the Grand Rapids Press

[MJLO]

I read the press daily, generally I just find it boring. Lately on here I've heard alot of people speaking ill of it. What am I missing about it, that makes it such an undesireable paper? Is it political? My consensus of the forumers on here, is that we are definately tending to be more liberal than conservative. Which would make sense because people who are a fan of cities, buildings and urban life tend to be more progressive. To me though, the paper seems more of a raging moderate, than staunchly conservative. The editor is a registered Democrat, and very often the editorials are pretty liberal in there critcisms, especially of the self righteous, Calvinist base of our community. I guess I have little opinion on it, but I am curious to know what makes someone, a critic of newspaper.

Discuss....

[GR_Urbanist]

I read the press daily,  generally I just find it boring.  Lately on here I've heard alot of people speaking ill of it.  What am I missing about it, that makes it such an undesireable paper?  Is it political? My consensus of the forumers on here, is that we are definately tending to be more liberal than conservative.  Which would make sense because people who are a fan of cities, buildings and urban life tend to be more progressive.  To me though, the paper seems more of a raging moderate, than staunchly conservative.  The editor is a registered Democrat, and very often the editorials are pretty liberal in there critcisms, especially of the self righteous, Calvinist base of our community.    I guess I have little opinion on it,  but I am curious to know what makes someone, a critic of newspaper.

Discuss....

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For myself, the issues I have with the Press goes back to when I was in High School. I found that much of "our" paper was not even written in this city. Look at most of the stories and you will find that it is eith AP, Retures, NY Times or some other outside service. All the localy made content would barely fill the A section. Why bother to pay for a paper that basicly cuts and pastes its content? I can go the the internet and get the same news and more.

I also have a problem with the local content. Too many times I have opened the paper just to read stories that seem like they were put together because the reporters were just too lazy to find real stories. Is the craft projects in some grade school class real news? The "Inside the Wards"(?) section in the Thurs Press is nothing more than the GRPS school news flyer. On the front page of the todays Region section is a story of a Tapir that the zoo is displaying. Um, ok. The business section is hit or miss. The Sports section is good even though I rarely read it. However,to be fair, the Sunday Press is always the best of the week.

The political stance of the paper is fine. I dont care for a liberal or conservative bent and the press dosent to seem to take too much of any one side. Most of the Public Pulse letters stink. I can care less about what a 9-year-old thinks of world issues. It's cute but silly.

I think the biggest problem with the Press is that it tries to hard to be a down home, Country Time Lemonaid, folksy newspaper when it should be a big city, serious newspaper that makes an effort to cover REAL NEWS. There is plenty out there if they would look. It would be nice to have somthing of higher quality to read other than the Fisher Price of newspapers we have now.

Ok I'll keep quiet. Advance apologies for spelling/grammar.

[joeDowntown]

It's the typo's that kill me. I think the GR Press generally does a good job with business although I think the business editor has her head in her arse sometimes.

The thing I hate most about the Press is when I want to kick back, relax and read the Sunday paper and there is NOTHING of substance. The Sunday Business section sucks, and the rest of the paper seems like it was written on a Tuesday so nothing is topical.

At least I can see what I am looking at now. I think the quality of the print is excellent.

Joe

[MJLO]

haha cute...

I guess I can agree with the above said statements. I generally find myself reading the Detroit Free Press mostly, but that tends to bore me as well. My issue with the press are the weekends, I never buy the paper on Saturday, because there is never anything of interest in there for me. I bet alot of folks around here like it, but the "Religion" section tends to be a sleeper for me. I find I have the same problem when watching local newscasts. Especially Channel 13, I find it a bit more hokey. Although a few weeks ago when the "Clock" Restaurant Burnt down, I laughed my butt off as the guy from news 8 was showing footage of how "congested" Alpine was. Alpine having traffic! No way! It often makes me wonder if people from out of town just crack up at our newscasts, especially if they come from a place that has ACTUAL traffic.

[LA Dave]

I have sort of a conflict of interest here, because many decades ago I used to work for the Press.

I think that the paper is trying to find its way into the 21st century. There is a belief among newspaper executives that you really can't compete anymore with TV or the web for breaking hard news (not that you can get hard news on TV), so the Press, and many papers of its size, are basically feature vehicles. That said, there are some very strong sections. I think that the Religion section is one of the best in the country; compared to what we get in the LA Times, it is amazing. I think that some of the columnists, like Tom Rademacher, are really excellent. And I like the idea of the editor, Mike Lloyd, actually presenting his point of view from time to time. I can't speak for the sports section, since I don't read that on-line, but the photos remain a high point. They were great when I was a young reporter, and they are still great. As to the editorial stance, it does seem to have moved a bit right, but that is probably more the impetus of the owner and the publisher than the editor. I would agree that Mike is hardly a raging neocon.

Everyone always kicks their hometown paper. That includes people with truly great papers like the New York Times and the Washington Post. No paper is perfect; the LA Times, for example, does a very poor job of covering local politics and events, yet has some of the best Washington and foreign reporting in the country.

