Launching my "Vast Media Empire"
That was my older brother's response to my excited announcement that this little blog would be one of those mentioned in the Lifestyles section of the Gazette-Times today. It's the official launching of my vast media empire. I'm still giggling over the very idea. My other brother suggested that maybe I could soon hang out with whomever writes the horoscopes. I'm saving myself for the person who writes fortune cookie messages.
But yes, 'tis true... I received an email from Theresa Hogue warning me that I would be receiving a mention in the Sunday paper along with other local bloggers, and here it is, complete with a snippet from one of last week's postings. (I love that 1951 Ranch Redo was one of the main blogs featured.) Flattering, especially considering how often the Gazette-Times has been the target of some of my rants. Like this one:
My relationship with the GT has always been of the love/hate variety. I loved working there, until my favorite people all left (including Beth Clark, former kickass publisher) and Lee Enterprises leadership decided Corvallis and Albany should be lumped together, to which I still say "Ew." I loved the newspaper itself, with its small town local news focus, until the typos and grammar errors increased exponentially and more and more AP wire stories were printed missing entire paragraphs. There are still some talented writers at the GT (I'm looking at you, Bennett Hall), but others confuse news with opinion a bit too often (remember Jennifer Gardner's anti-fluoridation propaganda in what was supposed to be a column about pets?), and the editorial page writing is timid and weak at best, Hasso Heringish at worst. (He deserves his own adjective.) I don't know what happened to Paul Davies, but he knew how to wrangle an editorial out of the editorial board.
Anyway, the real secret is that I do still read the GT, online some days, free copies at work other days, but I do shell out money for the Sunday edition most weeks. I prefer the Oregonian for actual news, but I'm a sucker for stories like the recent feel-good story about the two local kids and their dad donating money for the new Wildcat Park in honor of their late mother. And I'm a sucker for any newspaper that thinks I'm somehow newsworthy.
(If anyone reading today actually found the blog through the GT article, please leave a comment or send an email... and welcome!)
But yes, 'tis true... I received an email from Theresa Hogue warning me that I would be receiving a mention in the Sunday paper along with other local bloggers, and here it is, complete with a snippet from one of last week's postings. (I love that 1951 Ranch Redo was one of the main blogs featured.) Flattering, especially considering how often the Gazette-Times has been the target of some of my rants. Like this one:
My relationship with the GT has always been of the love/hate variety. I loved working there, until my favorite people all left (including Beth Clark, former kickass publisher) and Lee Enterprises leadership decided Corvallis and Albany should be lumped together, to which I still say "Ew." I loved the newspaper itself, with its small town local news focus, until the typos and grammar errors increased exponentially and more and more AP wire stories were printed missing entire paragraphs. There are still some talented writers at the GT (I'm looking at you, Bennett Hall), but others confuse news with opinion a bit too often (remember Jennifer Gardner's anti-fluoridation propaganda in what was supposed to be a column about pets?), and the editorial page writing is timid and weak at best, Hasso Heringish at worst. (He deserves his own adjective.) I don't know what happened to Paul Davies, but he knew how to wrangle an editorial out of the editorial board.
Anyway, the real secret is that I do still read the GT, online some days, free copies at work other days, but I do shell out money for the Sunday edition most weeks. I prefer the Oregonian for actual news, but I'm a sucker for stories like the recent feel-good story about the two local kids and their dad donating money for the new Wildcat Park in honor of their late mother. And I'm a sucker for any newspaper that thinks I'm somehow newsworthy.
(If anyone reading today actually found the blog through the GT article, please leave a comment or send an email... and welcome!)
posted by Corvallist at
12:43 AM
11 Comments:
Congratulations, Corvallist. Maybe your fame will spread far and wide and turn into something useful like buckeroos!
I see my blog didn't make the notable list but oh well. I'm not a notable mid valley resident. (my cats and thousands of strays think I am, at least, so what the GT thinks is hardly worthy by comparison).
By
Strayer, at 9:19 AM
Woo-hoo Corvallist!
Congratulations on the new found fame : )
I think the GT could have devoted a bit more space to your blog, but c'est la vie. Yes, I just wrote in French.
CH
By
Unknown, at 2:22 PM
Hi! I saw the article today and really like your blog. Count me amongst your new fans!
By
Anonymous, at 2:55 PM
Well that's just fine, CH, parce que je parle français! ; )
By
Corvallist, at 3:04 PM
Hi, Corvallist -
I enjoy your blog very much, and I wanted to congratulate you for being featured in the G-T.
However, I do take issue with your comment about my column. Column = commmentary. As such, I do give my opinion on pet care (other examples: it's best to adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue; domestic animals should be spayed or neutered; and most pets are not appropriate for sole care by small children). I'm not sure why you singled out a column as your example of confusing news and opinion - of course it's not news!! (Plus, it was written more than 2 years ago. There are no better examples since then?!)
Thanks!
Jennifer
By
Anonymous, at 8:21 PM
Me, me! I found your blog through the GT article!
So when were those glory days that you worked at the GT? It's always been known around our house as the paper that after you read it you're dumber than you were before. But okay, if you say so, it used to be better. I do agree about combining it with the Dem Herald. And Hasso Hering.
By
Anonymous, at 9:39 PM
Okay, Jennifer, fair enough... it was commentary. But it's the example that popped into my mind and I still think it was misplaced.
Anon, I worked at the GT for five years in the early to mid-90s. I served on the editorial board for a short stint (they used to have a 'floater' position, maybe they still do) in 1994 when Kitzhaber was running for office and it was an exciting time to work there. There were anti-Bob Packwood protesters in the parking lot and Hillary Clinton came walting in for an interview while I was there. So did Jesse Jackson, come to think of it. I do believe it was better back then... I'd say the decline started around 1996. Half of my department left from '96-'97 in frustration with the change in leadership.
By
Corvallist, at 9:51 PM
Your blog is one of the best for insight on local happenings. Congratulations on the recognition.
They missed a few of my favorite blogs.
For "appeal to more than a handful of readers" and "pondering politics," Crallspace is right there. http://www.orblogs.com/blog/1241
Also enjoy the exceptional photography on Kate's "Escaping Suburbia" blog. http://allhailsuburbia.thewanderingwolf.biz/
Strayer has some great insight on animal welfare.
By
Anonymous, at 6:57 PM
Kiwi, those are faves of mine as well. So is Ms. Hippy, when she posts!
Thanks for the comments, y'all. :)
By
Corvallist, at 6:58 PM
I'm coming in late to the party here, but hey... congrats! It's a well-deserved bit of recognition.
You're one of my favorite local blogs & I've always especially appreciated how welcome you made me feel here by reaching out to me via e-mail.
Kiwi, thank you for the mention!
kate
By
Anonymous, at 12:08 PM
It's about time you got a little recognition for this great blog. Congratulations!
Take care,
HK
By
Anonymous, at 11:25 AM
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