Newseum, after 11 years in operation in Washington, D.C., across the street from the National Gallery of Art, is closing its doors tomorrow. 

 

 

And HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!

HAND GESTURES FLASHED ON TV DETERMINED NOT TO BE RACIST SIGNALS

It took investigators six days to determine hand gestures flashed on TV by West Point cadets and Naval Academy midshipmen during the Army-Navy football game on Dec. 14 were not racist signals, notes Grumpy Editor.

Investigators included the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the FBI.  

 

During that period the action received wide coverage in media.

 

The hand signals also went viral on social media and raised questions about whether they were a “white power” sign.

 

Others suggested the sign was part of a “circle game” in which someone flashes an upside down OK sign below the waist.

 

As Associated Press reported: A Navy probe found the students were participating in a “sophomoric game” and had no racist intent.  Meanwhile, an Army statement also rejected any racist overtones, saying the hand gestures were “not associated with ideologies or movements that are contrary to the Army values.”

 

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

NEW CALIFORNIA LAW HITS FREELANCE JOURNALISTS. The Pacific Legal Foundation files the second legal challenge against new California state law, AB5, that puts some independent journalists out of business. The new law aims to rein in companies’ use of independent contractors by placing certain restrictions on contract work.  A lawsuit brought by the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the National Press Photographers Association says the law would unconstitutionally affect free speech and the media.  It limits freelance journalists to 35 submissions a year to a news outlet.

 

SOME CAR MODELS WILL DISAPPEAR.  USA Today reports the SUV boom is killing off small and large passenger cars, with vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt and Ford Focus perishing. Also heading for the automotive graveyard in 2020 are mass-market models with decades-old nameplates, like the Chevrolet Impala, to recent entrant like the Fiat 500.

 

SODA POURED ON REPORTER'S HEAD.  The wife of Chattooga County's (Georgia) sole commissioner pours a soda on a reporter's head and the Summerville police department is charging Abbey Winters with simple battery and disorderly conduct.

 

MORE WEEKLIES FOLD THIS WEEK.  The Fort Worth Star-Telegram will stop publishing some weekly newspapers this week.  Dec.25 marks the final editions of these newspapers: Arlington Citizen-Journal, Keller Citizen, Mansfield News-Mirror, Star-Telegram Express, Star-Telegram Northeast and Weatherford Star-Telegram.

 

CALIFORNIA SNOWPACK GROWS.  Strong storms boost the California snowpack to the highest December level since 2015. The snowpack — a key source of the state’s water supply — measured 113 percent of average last week, roughly 40 percent higher than the snowpack during the same time in 2018.  And more is expected this week.

WITH IMPEACHMENT REPORT: MUCH READING.   The House Judiciary Committee’s report on the impeachment of President Donald Trump contains 658 pages. 

BABE RUTH BASEBALL BAT SOLD.  The baseball bat used by legendary player Babe Ruth to smack his 500th home run on Aug. 11, 1929 sells for more than $1 million at an auction.

SENATE PASSES ROBOCALLS MEASURE.  Legislation aimed at boosting enforcement of robocalls passes the Senate on a voice vote.  But will that stop the billions of scam and nuisance calls?

 

PET OWNERS SPEND HEAVILY ON FOUR-LEGGED FAMILY MEMBERS

Furry family members get top treatment

 

Pet owners are projected to spend about $75 billion this year on their four-legged family members, notes Grumpy Editor.

This is up from about $72 billion last year and $45 billion a decade ago, tallies the American Pet Products Association.

 

"Globally, however, the pet care industry is worth more than $100 billion and is continually growing with more than 67 percent of U.S. households owning a pet, which equates to roughly 84.9 million homes," according to APPA.

 

In a 2018 breakdown, APPA says owners spent more than $30 billion in food, more than $18 billion in vet care, more than $16 billion in supplies and over-the-counter medicine and nearly $2 billion for the purchase of the animals plus $6.31 billion on "other services.”

 

Basic expenses for dog and cat owners include surgical and routine vet visits, food, treats, kennel boarding, vitamins, grooming and toys, adds APPA.

 

An APPA survey also finds 28 percent of dog owners and 17 percent of cat owners give gifts to their pets on their birthdays and 11 percent of dog owners and 5 percent of cat owners hold holiday or birthday parties for their pets.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...

 

PORCH PIRATES TARGETED.  A Colorado Springs, Colorado woman, after thieves stole at least 20 packages from her porch, gives porch pirates a taste of their own medicine by leaving trash-filled Amazon packages outside her front door, thus getting her trash removed at no charge.

