Journalism's "Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad" Week

(NOTE: I was going to use this phrase for a post back in February when the Brian Williams career "inflation" imbroglio, Jon Stewart's retirement announcement and the deaths of CBS News reporter Bob Simon and New York Times' columnist David Carr all happened in a very short span; however, this past week's events have greatly outdone that earlier gloom and deserve the headline.)

Three separate (but unequally tragic) instances happened last week that created seismic-like waves in the journalism world

I call myself a "citizen journalist"--one who currently practices the tenets of this profession in a "when I can get to it", part-time role. I do not rely upon this activity to support myself financially and have been largely absent here over the past eight months. I also conduct it without having to put my personal freedoms, my reputation, or--as horribly depicted on live television--my life on the line. Unfortunately, all three of these examples were witnessed last week and I feel compelled to comment on all of them as a member of this extended "family".

A/V: Ohio Governor Throws Hat into Very Crowded GOP Presidential Ring

Ohio governor John Kasich addresses the crowd attending his "special announcement" event at the Ohio Union building on the campus of the Ohio State University in Columbus last Tuesday morning.

In a 45-minute speech last Tuesday teasingly advertised as a "special announcement", Ohio governor John Kasich became the latest candidate to announce their bid for the Republican nomination for president in the upcoming 2016 cycle. Ending all suspense for the gathering's reason near the 18-minute mark, he said, "I am here to ask you for your prayers, for your support, for your efforts because I have decided to run for president of the United States." He made this declaration from the atrium of the Ohio Union on the campus of the Ohio State University, his collegiate alma mater and the location where he first expressed his desires for pursuing a political future.

A/V: 2015 SPJ Region 4 Spring Conference

Athens' Ohio University played host for the 2015 SPJ Region 4 Spring Conference.

The Ohio University chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists hosted members from all across the organization's Region 4 area (Michigan, Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia) for its 2015 annual professional development Spring Conference on March 20-21 in Athens, Ohio. Over 150 journalists, educators and other associated personnel came for the unique networking and mentoring opportunities with other attendees as well as the staff of the institution's  nationally recognized E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.

A Review of My "Year of Application"

In a practice that--thanks to our ever-increasing reliance on electronic devices--is becoming less frequent, humans switch out their calendars in the annual event of "ringing out the old and ringing in the new" around this time of year. It serves as an opportunity of reflection, introspection and resolve to guide us along our paths in the new year. While I have no wall hanging to change out, I do have this blog to browse through for that same purpose. According to my first post for the year that just ended, 2014 was supposed to be my "year of application" and to spread my journalistic "wings" and, except for the tailing off near the end, I think I can claim success.

In that submission, I talked optimistically about using the skills I acquired through my then-recent completion of my Certificate of Journalism from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in the lead-up to being laid off from a job that I held for a little over five years (that was alluded to as a "year of transition").  I initially established a schedule that I would follow for my posting of new content onto this site that was slowly cast aside based upon wavering levels of interest as well as opportunities taken (and ignored) throughout that 12-month period.

Here's a breakdown of my 52 posts last year:

In Memoriam: Stuart Scott

An undated photo of ESPN sportscaster/host Stuart Scott who succumbed to cancer earlier today at the age of 49.

It was just before 11am this morning when I saw the news about the passing of longtime ESPN sportscaster/host Stuart Scott when it popped up in my Facebook newsfeed via a friend's status update. I knew that he had been ill of late but denials of unfounded rumors of hospice care in early December were the last time I noticed any news about his condition. Although he put up a very brave 7-year fight, Scott succumbed to appendicial cancer, an extremely rare variety of this disease that affects about 1 in 9 million Americans and also was a factor in the death of legendary actress Katherine Hepburn back in 1993.

My "No Show" November

I hadn't missed an entire month since June 2013 and only done so twice in the 41-month run of this blog

Near the end of a productive year (51 posts in 10 months), it appears that I have done something I've only done once before in the history of my blog--I missed an entire month! A span of 38 days went by where I did not post any items to this website and that would be considered a "drought" instead of the few "hiatuses" I took while doing my journalism certificate program. A little bit of background information will help explain the rationale for my absence.

