When I read about someone being arrested by the Cincinnati Police Department, I usually see a mug shot of them. When I read about a Cincinnati police officer being arrested on charge of attacking his girlfriend, I was surprised not to see his photograph with the article.
Why would there not be a photo? Was it left out on purpose by the Enquirer? Did the police department not make it available? Is it a timing issue? Am I missing a simple fact that would explain why police officers are treated more kindly when they are arrested for allegedly beating up their girlfriends? By kindly I mean not having their photo attached to a newspaper story describing their arrest.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Why is the Enquirer Mixing a Murder in North OTR with Development Efforts?
The Enquirer's article online about the tragic murder of a 15 year old girl fails to be nothing more than pointless quotes cobbled together and a transparent ploy to gain attention. The first problem was the sensationalism, with two headlines: one on the article itself:
What is the more disappointing problem with the story is it's structure. What I get from it is that the reporter walked down Vine Street over a half mile from the murder scene and talked with some of the businesses in the newly developed area (right where I live). The article added pleasant quotes from employees at a couple of the businesses. He then walked West towards Washington Park in the quasi-narrative and invoked quotes from the usual suspects that were not really relevant to the point of the article, which was talking about the divide of the neighborhood, or was it the violence, or was it the drop in crime, or was it the resilience of the new residents?
If the article was going to be about something, it needed to be one of three things. First: Tell the story of the crime and/or the victim. We got little about who she was, why was she there, what happened. Second: Talk about the situation of the Street Violence that affects many neighborhoods in Cincinnati. Was this a stray bullet from a drug deal gone bad? What she standing next to people who are involved in the drug trade? Was this just an accident of some foolish person handling a gun? Third: Tell of the divide between Northern OTR and the development South of Liberty. This would surely have been most of what Josh Spring would have talked about. His quote was filled with a big lie, but that's another blog post. One of the three would have work as an article and been relevant. Instead we get a mess.
This article had many contributors, so that likely added to the hodgepodge feel, but the lack of editing just beams like a beacon a top a tall radio tower. It is like there could have been three different stories written and either the reporters were not able or allowed to do enough reporting for those stories, or more likely the story was only given so many lines of space. It would seem to me that the Newspaper should stop structuring their articles for newspaper print and focus on writing for the web. On the web, there isn't much of a space limitation. Also, other than organizational limit, the number of articles shouldn't be an issue, so write three stories instead of one. Put the out of town copy editors and layout people to the test!
Girl's blood marks Over-the-Rhine dividing linethe other on the front page preview:
Girl's death a 'black eye' on OTRThe thought of trying to link violence with the neighborhood of Over-the-Rhine (OTR) is not a new thing, obviously, in Cincinnati. OTR still brings up the idea of violence and crime to the average suburban/exurban resident of the metro area who have been here for at least 10 years. Today, that crime and violence has decreased at a massive rate. This has helped changed the image of OTR. We (I live in OTR) don't have the automatic fear factor present itself, as often, when we mention OTR in conversation, except by the most anti-urban conservatives around town. This link, however, sells newspapers. The Enquirer makes money selling papers to people who have lived in Cincinnati for all of their life and their ignorance doesn't like to be challenged, so the newspaper feeds that ignorance with the same old story: crime happens where it is supposed to happen. To the ignorant person that place is OTR. Selling it with emotional tugs is just the means. If you can get quotes that bash 3CDC and the development in OTR, then that just appeals to a newer potential Enquirer Reader that wants their ignorance fed. That group tends to be one left, as opposed to the right wing anti-urban knuckle-scraper.
What is the more disappointing problem with the story is it's structure. What I get from it is that the reporter walked down Vine Street over a half mile from the murder scene and talked with some of the businesses in the newly developed area (right where I live). The article added pleasant quotes from employees at a couple of the businesses. He then walked West towards Washington Park in the quasi-narrative and invoked quotes from the usual suspects that were not really relevant to the point of the article, which was talking about the divide of the neighborhood, or was it the violence, or was it the drop in crime, or was it the resilience of the new residents?
If the article was going to be about something, it needed to be one of three things. First: Tell the story of the crime and/or the victim. We got little about who she was, why was she there, what happened. Second: Talk about the situation of the Street Violence that affects many neighborhoods in Cincinnati. Was this a stray bullet from a drug deal gone bad? What she standing next to people who are involved in the drug trade? Was this just an accident of some foolish person handling a gun? Third: Tell of the divide between Northern OTR and the development South of Liberty. This would surely have been most of what Josh Spring would have talked about. His quote was filled with a big lie, but that's another blog post. One of the three would have work as an article and been relevant. Instead we get a mess.