One thing I am curious about -- when I lived in GR, the local TV news, at least Channels 8 and 13, was quite good. Responsible, lots of political stories and even investigative journalism (that didn't focus on dirty restaurants). We had real competition with Jim Riekse on Channel 13 and Henry Erb on Channel 8. Is that still true?

[superNOVA]

For myself, the issues I have with the Press goes back to when I was in High School. I found that much of "our" paper was not even written in this city. Look at most of the stories and you will find that it is eith AP, Retures, NY Times or some other outside service. All the localy made content would barely fill the A section. Why bother to pay for a paper that basicly cuts and pastes its content? I can go the the internet and get the same news and more.

This is the case for almost every paper. Even papers like the NYT depend on the wire services like Reuters and AP for most of their news.

[GRCentro]

Yeah, the Press has its "folksy" moments, but...if they remodeled as a replica of the Washington Post or LA Times, they'd lose half the local subscribers. A lot of people like a shot of cute news along with the basics.

On a side note, last week at Blues on the Mall, there were people collecting signatures to start a community access newspaper. I wonder if that will come into fruitation.

(Also, too bad Bill Tingley is no longer on this forum; I sure he would have something to say! )

[joeDowntown]

Believe me, they do. They also laugh at how seriously we take our weather around here. Meteorologists breaking in every 5 minutes and then having people call in to say "Yeah, it's raining really hard over here in ..."

Joe

haha cute...

I guess I can agree with the above said statements.  I generally find myself reading the Detroit Free Press mostly, but that tends to bore me as well.  My issue with the press are the weekends,  I never buy the paper on Saturday, because there is never anything of interest in there for me.  I bet alot of folks around here like it, but the "Religion" section tends to be a sleeper for me.    I find I have the same problem when watching local newscasts.  Especially Channel 13,  I find it a bit more hokey.  Although a few weeks ago when the "Clock" Restaurant Burnt down,  I laughed my butt off as the guy from news 8 was showing footage of how "congested"  Alpine was.  Alpine having traffic! No way!  It often makes me wonder if people from out of town just crack up at our newscasts, especially if they come from a place that has ACTUAL traffic.

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[allbusiness]

Well, my kids like the comics.....

I find the Press extremely lacking in local political news coverage. They must have cut their stringer budget. Plus, I agree that the sheer number of AP wire stories is overwhelming.

I find that by reading the Holland Sentinel in the AM, then listening to NPR on the way in, WOOD during the day, and glancing at over 20 on-line newspapers during the work day, that by the time the "evening" Press reaches my door, I'm pretty much "newsed out".

I used to really enjoy lingering over the papers on Sunday morning, but even that's not as relevent as it once was. For instance, I am constantly amazed that I've usually flipped 2-3 pages into the so-called "business section" before I realize it IS the business section! Full-page, photo-heavy features on retailers just don't do it for me.

And who needs 10 pages of stock quotes anymore? That's archaic, isn't it? If I want a stock quote that's not days old, I just fire up the Blackberry.

[snoogit]

I think I heard somewhere the GR Press is dropping stock quotes from its business section.

I still like the press itself though. I used to be a news hound, now I rarely check in anymore, (its hard to look at all that news, and not feel a bit tense) so I tend to catch it little by little here and there.

[GRDadof3]

The local channel 8 newscast is way "folksy". Sorry Tom Van Howe (Tom Van Howe the hell did you get that job), but your retirement is due. I like Rachel Ruiz, Jam Sardar, Joe and some of the others at 8 though.

The press business section is actually painful to read if you know anything about business or economics. A very shallow analysis is an understatement, IMHO.

[snoogit]

The local channel 8 newscast is way "folksy".  Sorry Tom Van Howe (Tom Van Howe the hell did you get that job), but your retirement is due.  I like Rachel Ruiz, Jam Sardar, Joe and some of the others at 8 though.

The press business section is actually painful to read if you know anything about business or economics.  A very shallow analysis is an understatement, IMHO.

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Yeah, GR doesn't need a Hollander telling us whats going on

I sure hope Larry Neinhaus can step it up a notch, he doesnt seem like much of a replacement

[MJLO]

did anyone see the cover story in the press today?

the picture, was a bunch of adults dressed up in Harry Potter garb pointing their wands at the camera! Heaven help me if I ever like a work of fiction so much, that I dress up like the characters, to escape my own reality!

[snoogit]

did anyone see the cover story in the press today?

the picture, was a bunch of adults dressed up in Harry Potter garb pointing their wands at the camera!  Heaven help me if I ever like a work of fiction so much, that I dress up like the characters, to escape my own reality!

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I'm sorry, but that post called for wookies.

[MJLO]

^ 30 something Virgins of the world unite!

[allbusiness]

Yeah, GR doesn't need a Hollander telling us whats going on.

Hey, I resemble that remark!

Anyway, in Holland we call him, "Tom Van How-Do-I-Look?" !

Come to think of it......Neinhaus...Isn't that just trading one Holland for another?

[GaryP]

I've loved Tom Van Howe ever since he and his brother got in a bar fight in Sagatuck a couple of years ago. I cant help but to laugh my *ss off everytime I see him and think about that 60 year old man trying to beat some one up.

[snoogit]

Hey, I resemble that remark!

Anyway, in Holland we call him, "Tom Van How-Do-I-Look?" !

Come to think of it......Neinhaus...Isn't that just trading one Holland for another?

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nah, last I looked he was from Detroit.

I dunno, it seems we have some BAD newscasters on TV. If its not the "im trying to be hip" anchors at Fox 17, its the ever increasing makeup war between Suzanne Geha, and Juliet Dragos

If I had to choose someone to replace Tom Van Howe, I'd probably have chosen Brian Sterling. Hes from GR, and he doesnt do a bad job.

[GRDadof3]

did anyone see the cover story in the press today?

the picture, was a bunch of adults dressed up in Harry Potter garb pointing their wands at the camera!  Heaven help me if I ever like a work of fiction so much, that I dress up like the characters, to escape my own reality!

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Speaking of warped realities, did anyone else (who has no night life) catch Suzanne Geha at the end of the 11:00 news Friday night wearing Harry Potter glasses Ohhh, my.

[Rizzo]

^laughed my ass off for a brief moment.

", I'd probably have chosen Brian Sterling. Hes from GR, and he doesnt do a bad job. "

^I like Brian Sterling in the morn, grew up watching him when i got addicted to waching channel 8 at the age of 15. Speaking of reporters, Brad Edwards is an excellent reporter.. my girlfriend is good friends with him and is always braggin about how cute and chic he is. I seen a blooper of him smoking a cig and trying to bust a beat on live tv, oh the times when the reporter dosent realize they are being broadcasted to 2 million people is great.

What GR needs is another affiliate, im sick of looking at Channel 8's bold patriotic colors and WZZM's nasty reds. I like to see my girlfriends News station (WLNS) bring their set and all their Lansing big city flavor to Grand Rapids.

[snoogit]

^laughed my ass off for a brief moment.

", I'd probably have chosen Brian Sterling. Hes from GR, and he doesnt do a bad job. "

^I like Brian Sterling in the morn, grew up watching him when i got addicted to waching channel 8 at the age of 15. Speaking of reporters, Brad Edwards is an excellent reporter.. my girlfriend is good friends with him and is always braggin about how cute and chic he is. I seen a blooper of him smoking a cig and trying to bust a beat on live tv, oh the times when the reporter dosent realize they are being broadcasted to 2 million people is great.

What GR needs is another affiliate, im sick of looking at Channel 8's bold patriotic colors and WZZM's nasty reds. I like to see my girlfriends News station (WLNS) bring their set and all their Lansing big city flavor to Grand Rapids.

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Well technically GR doesnt have a CNS affiliate, but thats pretty much vcovered by WWMT, which in terms of news, is pretty much unwatched. I wouldnt be surprised if it lagged 17 for news ratngs

[Rizzo]

I think market for tv is 2,100,000 or so for channel 8, but ratings according to some article in the Press goes like this: WOTV/WOOD Channel 8/41, WZZM 13, WWMT 3, WXMI 17, and other various stations i can't remember.

[Rizzo]

If you goto Lansing they have CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC, and their market covers Lansing and Jackson which i believe is a hellavalot smaller then GRs market, so I don't see why we can't support a CBS, espcially when I really don't see WWMT covering GR as a priorty.

[LA Dave]

Ok children -- time for a geezer moment.

When I was a lad, GR had only two TV stations -- well, really only one. WOOD, Channel 8, was the NBC affiliate and, I believe, may also have carried some ABC programs. (This was in the late 50s, mind you.) WKZO (now WWMT), Channel 3, was the CBS affiliate, and was headquartered in Kalamazoo. Despite this fact, WKZO definitely was the CBS affiliate for West Michigan. There were no signal issues, at least that I can recall (you have to remember that signals came through the air, into a spiky thing called a TV antenna on the roof, and then into your black and white set through wires.)

Then, miracle of mircles, in 1962, WZZM, Channel 13, started broadcasting as an ABC affiliate. I was then in the ground floor of the Pantlind Hotel (where I think it remained until about 1971, when it moved to Walker.) The signal, as I recall, wasn't as good as WOOD or WKZO, but this was the station with The Man from Uncle, Batman and other good kid's shows, so who cared.

Still no PBS, of course. I think that the GR market was the largest in the country without public broadcasting before Channel 35 (then WGVC) started broadcasting in 1972.

On a really clear night in those far off days, you could sometimes get a Chicago station. (never Detroit). This was possible, because they broadcasted on Channels 2, 4, 7, etc.

There -- I've had my geezer moment.

[joeDowntown]

And especially since WWMT won't put their HDTV broadcast on Comcast. I sent them an email and they told me to get an antenna. Like I'm going to buy an antenna just for CBS. They are at a disadvantage in my mind by not offering HDTV on Comcast when everyone else does...

Joe

If you goto Lansing they have CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC, and their market covers Lansing and Jackson which i believe is a hellavalot smaller then GRs market, so I don't see why we can't support a CBS, espcially when I really don't see WWMT covering GR as a priorty.

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