Back in July, I started an 8-part series about my "journo-less" summer where I mentioned that I was unemployed at that time. Unfortunately, that situation remains in effect and it seemed to come to a head in October when yet another delay was going to push any job hopes off until early in 2015 (at the earliest). Once my state jobless benefits ended in early August, I've been on my own and things have become more critical on the financial front as the months have gone by. With the day-to-day anxieties weighing heavily on me, I did what any 50-something might do--I ran away from home (with my wife's permission) and took a credit card-funded "road trip" to get me away from my problems for just a little while.

A/V: 50 Years On From a Memorable Dayton Visit

Elizabeth Roth Turner, left, and Ted Clark, right, attendees at the November 1964 speech given by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the University of Dayton Fieldhouse, were in the audience at the Kennedy Union ballroom reflection event on Tuesday afternoon.

On an overcast December afternoon, over 70 people attended an event to commemorate one held on a snowy November night 50 years ago last Saturday involving the appearance of an American civil rights icon in the city of Dayton. The University of Dayton's Office of Multicultural Affairs, the University Libraries, and the MLK Planning Committee hosted this gathering at the school's Kennedy Union ballroom to reflect on that November 1964 visit by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to discuss the social justice issues that continue to exist in this country a half century after his advocacy. Remarks were provided by Dr. Herbert Walker, a poet, performer and Professor Emeritus in the Department of English at the school, Dr. Ruth Thompson-Miller, an Associate Professor of Sociology in the College of Arts of Sciences, and Dr. Tom Morgan, an Associate Professor of American and African American Literature in the Department of English.

A/V: FitzGerald, Neuhardt Host Dayton Town Hall Meeting

Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ed FitzGerald talks to attendees at the Dayton town hall event on Thursday evening.

Although running far behind his opponent in the polls and in campaign funds, Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ed FitzGerald stopped in Dayton on Thursday evening to a small but supportive gathering just 12 days before next month's general election. Introduced by his lieutenant governor running mate, Sharen Neuhardt, he spoke extemporaneously for approximately 50 minutes on a variety of issues to a crowd of about 70 people at the Dayton Cultural & RTA Center, just east of the main downtown area. This event was one of eight scheduled earlier this month by the campaign to counter the lack of debates between FitzGerald and his Republican opponent, the incumbent governor John Kasich.

A/V: "Eddie Munster" Visits Fairborn

Former child actor Butch Patrick meets the first people in line for his guest appearance in Fairborn on Friday afternoon.

In an event designed to draw attention to the city's upcoming Halloween Festival, Fairborn welcomed former child actor Butch Patrick to Foy's Variety Store on Friday afternoon for a well-received guest appearance for his western Ohio fans. Patrick is best known for playing Eddie Munster, the werewolf son of Herman and Lily Munster, on the eponymously named prime-time situation comedy that ran on CBS from 1964 to 1966. After that show's run, he made guest appearances on other television series and also had roles in several Walt Disney movies. In 1971, he landed the starring role as Mark on the "psychedelic" fantasy show Lidsville that ran for two seasons on Saturday mornings through 1973. 

A/V: Kasich Visits London During "Get Out the Vote" Swing

Ohio governor John Kasich poses for a photograph with supporters at a London, Ohio "Get Out the Vote" appearance Friday afternoon.

Although enjoying significant statewide polling leads over his Democratic opponent, Ohio governor John Kasich visited three locations on Friday afternoon in a whirlwind "Get Out the Vote" offensive for his own as well as other Republican candidates on the ballot in preparation for next month's general election. His first stop was in London, Ohio where he visited the Madison County Republican Party headquarters at around 12:30pm and addressed a friendly crowd of around 80 people. About a third of those in attendance were 4th and 8th grade students from the city's St. Patrick's Elementary School and Kasich spent about 10 of the 15 minutes he reserved for remarks to talk with them directly and provide guidance to help each navigate through their young lives.

A/V: Suddes Speaks at Centerville "Election News You Can Use" Event

Ohio political columnist Thomas Suddes reads from prepared notes during the League of Women Voters of the Greater Dayton Area's "Election News You Can Use" event on Wednesday night in Centerville, Ohio.

