Category: Media Watch

Always interesting to compare Tampa Bay dailies’ coverage of locally-pertinent news. On occasion, there’s a dramatic difference. This is one of those occasions.

Last week the Tampa Tribune reported on its front page that U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, the third-term, Tampa Democrat, had arrived in Cuba to begin a four-day, fact-finding trip. The story included her itinerary and pertinent quotes. When an actual member of the Florida congressional delegation–only the second (Congressman Jim Davis in 2003) since the 1959 revolution–actually visits Cuba, it’s big news around here. Hence the page-one placement.

The Tampa Bay Times, meanwhile, didn’t have the story. Not a trace. The following day, however, it did run a one-paragraph item on page 3 of its Local section.

Now, getting beat is one thing. And getting beat by the Trib rubs it in. But journalistic stuff happens. But when it does, the beatee will often save some media face–and salve some wounded professional pride–by compensating with additional, however-deferred, details. Making some extra phone calls. Getting a variety of reactions while the subject is STILL in Cuba. Something.

But virtually nada until after the fact? Ironically, that’s news.

Enough of this nonsense. There are sexist comments and there are compliments. The difference should be obvious to all but the hardcore political-correctness crowd.

Exhibit A: What President Barack Obama said the other day about Attorney General Kamala Harris of California. The context: It was a fundraiser, a feel-good, political love-in among followers and supporters; the president and Harris are friends; the president called Harris “brilliant,” “dedicated,” and “tough” before adding that “she also happens to be, by far, the best looking attorney general in the country.”

And one more thing: By all objective, non-sexist accounts, the president’s comment was as factual as it was complimentary. Sorry, Pam.

Everyone is mortal. But not all mortals can exit with consummate class. Roger Ebert, the Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic, personified the ultimate, final curtain call.

Even after losing the ability to eat and speak in the aftermath of cancer surgery, Ebert never lapsed into self-pity. Instead, he amped his online voice until his fingers finally failed. Hours before he died, he noted ironically that he was taking a “leave of presence.”

Director Steven Spielberg movingly summarized Ebert’s impact on film criticism: “Now the balcony is closed forever.”

* “When will you (China) realize that whatever is bad for America is not necessarily good for you? Will it take South Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Taiwan all getting nuclear weapons? China controls food and fuel going into North Korea. It could end the freak show there anytime it wants, by cutting off both and opening its border to refugees. Yes, it is worried about a united, nuclear Korea and a flood of refugees, but America could help facilitate a united, nonnuclear Korea and dealing with refugees.”–Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times.

* “Just as it’s becoming more and more expensive to do business in places like China, America is getting more competitive.”–President Barack Obama.

* “Wayne reminds me of the clowns at the circus. They get the most attention, and that’s what he’s paid to do. This guy is so out of whack, it’s unbelievable.”–Connecticut Gov. Dannell Malloy on NRA President Wayne LaPierre.

* “The United States of America now should normalize relations (with Cuba) and begin a constructive dialogue with the island nation.”–U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor.

* “The average life of a web page is only75 days, because websites change, the contents get taken down. If we don’t capture this material, a critical piece of the jigsaw puzzle of our understanding of the 21st century will be lost.”–Lucie Burgess, the British Library’s head of content strategy, in addressing the need to preserve England’s “digital memory.”

* “It’s hard to overstate the breadth and depth of enthusiasm for a Hillary run.”–Doug Hattaway, political consultant and former Clinton campaign aide.

* “Unfortunately, doctors earn more treating patients for serious problems in the hospital than they do preventing those problems from occurring in the first place.”–Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, oncologist and vice provost at the University of Pennsylvania.

* “Dementia is among the most costly diseases to society, and we need to address this if we’re going to come to terms with the cost to the Medicare and Medicaid system.”–Matthew Baumgart, senior director of public policy at the Alzheimer’s Association.

* “We’re at the tipping point where solar is cheaper but not the cheapest source of electricity. It’s going to be a giant snowball rolling out of control in five or six years.”–Jim Fenton, director of the Florida Solar Energy Center.

“We’re getting to the point where one could draw a sample of DNA at birth and sequence it and put it on a credit card and keep it and that’s part of your medical record. And if we were smart enough about how we use genetic information, it really could inform lifetime risks.”–Tom Sellers, executive vice president and director of the Moffitt Cancer Center.

* “A brilliant, dedicated and impactful champion of justice and warrior on behalf of victims.”–Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi’s description of Robert O’Neill, who is resigning as U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida.

* “I’m up for anything that will make progress happen at any time.”–Rays’ owner Stu Sternberg.

* “There is a difference between politicians and public servants. Politicians will do whatever they need to do to keep being elected. Public servants will do what they need to do, not thinking of election outcomes.”–Hillsborough County Commissioner Les Miller.

