It took two Globe reporters, Derek Spellman and Chadwick Watters, to write it, but today's article on the controversy in the city of Jasper certainly leaves you wondering if one side of the story was completely missed.
As originally revealed Tuesday in The Turner Report, Jasper Mayor John Rodebush took out a restraining order against former mayor Jim McCorkle. The content of Rodebush's allegations was featured in the Globe article, as were quotes from McCorkle and council member Will Conyers, who is a Rodebush supporter.
Even though Rodebush did not speak to the Globe, he was able to get his point across simply through use of court records, which stacks the deck against McCorkle.
If my understanding of the Jasper situation is correct, both from reading the Globe accounts and what from readers have told me, the city council has been divided 2-2 on many issues with Rodebush casting the deciding vote. That would seem to indicate that might be two council members who might have provided a different perspective on the Rodebush-McCorkle feud than what Conyers provided. The Globe article does not indicate whether either of those councilmen (or anyone else for that matter) was contacted.
This post is the definition of ironic. I would almost say hypocritical. The Turner Report frequently quotes government or court filings without seeking further comment from sources.
ReplyDeleteGoing a step further and offering insight and analysis is what seperates a reporter (or blogger) from a journalist. Both the Globe and The Turner Report frequently fail to make that extra effort.
The Turner Report has an advantage in that it doesn't have to be comprehensive to be relevent. Randy may pick and choose his posts without disappointing readers.
The Globe must appeal to a wider audience and its shrinking reporter corps, hampered by unrealistic demands from an out-of-touch management, does a pretty damn good job of getting as many aspects to a story as possible. That includes today's effort by Derek Spellman and Chadwick Watters. I doubt Randy would be able to produce what he expects under such conditions.
To clarify my arguement, I'm upset by the insinuation in Randy's post that Spellman and Watters did not do any reporting beyond what was available on the Turner Report.
I see no irony whatsoever. This blog provides information, which hopefully will be used by other media outlets who have the time and money to do what I cannot do from my home computer.
ReplyDeleteI do not make money off the blog, except indirectly when it leads to the sale of one of my books.
As for what I would be able to produce under those conditions, I worked for smaller newspapers than the Globe and my production at the Carthage Press and the Lamar Democrat speaks for itself and it is what initially led many of the Turner Report readers to sample this blog.
As for the situation in Jasper, though no restraining orders were involved, in the late 1980s, the city went through a similar situation when Fred Youngblood was mayor and former mayor Fred Krusekopf was on the council. My primary coverage area at that time was Lamar, but I still turned out comprehensive coverage of that battle. In 1990, when Police Chief Bill Hulstine was battling the city, it was The Carthage Press, which I had moved to by that time that broke the stories. I did those at the same time that I was covering Webb City, Carterville, Sarcoxie and Lamar and having to turn in a regular quotient of Carthage stories, as well, even though I was the area reporter. This is a news blog, but the best source of news is always a good newspaper.
If you are looking for a mixture of news, investigative reporting through the use of documents, media criticism and shameless and endless efforts to sell my book, then this is the place to be.
One thing I would say any fair observer would have to admit. The Turner Report has made a change in the type of stories that are covered by both the print and electronic media in this area. Many of the stories that now are featured in the local media, would probably have been overlooked in the past.
It amazes me the people who always criticize The Turner Report, seem to "bust their butts" to read it. lol GO FIGURE!
ReplyDeleteMany of the stories featured by the Turner Report would've been featured by the local media anyway and by pointing out the obvious Randy Turner can feel relevent.
ReplyDeleteI think Randy should just consider going to work for the Globe so we can have a perfect newspaper out there!
ReplyDeleteRandy,it sounds to me like you wetted on someones newspaper !!
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