With all the attention on various executive fiascos and staff reductions at the Star Tribune, the situation at the Pioneer Press has received relatively little coverage lately. My apologies there. But last night saw a brief (one-hour) and reasonably cordial opening round of contract negotiations between the Newspaper Guild and new owner, MediaNews, headed by … Read more
In a memorable quote to City Pages’ Paul Demko, Star Tribune editor Nancy Barnes tried to explain the rationale behind mobilizing troops toward the suburbs, Bloomington in particular. Demko wrote: “Editor Barnes concedes that ‘it’s been a difficult week,’ but says her mission remains the same: more online, more in-depth coverage like the paper’s 3M … Read more
Commenting on my previous post about the Avista-Zygi Wilf real estate deal(s) and the importance of high transparency on the part of the Strib as it reports and comments on the story, “bart” asks the following: “What’s the basis of the charge that Avista currently or will direct positive coverage of the potential stadium? Is … Read more
(UPDATED BELOW) God knows the Star Tribune has faced conflict of issues before with stadium-related real estate deals. But the latest one, wherein Vikings owner and major — emphasis on “major” — real estate developer, Zygi Wilf has a deal in place to buy four of the five blocks owned by Strib owner Avista Capital … Read more
My colleague here in Rake-world, Colleen Kruse, (in the print version, she’s the better looking one on the opposite page), has signed on as a regular with FM 107’s 1-to-3 p.m. Andrew Zimmern show, now known officially as, “The Andrew Zimmern Show with Colleen Kruse”. The third part of the new ensemble is producer, Christopher … Read more
News that the Pohlad family, son Jim in particular, was paying $28 million for B96, the hip-hop station with a transmission tower out on the fringes of the western suburbs fired the following synapses in my alleged brain … $28 million!? Holy shit! If B96 is worth $28 million, the karaoke machine I picked up … Read more
Have I ever mentioned how much I love Superior, Wisconsin? There’s something about sweating like a Ukrainian reaper in 85 degree heat, matted with dust, grass clippings and a half dozen ticks, then hauling ass down the hill to Menards for a fresh assortment of shears, brads and fasteners. Superior, where it is always a … Read more
My lovely, extraordinarily long-suffering, high school English teacher wife wrapped another school year last Friday and we’ve been feeding the finches up north for the last few days. Still are, in fact. Internet connections are funky in rural Wisconsin, which is one excuse for so little blogging. We did run around Superior and Duluth Sunday … Read more
This is just a poll — another snapshot of today’s conventional wisdom — but it rings true to me. It reaffirms a point I have made before and believe media-watchers everywhere should keep in mind as they watch big city newspapers founder. Namely, that in very short order, local TV news is going to be … Read more
(UPDATED) I can’t decide if I want this to be true or not, but by all indications on May 14 Star Tribune publisher, Par Ridder, currently busy hacking the livelihoods out from under 150 or so of his employees, closed a deal to buy former KARE anchor Paul Magers’ rather, shall we say, grand-to-ostentatious Lake … Read more