* “She is a model public servant.”–Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Ken Hagan in presenting former Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio with the Ellsworth G. Simmons Good Government Award.

* “I think for the film commission to be successful, it has to have a high degree of autonomy to develop its own culture and marketing activities. But what we will do from the EDC is support it every step of the way wherever possible.”–Rick Homans, CEO of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp., on plans for the county to create a film commission–to be housed in the EDC–and hire a film commissioner.

* “We think that Santiago is a deal closer. … Clearly we have great assets and we think he’ll be a great champion for our destination, not just across the country, but also the world.”–Jim Dean, the chairman of Tampa Bay & Co.’s board of directors, on the naming of Santiago Corrada as its new president and CEO.

* “I hope you like me, because I’m going to be here a while.”–TIA CEO Joe Lopano.

The Tampa Bay Times ran a feature recently on how USF’s School of Mass Communications is working to retain its relevance amid cultural, technological and generational change. It’s a formidable and not unfamiliar challenge, hardly unique to USF, and one that involves, in this case, dropping its accreditation, making a leadership switch and moving in a decidedly more digital direction. It could eventually merge with the School of Information. Pertinent, transformative, brow-arching stuff.

The focus was on catalyst Eric Eisenberg, the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, which houses Mass Com among its two dozen departments. These were his calls and were motivated, the piece made clear, because academia had to change with the times–most notably the stark reality that attention spans were now virtually non-existent.

Eisenberg seems ideally suited and situated. He’s Ph.D credentialed and hip. As in hundreds-of-Facebook-fans hip. As in postings that included a beer-ad parody and references to cultural staples such as Katy Perry and Kim Kardashian. He has lip-synced a Mariah Carey song.

These are, indeed, challenging media times to be sure, and Eisenberg has made himself a contemporary brand to help keep USF in the game.

Arguably, however, he has also made himself a parody of a dean. There’s relevance and there’s generational pandering. There’s playing the adult in charge and there’s playing.

If I’m a serious student, social media mania notwithstanding, I would want to be prepared with timeless basics as well as the skills of today and the wherewithal to adjust again tomorrow. I would want to be engaged, to be sure–but not necessarily entertained. Frankly, I would welcome a sanctuary from all that passes for ubiquitous entertainment in the continuous-loop pop culture.

And if I’m a student who doesn’t think this way, then I really, really do need some non-Facebook discipline. And, BTW, this has nothing to do with a generational chasm nor the fact that I don’t like seeing what’s going on at a place I have a degree from.

I’m kidding. Of course it does.

But in an era of mess media, serious, non-partisan, societally-impacting journalism has never been more threatened–nor more necessary. Rapping deans, zombie profs or administrators conversant on the intrigues of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are not signs of a relevant approach. They are signs of pop-culture surrender.

USF, you can do better than this.

It should have been much ado about nothing, but we don’t live in that kind of society. CBS basketball analyst Doug Gottlieb said something on a NCAA-tournament pre-game (Miami-Marquette) show last week that blew up in racial controversy. As the only white person on a five-member panel, he deadpanned: “I don’t know why you guys ask me, I’m just here to bring diversity to this set, give kind of the white man’s perspective.” Only instead of a boys-will-be-boys, bada-bing response, his flawed effort at self-deprecating humor resulted in awkward dead air and a lame transition that turned into instant internet infamy and racial backlash. Gottlieb then acknowledged that it “was not a smart thing to say” and apologized.

What Gottlieb, who is still doing tournament analysis for CBS, violated was the unspoken rule of race. In basketball, do not say anything about “blackness”–including that which is humorous or ironic. This is, mind you, in the context of a sport where most of the players are black although most of the cheerleaders, fans and ad buyers are white. Hockey it’s not. Just don’t acknowledge it.

* I don’t plan to see Spring Breakers, so any commentary I render has inherently less credibility than the movie mavens at the Village Voice, Rolling Stone or Tampa Bay Times. But I’ve read enough to deter me–even though Ain’t It Cool News, a website that traffics in gossip, rumors and reviews, hailed it as “an electrifying masterpiece.” My favorite pull-quote is that of David Edelstein of New York magazine. “I think the movie is swill,” summarized Edelstein, “but I wouldn’t be shocked if a whole crop of cinema studies papers affirms the case for its genius.”

* Granted, G.I. Joe: Retaliation has obvious box-office appeal. But, still, couldn’t both local dailies have devoted less than those high-profile, nearly full-page reviews of it? Let’s face it, anyone interested in seeing an intensely violent movie based on a Hasbro toy isn’t reading those reviews. Those cinema old schoolers reading movie reviews are not the G.I. Joe crowd.

