Thursday, January 7, 2010

SECOND INSTALLMENT ON SERIES - "DO SOME STARK COUNTY GOVERNMENT UNITS ADVANTAGE THE REPOSITORY? IF SO, IS THE REPOSITORY "TRUSTWORTHY" AS STARK COUNTY'S MAIN NEWSOURCE AND PROVIDER OF EDITORIAL COMMENT?"


PRELUDE

Yours truly got to thinking about The Repository's apparent "special relationship" with Mayor William J. Healy, "the second."

The musing prompted this thought:  are there other "special relationships" between The Rep and other Stark County - taxpayer funded - government units?

Mind you, The Rep is, as media, supposedly serving the public interest and therefore is entitled to public information to parse and analyze to determine, whether or not, the public interest is being properly protected in the halls of Stark County government.

The Stark County Political Report stands in the same place and is entitled to get the same respect and treatment as The Rep.

Healy blows off The Report all the time by refusing to directly answer The Report's questions.

However, if he thinks he can manipulate them, Healy hotfoots it over to The Rep's editorial office regularly.  Moreover, there are likely many, many phone calls between The Rep's editors and reporters and Healy.

The SCPR has indication that Rep reporters are phoned from Canton City Hall to give them a heads up on a breaking story.

TODAY'S NEW COMMENTARY

Yesterday, yours truly got the following email from Justin Watson, the Canton everyday citizens who has been picketing Canton City Hall in support of the 28 laid off firefighters of the Canton Professional Firefighters Association:





CLICK HERE to get link to The Repository's picture of Watson and Healy that Justin speaks of in his email

To reiterate a quote from Watson:
 ... I do find it funny that magically when I met with healy (sic) on the sidewalk of city hall the rep just happened to be sitting a crossed the street to snap that picture for there (sic) spin filled magazine I think the rep should leave the Spining (sic) up to Herman ... (emphasis added)
Hmm?

Looks like someone at Canton City Hall is tipping The Rep off.

Where's the disclaimer when The Rep does a story on Mayor Healy?

The Healy administration using tax supported employees to give The Repository an advantage.

Hmm?

2 comments:

STARK OBSERVATIONS said...

Martin,

I'm surprised that no one has commented on the Rep and their treatment to Healy.

For the past few years I've noticed that the Rep is what I call, a "6 block newspaper". In other words they seem to cover only things within 6 blocks of their offices on S. Market.

This type of reporting includes simple things like restaurants openings, business closures and the like.

They also seem to have a news 'blackout" on crime every where. The oher day I noted there was only one arrest in the City of Canton, and that was by the Ohio State Troppers.

They have reduced ther staffing to the point where they only want to cover local sporting events ....

And their more recent technique to "reporting" is what I call "phone it in" (or mail, by today's technology) Have a picture of your pet, a birthday, an interesting license plate, etc, etc .... send it to us.

Looking at the proximity of the Rep to City Hall, one can see why this is such a favorable "connection". It's a short walk in either direction. It's "easy" news. The reporters don't need to think, nor step on toes if they asked a tough question.

You are right on the money, with the Rep.

StarkObservations

7of13 said...

To follow up more on the relationship between the mayor and the rep check out Gauger's pot shot at the fire dept in his Sunday column. I'm sure he got his info from his circle jerk with his editorial staff and the mayor. It shows 2 things, the mayor has no idea of how the fire dept is being staffed and operated, and Gauger's complete disregard in seeking the truth. One phone call to the Chief could have at least given him reason to think twice. The mayor's ultimate goal is to shut down fire stations and Gauger was more than happy to fire a salvo for him without even checking his facts.