This article had many contributors, so that likely added to the hodgepodge feel, but the lack of editing just beams like a beacon a top a tall radio tower. It is like there could have been three different stories written and either the reporters were not able or allowed to do enough reporting for those stories, or more likely the story was only given so many lines of space. It would seem to me that the Newspaper should stop structuring their articles for newspaper print and focus on writing for the web. On the web, there isn't much of a space limitation. Also, other than organizational limit, the number of articles shouldn't be an issue, so write three stories instead of one. Put the out of town copy editors and layout people to the test!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Cranley Still Hates the Urban Core
The former Cincinnati City Council member and the architect of the City's Budget Deficit, John Cranley continues to push an anti-city agenda. This time he's in the COAST corner of opposing the Streetcar. More importantly he is lying about it, calingl the property increase a "Streetcar Tax" instead of what it really is: a tax to put more money into the police budget. Cranley was part of the council majority years ago that pushed to increase the police force even though the police chief didn't want more police officers. Instead of using more funds to build up the technological efforts to confront crime, Cranley and his ilk went for FOP votes. Most of the leadership of the FOP don't give a damn about the City, it's just a paycheck to their members, nothing more. That's the mentality Cranley endorsed.
John's history of support for the Urban core consisted of wanting to suburbanize the Downtown Riverfront so he could enjoy a beer at a chain restaurant after a Reds game, and then jump in his car and flee back to the West Side.
This former Democratic office holder is starting to sound more like a former Democrat. The more he plays the COAST tune, the more he slips into the anti-city camp.
John's history of support for the Urban core consisted of wanting to suburbanize the Downtown Riverfront so he could enjoy a beer at a chain restaurant after a Reds game, and then jump in his car and flee back to the West Side.
This former Democratic office holder is starting to sound more like a former Democrat. The more he plays the COAST tune, the more he slips into the anti-city camp.
Brace Yourselfs: Another Anti-Streetcar Article From Barry Horstman
You can't expect much else from the Enquirer's Barry Horstman but an anti-streetcar article, but the timing is the kicker today. We have the budget committee meeting yesterday where COAST and other anti-city Conservatives had an organized turnout against funding the city's needs and then today we have Hortsman's fear inducing article that will cause panic in someone's grandma living out in Loveland, making her think her A/C bill will go up for those City people and their "evil" public transit and ecologically friendly Urban lifestyle.
What to stroke the sectarianism, Barry. It sells papers in the burbs! Woot.....
Thursday, June 07, 2012
Diana Frey Gets 4+ Years For Stealing From Union
The Cincinnati Enquirer is reporting that former CODE union leader Diana Frey was sentenced to 4 years and 3 months for embezzling union funds. Fey was convicted of stealing over $750,000 in CODE funds. CODE is the Cincinnati Organized and Dedicated Employees union which covers middle management and professional employees of the City of Cincinnati. Fey was the founder of the Union.
She was also anti-streetcar and aligned her union with the Conservative and Republican political factions in the City. Her absence will not be missed in political discourse on City Issues and based on the conviction alone, not to mention allegations made about her work record, she will not be missed in City Government on any level.
She was also anti-streetcar and aligned her union with the Conservative and Republican political factions in the City. Her absence will not be missed in political discourse on City Issues and based on the conviction alone, not to mention allegations made about her work record, she will not be missed in City Government on any level.
CincyFringe – The Prodigal Fringer Returns
I have returned from my California Respite and shared that fact with the Fringing Public.
Yes, I jest. Yes, I like the Irony of using a Republican War Hero's speech from the ancient past as satire. He would have likely not been a big Fringe supporter, so I smirk a bit more each time I read it.
Now I just need to write a few more reviews!
Yes, I jest. Yes, I like the Irony of using a Republican War Hero's speech from the ancient past as satire. He would have likely not been a big Fringe supporter, so I smirk a bit more each time I read it.
Now I just need to write a few more reviews!
Monday, June 04, 2012
Don't Fear Online Voter Data
I haven't heard of any privacy advocates going bonkers about the Hamilton County Board of Elections decision to put voter information to go online, but just in case people start freaking out they must understand this is not information that wasn't already available online. If you were to go to the Ohio Secretary of State's website, you can download the entire voter database for Hamilton County in a matter of minutes. Import that into MS Access and you can query anyone's voter registration and general voting history.
The description of the data available sounds like it is selective reports from the same database, just more up-to-date data. This provides a positive for independent candidates who can't afford the technical support major party hand picked candidates get. More access to data for political candidates makes for a more open election process.
I really hope this does NOT create any significant protest. The tin foil hat crowd is always far more vocal than they make sense.
The description of the data available sounds like it is selective reports from the same database, just more up-to-date data. This provides a positive for independent candidates who can't afford the technical support major party hand picked candidates get. More access to data for political candidates makes for a more open election process.
I really hope this does NOT create any significant protest. The tin foil hat crowd is always far more vocal than they make sense.
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