CNN RATINGS PLUMMET.  Fox News averaged 2.2 million viewers during primetime hours of 9-11 p.m. ET from Nov. 25 through Dec. 1, while MSNBC averaged 1.3 million viewers during the same time period and CNN yielded 643,000 average viewers.  It was CNN’s worst performance in nearly three years and the network’s worst turnout among the key demographic of adults age 25-54 in over five years.

NORTH KOREA OPENS RESORT.  North Korean leader Kim Jong Un opened Yangdok Hot Spring Cultural Recreation Center, a mountain spa and ski resort for visitors to enjoy “high civilization under socialism” as the country uses tourism exemptions in sanctions to build revenue for a broken economy.

CALIFORNIA FINES CVS.  California is fining CVS Pharmacy a record $3.6 million because 81 of its  stores in the Golden State refused to redeem recyclables (bottles and cans) or pay a required $100 daily fee as an alternative.

POSTAL FACILITY RENAMED AFTER MARILYN MONROE.  The Van Nuys (Calif.) Civic Center postal depot will be renamed the Marilyn Monroe Post Office.  She was raised in that section of Los Angeles and was discovered while working at Van Nuys Airport during World War II.

FOUR-WHEELED ACTOR.  The Chevrolet Suburban now has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  Chevy’s largest SUV has been in 1,750 films, making an appearance in a movie every year since 1950.

GLOBAL TV AD SALES DROP.  In the latest sign that advertisers are following viewers to the internet, Bloomberg reports global TV advertising sales fell almost 4 percent this year, the steepest drop since the depths of the economic recession in 2009.

 

'BEVERLY HILLBILLIES" MANSION SOLD.  The French neoclassical-style mansion at the Chartwell Estate in Bel-Air, California, featured in the TV show "The Beverly Hillbillies," recently sold for about $150 million, effectively making it the most expensive home ever sold in the Golden State.

FAKE REVIEWS ON ONLINE SITES DRAW FEDERAL ATTENTION

While fake news has been widely covered in recent weeks, now the focus is on fake online reviews of retailers’ items, notes Grumpy Editor.

The Wall Street Journal points out “pressure is mounting on major retailers to fight back.”

The Journal notes Fakespot Inc., which identifies fraudulent reviews, says more than a third of online reviews on major websites, including Amazon and Walmart, are fake. Those reviews are generated by people paid to write them — or robots.

The Federal Trade Commission is starting to crack down on violators and lawmakers are pressing Amazon to do a better job of policing its website reviews.

Many people searching the web rely on reviews before buying products.

November-December online sales are expected to increase as much as 14 percent, according to the National Retail Federation.

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

FIRST MOVIE THEATER DESIGNED FOR TALKIES TO END RUN.  At year’s end the Avalon, a classic 1,184-seat movie theater on California’s Santa Catalina Island will stop showing first-run films, ending a 90-year tradition.  Built in 1929 as part of the iconic Catalina Casino, it is the first cinema in the world designed for talkies.  Daily tours and special events such as Catalina Film Fest and Silent Film Benefit will continue.

BILL TO CURB ROBOCALLS.  The House, by a 417-3 vote, approved a bill to curb robocalls in an effort to halt illegal marketing calls and scams. It is expected to be approved in the Senate and signed by President Trump.

FEMALE MARINE COMPLETES COMBAT TRAINING.  Lance Cpl. Alexa Barth is the first female Marine to complete the Marine Corps’ rigorous reconnaissance training  since the Pentagon lifted a ban on women in combat roles in January, 2013.

NORTH KOREA PLANS 'CHRISTMAS GIFT.'  North Korea says it will send a "Christmas gift" to the United States, but what that means will depend on the outcome of ongoing talks between Washington and Pyongyang.

HEAVY TV VIEWING.  On a day-to-day basis, the average adult watches TV for three-and-a-half hours, amounting to 1,248 hours each year, finds a survey commissioned by LG Electronics.

15 CHAIRS BALANCED ON CHIN.  David Rush from Idaho appeared on TV to balance 15 chairs on his chin and recapture a Guinness World Record.  Rush previously held the record with eight chairs.

CHINA HALTS U.S. NAVY VISITS TO HONG KONG.  China is suspending U.S. Navy visits to Hong Kong in retaliation over President Trump’s decision to sign legislation that supported the city’s pro-democracy protesters. 

EAT COFFEE CUPS WHILE FLYING.  Air New Zealand is testing edible coffee cups in an effort to cut waste on board its airplanes. The cups are made from vanilla-flavoured biscotti. The airline serves more than eight million cups of coffee a year. 

