News Cut: March 6, 2009 Archive

Should the media try to make a difference?

Posted at 4:03 AM on March 6, 2009 by Bob Collins (10 Comments)
Filed under: Media

If you think that's a stupid question, you're probably an old-fashioned journalist, or at least old fashioned. But Nick Coleman, the long-time columnist at the Star Tribune, says he think the media is too afraid to make a difference these days.

He never got much of a chance to say goodbye to his readers -- some of whom hung on his every word, and some who exalted in the opportunity to hate what he wrote. Back in the day, that's what columnists did -- they got people riled up. Those days are pretty much over at newspapers, who can no longer afford to alienate anyone. Coleman took a buyout from the Star Tribune.

He talked with MPR's Cathy Wurzer. (The audio is below the fold)

Q: Why didn't you take the job that was offered, writing for the variety section?
A: I worked on the variety staff 26 years ago, before I became a media critic. I've done that. After 3,500 columns, I'm set in my ways.

Q: What was the rationale behind the Star Tribune's eliminating your column.
A: I don't know. I wasn't given any explanation. I suggested other possibilities but they were never discussed.

Continue reading "Should the media try to make a difference?"

The Quiz

Posted at 11:20 AM on March 6, 2009 by Bob Collins (7 Comments)
Filed under: The Quiz

Report your results in the comment section below.

(The quiz begins below the fold)

Continue reading "The Quiz"

An escape to fashion

Posted at 2:12 PM on March 6, 2009 by Bob Collins (6 Comments)
Filed under: Economy, Things that are puzzling

There was an interesting segment on APM's Marketplace the other night on how the recession is affecting the way we dress. You'd think that we'd be slobbing it up a bit, but actually -- the story goes -- we're dressing up for the down economy.

"It's time to really make an effort, you can just sink down into, you know, the depths and think about this gloom and doom. And fashion is something that, you know, traditionally is an escape for people, and I think no more so than right now, people will look to it as an escape," said Kate Betts, a fashion editor.

She also said she was shocked -- shocked -- when she was in Milan the other day and heard there were stores that went an entire day without anyone showing up. "And remember Italians are big consumers of fashion and luxury," she said.

Did she say Milan? Milan, where it's fashion week this week?

This is what they're turning out for people to wear in Milan these days:

Of course, it was another cruddy day in the economy. Unemployment numbers for February showed nearly 700,000 lost their jobs, and your retirement plan tanked again.

The good news. Things haven't gotten bad enough to make you want to "escape" to that. Have they?

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