The working relationship between the Neosho Daily News and The Carthage Press helped the GateHouse newspapers to stake out a claim on one of the most horrific stories to hit this area in recent memory.
As noted earlier in The Turner Report, it was Press reporter John Hacker who tipped off his fellow GateHouse Media employees at the Daily about the shooting after hearing it on the police scanner.
After that, the Daily used its staff, plus Hacker, to cover all the bases, supplying information not only for the Neosho Daily's website, but also for The Carthage Press, Kansas City Star and CNN.
It should be interesting to see what happens in the coming hours. This is the kind of story that might bring the bigfoot reporters from the larger newspapers (not just the Joplin Globe or Springfield News-Leader) to Neosho.
get your facts straight for once. Rick Rogers was already on the story when Hacker called him. Your man crush on Hacker is really showing this time.
ReplyDeleteThat would be a first then: Rogers knowing something before Hacker.
ReplyDeleteJohn did a great job helping out his colleagues in Neosho, but the real credit should go to Todd Hidgon, his editor John Ford and their publisher Rick Rogers. Todd not only arrived on scene within 15 minutes to help lead the Daily's coverage, he also did two live interviews with CNN, to help get the information.
ReplyDeleteWe all love Hacker, but it's time Randy looked past his giant man-crush on the Big Red Machine.
Well said, Rick.
ReplyDeleteAnon 6:07 is right, Rick did know about the shooting before I did. Randy's right about the events that happened up to the point where he says I alerted the Neosho Staff. When I called Rick, after confirming that the shooting had happened with the Newton County Sheriff, he was already on top of it. Todd Higdon was already headed to the scene and the Neosho staff did a fine job on this.
ReplyDeleteI apologize to my readers for the lack of good taste simple decency by the person or persons who commented above about my posts about John Hacker, the Neosho Daily and the coverage of the Neosho shooting Sunday. What should have been obvious to anyone who was reading those posts is that I was praising the work done by the Neosho Daily and by Hacker during their coverage. I received information from a source who has provided solid information in the past, and who for the most part provided solid information again Sunday. I apologize for getting the information about Hacker's role wrong, but it did not call for someone to post rude comments. Unfortunately in this day and age, some people have forgotten how to have a civil discussion.
ReplyDeleteRandy-you maybe need to check and find out who in the company was the first to know....who called John Ford and left a message on Rogers' cell phone?
ReplyDeleteLittle secret-it wasn't John Hacker.