* I’m looking forward to the movie 42, the story of Jackie Robinson, the man who in 1947 broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier. Encouraging to hear positive feedback from the Rays’ senior advisor Don Zimmer, who recently saw a private screening. “I thought it was right on target,” said Zimmer, who actually played with Robinson–from 1954 to 1956–on the Brooklyn Dodgers.

* “Obama’s speech to Israeli youth was one of the best of his presidency. He made the classic American position clear: As a matter of historic justice, we vehemently support the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state. As a matter of historic fairness, we oppose the expansion of Israeli settlements into Palestinian lands.”–Joe Klein, Time magazine.

* “In the 21st century, it has become all too apparent that the black population (in Cuba) is underrepresented at universities and in spheres of economic and political power, and overrepresented in the underground economy, in the criminal sphere and in marginal neighborhoods.”–Roberto Zurbano, Afro-Cuban editor and publisher of the Casa de las Americas publishing house.

* “Throughout history, rich nations have gotten to the future first. Their companies can afford to equip their tinkerers and visionaries with the most advanced materials, instruments and knowledge. … This raises an epochal question: As China becomes richer, is it destined to pass the United States as the world’s most inventive nation?”–Eamon Fingleton, author of In the Jaws of the Dragon: America’s Fate in the Coming Era of Chinese Hegemony.

* “In a perfect world–that is, in a world without the NRA–guns would be treated like automobiles. The government knows who owns a particular car and when, and to whom, it is transferred. These records are computerized and searchable.”–Ruth Marcus, Washington Post.

* “I think she (Hillary Clinton) wants very much to see a woman president in her lifetime. If you look at the landscape right now, there’s only one person who has a real shot at that.”–Harold Ickes, a senior advisor to Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign.

* “I’m encouraged by reports of an agreement between business groups and unions on the issue of guest workers. However, reports that the bipartisan group of eight senators have agreed on a legislative proposal are premature.”–Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

* “We authors get smaller royalties on e-book sales. So I’d like to start a rumor that electronic books cause fatal diseases and sometimes explode. This must be true, because it’s printed right here in the New York Times.–Author and humorist Dave Barry in an interview with the NYT on why he prefers paper to electronic books.

* “It’s a really great gig for me. I get to talk about whatever I want. Who wouldn’t want to do that?”–Comedian Dennis Miller.

* “Gays have the right to be as miserable as I make my husband.”–Sign seen in front of the Supreme Court, where arguments on same-sex marriage were being heard.

* “It’s quite a story when you think back in 1992 it was $1.2 billion. We’ve come a long way. It’s a manifestation of how popular this sport is in every way.”–Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, noting that MLB expects revenue to top $8 billion for the first time this year.

* “All Republican successes at the state level can be undone if the GOP continues to lose presidential elections.”–Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

* “We’re certainly glad President Obama is coming to Port-Miami … but he’s late to the party. … I hope he will reimburse us for the money Florida taxpayers have spent.”–Gov. Rick Scott in criticizing the president for the federal government not paying its “share” of the costs of improvements at Florida ports.

* “As we look down the road a little bit, I’m seeing a little struggling here.”–Florida Board of Governors’ member Norman Tripp referencing the prospects of Florida Polytechnic University, which is scheduled to open next year.

* “It made our $2.8 million rather paltry.”–St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster comparing his city’s budget deficit with that ($20 million) projected for Tampa.

* “Look at successful companies. It’s people working together and on the same page. Those are the people having success. It translates to sports.”–New Lightning coach Jon Cooper.

* “Reforming is about curbing government power. It is a self-imposed revolution that will require real sacrifice, and it will be painful.”–New Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang.

* “Those who adhere to the ideology of rejecting Israel’s right to exist might as well reject the Earth beneath them and the sky above, because Israel is not going anywhere.”–President Barack Obama.

* “If Secretary of State John Kerry  is looking for a new agenda, he might want to focus on forging closer integration with Mexico rather than beating his head against the rocks of Israel, Palestine, Afghanistan or Syria. … We do $1.5 billion a day in trade with Mexico, and we spend $1 billion a day in Afghanistan. Not smart.”–Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times.

* “Did you hear the latest poll?  They asked women between 20 and 30 years old if they want to make love to Berlusconi. Thirty-three percent said yes! Sixty-seven percent said, ‘Again?'”–Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

* “I feel plenty of shame in my own life, don’t get me wrong. But when I sit down to write, I’m shameless.”–Author Philip Roth.

* “We are a textbook example of sweeping marketplace change.”–Peter Kadzis, executive editor of The Boston Phoenix, a 50-year-old alternative weekly that announced its closing.