VETERAN MONEY WRITER RETIRES.  Jane Bryant Quinn, writer of a money column in AARP Bulletin since 2010 is retiring.  She and her husband plan to live in Rome for a year.

 

 

LONG-RUNNING ‘NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT’ SIGNS OFF END OF MONTH

Dec. 27 marks the “closing bell” for TV’s long-running Nightly Business Report, learns Grumpy Editor.

 

The business news program has aired five nights a week since 1979.

Linda O’Bryon, the program’s founding executive, recounts, "before NBR, viewers had to wait until the morning newspaper to find out how their stocks closed the day before. It seems almost quaint by today’s standards. The notion of a business news program delivering stock quotes, business news and analysis just two and a half hours after the closing market bell resonated with millions of viewers.”

She adds, “When we went national in 1981, 125 public stations carried the program.”  It soon moved to more than 250 stations.

“At its peak, we had bureaus in London, Tokyo, New York, Washington, Chicago and other centers,” says O’Bryon.  "Nightly Business Report" remained the most-watched daily business news program on television –-- broadcast or cable throughout that time.”

After several ownership changes, CNBC purchased the program in 2013.  

“Times have changed,” O’Bryon points out, “and there are many ways viewers can access business news, which is instantly available on smart phones along with several cable channels dedicated to business news around the clock.”

 

IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…

 

U.S. ECONOMY CONTINUES UPSWING.  Government reports show a picture of a steadily growing U.S. economy, fueled by solid consumer spending.  The Commerce Department estimates the economy expanded at a moderate 2.1 percent annual rate in the summer.  In the July-September quarter, rise in gross domestic product (GDP) exceeds the government's initial estimate of 1.9 percent annual rate.  Spending is being supported by rising incomes and an unemployment rate near the lowest levels in a half century. 

PEARL HARBOR REMEMBERED.  Saturday marks the 78th anniversary of the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.  It resulted in four battleships sunk and four others damaged.  Also sunk or damaged were three cruisers, three destroyers, a minelayer and 188 aircraft, while 2,402 people were killed and 1,282 wounded.

SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL TIME SOLD.  Television commercial time during the Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2 is sold out, says Fox Corp.  For a 30-second commercial during the football game, advertisers are paying up to a lofty $5.6 million vs. $5.3 million a year ago on CBS.

'TRICKS' AIMED AT WRITERS.  Debuting on Wednesday is Writers' Tricks of the Trade: 39 Things You Need to Know About the ABCs of Writing, Kindle edition. Written by Morgan St. James, author of 18 books, she says “every chapter is packed a little about a lot, sort of like the appetizer table at a writing buffet. From tips, techniques and tricks --- each chapter has something that can be used immediately, written in lively, entertaining prose, a valuable addition to any aspiring or published writer's bookshelf.”

ONE WAY TO BEAT HEAVY TRAFFIC.  A start-up is making plans to use aircraft to fly over heavy rush-hour traffic in Southern California.  Set to carry first passengers in January, a monthly charge starts at $1,250 or about $60 a day if used Mondays through Fridays.

COUPLE BUYS WAITRESS CAR.  A couple eating at a Denny’s restaurant in Galveston, Texas, hear that waitress Adrianna Edwards walks four hours to and from work. After finishing their meals, the anonymous couple returns with a 2011 Nissan Sentra and hands Edwards the keys. Now, Edwards has a 30-minute commute.

 

MORE AMERICANS BECOME HEAVY.  A Gallup poll finds 28 percent of Americans say they weigh 200 pounds or more, a four-point jump from an earlier poll to 2009.  Still, notes Gallup, fewer Americans  consider themselves overweight or obese.

 

ANOTHER CALIFORNIA NEWSPAPER FOLDS. OC Weekly, covering Orange County in California to Long Beach with a circulation of 45,000, closes after 24 years in print. 

 

ANIMAL CRUELTY BECOMES FEDERAL FELONY.  President Donald Trump signs a bill that makes animal cruelty a federal felony, saying the measure would help us be "more responsible and humane stewards of our planet."

 

WANT TO BUY A MISSILE COMPLEX?  A former Titan II missile complex on 12.5 acres near Florence, Arizona, is for sale.  Price tag for the fixer-upper:  $395,000. 

$400 FAJITAS ON MENU.  Guard and Grace, a new Houston restaurant is selling fajitas, the popular Tex-Mex entree, for a hefty $400.  Owner and chef Troy Guard says the special fajitas include pounds of beef, all the sides, enchiladas and handmade tortillas with gold leaf.