Bob Woodward - One Of The Best!

I was a teenager during the Watergate scandal and was very aware of the work of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein of The Washington Post -- in fact, it was their investigative journalism, and later, their book, All The President's Men, and the movie of the same name, that gave me interest in journalism -- I wanted to be them!

Well, I spent 15 years in newspaper journalism and still do some freelance writing. Writing is a passion. Accurate writing is a passion. Woodward and Bernstein do/did both.

That's why it didn't surprise me to see Bob Woodward's latest book -- Fear: Trump in the White House -- and the brohaha it has ignited. If you don't know by now, it is about the current White House and it's goings-on. And it's not favorable. Gee, what a surprise.

I haven't read the book yet -- but I will. I trust Bob Woodward to be as accurate and truthful as he has been throughout his distinguished career. That's the Golden Rule of his generation of journalists and he hasn't forgotten it.

Another One Bites The Dust

Wow - I was a big fan of this publication and read it all the time in my younger days. This is sad.

The Village Voice

It's only getting worse...the demise of newspapers

Today I read in the New York Times that the New York Daily News is cutting its news staff by half. This is a trend that keeps getting worse -- I have not worked in a newsroom in over 25 years -- a number of my colleagues who do have lost their jobs.

I just don't know what to say -- competition keeps journalism good. I would much rather read a newspaper story in a newspaper than on the web. Yeah, I'm showing my age. Journalism today is all about trending news -- not the every day ho hum coverage of a city council or a school board meeting. And if you can't read it on your phone, who gives a crap?

I hope I'm wrong....but I think it's just going to get worse.

No Shame - Ever

Columnist Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press is someone I have admired for a long time (as well as read his work). His column in today's paper regarding the public shaming of White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is spot on and worth reading. I am no fan of the current administration, however that doesn't entitle me or anyone else of shaming someone in public and denying them public access to things -- in this case, dinner in a restaurant.

Terror in the Newsroom

I am sick of these random mass shootings the people of the United States have endured for many years. We have not learned our lesson.

The latest shooting -- five dead from a newsroom shooting at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland -- really hit home. I worked in newsrooms for nearly two decades. Only one of them had any kind of security system to get in - and that was a national newspaper (USA Today). Maybe it's changed, but I don't know. It's been awhile since I worked in one.

But that's not the point - the fact that people like this man and others with court records and serious mental problems have access to and use guns to kill others is not right. Yet, until lawmakers stop allowing themselves to be bought by the National Rifle Association, we will continue to have these tragedies.

Rest in peace, Rob Hiaasen, Wendi Winters, John McNamara, Gerald Fischman, and Rebecca Smith.

News Today - The Opinion of a Grumpy Former Reporter

It's probably good that I didn't renew my blogsite address for more than a year and I haven't blogged in quite awhile. It would have been a constant rant and that isn't what blogging is about on my terms.

Yes, my blog is my opinion, as clearly stated. But where should opinions be made public, and by whom?

I'm still of the opinion that the news media needs to be neutral -- during the 12 years I was a full-time newspaper reporter, I was told I didn't join any political party, nor did I call into talk shows (talk media was only on the radio then -- the internet was not fully developed - yes I am old!), protest, write letters to the editor of any publication or I would be in trouble. In my day, it was the editorial page and that was it.

Obviously times have changed -- news media professionals have Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, blogs, etc. News is instantaneous and the competition is huge. I get that. I guess waiting to post your news item/tweet/facebook post, etc. means you get scooped by your competitors. And I realize that doesn't bode well with your boss.

I also realize that not all reporters put their opinions out there. A lot, however, do.

Hmmmmm....

Welcome to the 21st Century, Anne!