* “Catholicism needs someone like Pius V, the 16th-century pontiff at whose tomb Francis prayed on the day after his elevation–a disciplinarian whose housecleaning helped further the Counter-Reformation. The Vatican needs purgation at the top, to enable real renewal from below.”–Ross Douthat, New York Times.

* “This is an issue that divides Americans not just on partisan or religious but most conspicuously on generational lines. Young people, including many Republicans, heavily favor same-sex marriage. Elderly people, including many Democrats, heavily oppose it.”–Michael Barone, The Washington Examiner.

* “Every person who lives in the state of Florida should be a Republican. We’re the party of jobs, we’re the party of education, we’re the party of keep the cost of living low.”–Gov. Rick Scott.

* “We’ve been getting lots of calls from supporters urging Sen. Nelson to consider running for governor. Right now he’s just focused on doing his job in the Senate and not envisioning a circumstance under which he’d do so. Still, he remains very concerned about the state’s future.”–Nelson spokesman Dan McLaughlin.

* “The special interests have more pull in Tallahassee today than ever before.”–Rep. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey.

* “If you’ve been in the sport long enough, you know someone who’s died.”–David T.K. Hayes, manager of Skydive City in Zephyrhills.

* “It’s not what St. Pete Beach is like.”–St. Pete Beach City Manager Mike Bonfield, commenting on the movie Spring Breakers that was filmed in-part in St. Pete Beach.

* “He’s not a good guy. He’s a great guy.”–Rays’ manager Joe Maddon on fired Lightning coach Guy Boucher.

* “We can do anything together. TOGETHER. … I don’t care what God you worship or who you love. We’re going to succeed together or not at all.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn.

* “My job in Iraq was to help rebuild the infrastructure and create a functioning democracy. No way was any of that going to happen.”–Peter Van Buren, former U.S. State Department official and author of We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People.

* “He always had a reputation for being a very holy man, intense and deeply committed to prayer. But he is not going to make moves to somehow change church teachings on the core issues.”–The Rev. Matt Malone, editor of the Jesuit magazine America, on Pope Francis, the former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos Aires.

* “He is very approachable, very friendly. He has a good sense of humor, he is very quick and a joy to be with.”–Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston on Pope Francis.

* “We have to get much better at capturing those (digital) readers.”–Mary Berner, president of the Association of Magazine Media.

* “People in China and elsewhere are wondering if the fracking revolution means that the 21st century will be another North American century, just like the last one.”–David Brooks, New York Times.

* “Is as mired in past and mired in stupidity as it was in 1976.”–Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s CPAC reference to GOP leadership.

* “Never again can the Republican Party simply write off entire segments of our society because we assume our principles have limited appeal. We need to be larger than that.”–Jeb Bush at CPAC.

* “I am sorry that I will not be your president. But I will be your co-worker, and I will work shoulder-to-shoulder alongside you.”–Mitt Romney at CPAC.

* “The popular media narrative is that this country has shifted away from conservative ideals, as evidenced by the last two presidential elections. That might be true if Republicans had actually nominated conservative candidates in 2008 and 2012.”–Texas Gov. Rick Perry at CPAC.

* “The GOP of old has become stale and moss-covered. I don’t think we need to name any names.”–Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul at CPAC.

* “We don’t need a new idea. There is an idea, the idea is called America, and it still works.”–Florida Sen. Marco Rubio at CPAC.

* “They’re trying to buy us off one by one, but I’m not buying it. Florida will not buy it, and America should not buy it.”–Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford at CPAC, where he promised to reject a federal expansion of Medicaid.

* “Coming up with boilerplate stands that Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Chris Christie and Bobby Jindal could all run on is an unsquareable circle.”–Dan Schnur, GOP strategist and University of Southern California political scientist.

* “If you don’t overly worry about losing, you become hard to beat.”–Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

* “I offered everything that I could to the administration. I believe I did a fantastic job.”–Recently resigned Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll.

* “I thought it was a horrible idea the moment I saw it. I just don’t think our teachers need to be worrying about protecting their students with weapons.”–Hillsborough County School Board Chairwoman April Griffin, responding to House Bill 1097, which would allow principals in Florida to select one or more teachers who would be permitted to carry guns at school.

* “I’m organizing for success. With that reorganization comes change; some will be process, some will be branding and some will be personnel. We will work through all those issues as a team.”–Tampa Port Authority Director Paul Anderson.

* “We have national awareness, which is a big, big difference from us and any aquarium that’s starting from scratch.”–David Yates, Clearwater Marine Aquarium CEO.

* “It’s way too early to be super excited or super depressed.”–Dunedin Mayor Dave Eggers responding to Canadian media reports that the Toronto Blue Jays are considering leaving Dunedin, their spring training headquarters.

* “There’s an electricity about downtown that hasn’t existed in decades.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn.