The good news is my friend and former Journal and Journal Sentinel colleague Eugene Kane will remain at the paper after another round of buyouts as education reporter, but the bad news is that he will not [correcting earlier word drop, so I repeat, "not"] continue as a columnist, according to a report Kane posted on his Facebook page.
That eliminates a thoughtful and liberal voice in the paper that I do not think will be replaced.
Also leaving, among others: City Hall reporter and long-time transportation writer Larry Sandler, and Waukesha columnist Laurel Walker - - another sensitive voice.
They have an abundance of diversity over there already, what with every single news-side editor being a white male, every PolitiFact writer being a white male, and every political writer being a white male.
ReplyDeleteLaurel Walker's leaving is the epitome of what is killing daily journalism. She was smart, informed, fair, accurate and immersed herself in every budget and municipal issue in Waukesha County and beyond.
ReplyDeletehmmm... no Eugene Kane..... I may actually re-start my subscription after 10 years.
ReplyDeleteThen again... nah.
Kane should probably see the writing on the wall and look for work elsewhere.
This is sad news.
ReplyDeleteAgree with 3:34, not with 4:15.
ReplyDeleteEugene Kane is a voice required by Milwaukee's African-American community to make its way into the pages of the Journal-Sentinel. Whether writing on education issues, or those inconvenient political issues (to the higher-ups at the J-S), Eugene Kane has been truly a public service to J-S subscribers.
One wonders about the timing of all this, considering the election is now less than two months before us, and African-Americans in the 2008 election voted 90% for Obama.
This can only mean one thing. The J/S is turning conservative.
ReplyDeleteAnon- "turning" conservative? Dude, they've been there for quite a while. They're just not even trying to resemble balance or quality anymore.
ReplyDeleteSandler is also a key loss, as he knew City Hall and transit issues. Now they'll get some brain-dead stenographer to cover those issues.
Not a dime to that failure of the public trust known as the J-S, folks. Don't give them a DIME.
@Jake,
ReplyDeleteWhile I wouldn't call them conservative myself, perhaps there is a reason for their slight shift.
Maybe they are smart enough to understand that becoming more balanced will actually increase readership. Even their management realizes that if they continue with their lefty drivel, they will surely keep losing customers.
After all, they are an evil "for-profit" corporation.
@anon 5:21.
ReplyDeleteIn 2008 it was 95% AA support for Obama.
Could anyone imagine the outrage if 95% of whites voted for the white candidate.?
RD-
ReplyDeleteShame on you. Both candidates are white.
Skin color doesn't make the man.
I think the problem at the JS right now lies in what RD at 4:43 p.m. wrote: 'Then again... nah'.
ReplyDeleteThe JS, with its stated preference for Walker and recent under-coverage of, say, voter intimidation in Racine or voter fraud, wife-of-Vos style, is looking for an audience that isn't interested in accepting the invitation. Waukesha and Washington Counties haven't exactly subscribed in droves in spite of recent efforts. So, conservatives won't support the paper and liberals have had it. What possible reason is left?
Oh. They have good coupons on Sundays. That must be it.