Having fallen far out of the habit of watching primetime network TV, I can’t add much to any discussion of who got hosed when the Emmy nominations were announced today. I was pleased with the final season of The Sopranos, which by all the nods looks to clean-up big time at the Emmy Awards Show … Read more
A couple thoughts on yesterday’s announcements that, (A) The Star Tribune’s Guild employees voted 110-2 — a plurality that would have embarrassed Saddam Hussein — to demand the resignation of publisher Par Ridder, and, (B) the almost simultaneous “NEED” of the Pioneer Press to buy-out another 15 newsroom employees before July 27. On the Strib: … Read more
To the surprise of no one, membership of the Star Tribune Newspaper Guild voted to demand the resignation of publisher Par Ridder, who, in addition to facing other accusations, has conceded booting proprietary information from his St. Paul Pioneer Press laptop into the Star Tribune system. The Star Tribune Guild released the following statement early … Read more
Yesterday’s launch of Reveille Magazine probably didn’t send much of a tremor through Condé Nast, Rolling Stone, Spin, yadda yadda, but I regard anything that puts my buddy Jim Walsh back in a saddle, writing what he wants to be writing, a good thing. Likewise, I am favorably disposed to music writers writing like music … Read more
As promised, veteran ‘CCO-AM government and political reporter/enabler of Sid, Eric Eskola, returned to Dave Lee’s show this morning. Anyone anticipating a long, teary reentry speech was probably disappointed. Eskola confined himself to saying, “I just ran out of gas” last spring and thanking his ‘CCO colleagues and everyone who sent him notes of support. … Read more
Wednesday’s meeting of Star Tribune Guild stewards ended with the 25 gathered employees blowing past a proposal to put a “no confidence” vote on publisher Par Ridder before membership. Instead, arguing that “no confidence” was “a little soft” considering Ridder’s behavior, the stewards voted unanimously to have membership vote on demanding Ridder’s resignation. The membership … Read more
The gist of a recent meeting Star Tribune publisher Par Ridder had with what is left of his editorial page was essentially this, (not a direct quote), “Readers get enough opinion about national issues in other places, they don’t need it from us.” Said one Op-Eddie, “His message, basically, was to write with more of … Read more
The day after Clear Channel whacked President and 20-plus year top dog, Mick Anselmo, most of the inside-industry talk around town turned to the crude and rude way they did it … and then quickly segued into what this shake-out means for the seven Clear Channel stations immediately and the Twin Cities radio market in … Read more
Mick Anselmo, GM of all thing Clear Channel in the Twin Cities — specifically radio stations KFAN, Cities 97, KOOL 108, K102, KTLK, KDWB and 690 The Score was fired today. His departure puts an end to one of the more remarkable success and survival stories in radio management in this market. Anselmo had managed … Read more
It’ll be several more weeks before Ramsey County judge David Higgs hands down a decision in the matter of whether Star Tribune publisher Par Ridder’s actions upon leaving the Pioneer Press are grievous enough to warrant throwing him out of his new office in Minneapolis. One line of thought in the legal community is that … Read more