Veteran Ohio political columnist Thomas Suddes was the featured speaker to a crowd of 75 people at the League of Women Voters of the Greater Dayton Area, or LVWGDA, “Election News You Can Use” event held Wednesday evening at Centerville’s Magsig Middle School. Ron Rollins, senior editor at the Dayton Daily News, introduced Suddes to the audience that wanted to get the journalist’s take on the upcoming statewide races as well as his historical takes on Ohio’s election process and political issues. His weekly column on Ohio Statehouse happenings appears in The Columbus Dispatch, The Plain Dealer as well as the Dayton Daily News. Suddes was recently elected into the Cleveland Journalism Hall of Fame and serves as an assistant professor and coordinator at Ohio University’s E.W Scripps School of Journalism.

A Tiny Taste of "The Day After"

A three-hour power outage triggered thoughts of a post-apocalyptic world (graphic courtesy of Christophe Dessaigne)

As someone who has worked in the national security and defense business, it isn't something that I dwell upon very often; however, I recently had a small glimpse into a world minus all of the things our society has grown accustomed to in the 21st century during a short power outage a week ago today. Last Sunday morning, in an event that was not forecast by severe weather or by homeland security notices, we lost electrical service in our and a neighboring subdivision. While it came at an inconvenient time (Sunday is my "laundry" day and we are well into the 2014-15 NFL regular season), its intrusion into my family's lives triggered dystopian thoughts that seem to be a lot more plausible than I care to admit.

A/V: Statewide Dem Candidates Stop in Springfield

From left to right, David Pepper, John Carney, Nina Turner, Tom Letson, Ed FitzGerald, Sharen Neuhardt and Connie Pillich stand outside a Transport Workers Union bus at a Tour to Restore stop in Springfield, Ohio on Tuesday afternoon.

On the final day of a five-day Tour to Restore Ohio bus tour across the state, seven of the eight Democratic Party candidates for statewide elected office stopped this afternoon at a "Get Out the Vote" event in Springfield, Ohio. In a nearly hour-long visit, Ed FitzGerald, Sharen Neuhardt, David Pepper, Nina Turner, Connie Pillich and John Carney (candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer and auditor, respectively) along with Tom Letson, one of two Democrats seeking seats on the Ohio Supreme Court, were guests of the Clark County Democratic Women's Issues Group at the United Auto Workers Local 402 on Urbana Road. According to the event announcement, members of that group were gathering at that location to write postcards to send to women voters reminding them of what's at stake in the upcoming general election. This activity coincided with National Voter Registration Day, a day where over 2,000 partner organizations across the country promote eligible voters to sign up to be eligible for the November election.

My "Journo-less" Summer...So Far (Part 8 of 8)

This is the eight installment for my personal journalism-related observations of the current summer season...as promised, one of the best ever in his trade becomes the subject of an odd documentary film.

8. Herblock: The Black & The White

I must admit that this one came completely out of the blue back in July when I was scrolling through my HBO GO app for my Roku streaming player. Seeing this documentary about his one-panel cartoon takes on politics, domestic issues, international affairs and social injustice takes me back to my childhood when I would view his syndicated works during his 72-year career that spanned 13 US presidents. Unfortunately, what tarnished what would have been an outstanding film for me was the odd decision of casting of an actor to play the deceased subject.

"The Sunday Rundown"

NBC "rebooted" its 66-year old flagship Sunday talk program with its 12th host last weekend

Although it took me about 36 hours to do (thanks to a very late-night airing on MSNBC and an aging DVR in our bedroom), I finally got to watch last Sunday's much-anticipated "reboot" of NBC's Meet the Press (MTP) early Monday afternoon. The longest running show on broadcast television history (it will be celebrating its 67th anniversary in early November) has recently been mired in a ratings slump in the years following long-time host Tim Russert's death in 2008. NBC announced last month that they would be replacing host David Gregory with MSNBC's Chuck Todd and that news put the media critics into overdrive in postulating how this change would affect this flagship Sunday talk program. While not a regular viewer of the show, I must admit that I thought that I was watching a weekend edition of Todd's former gig, The Daily Rundown (TDR), instead of the legacy of Martha Roundtree, Lawrence E. Spivak and Russert which, in the short term, might be a very bold move on the network's part.