VIEWPOINT
LET TERS
BY NANCY A. OL SON
Bye Bye RG
THE DEATH OF AN INDEPENDENT PAPER
T
he death of a locally owned community newspaper isn’t a pretty sight,
and unfortunately we’re watching it happen all across America, includ-
ing right here in Lane County.
Based on stomach-wrenching day-one gutting of Register-Guard
employees by its new general manager, GateHouse Media, it’s probably
safe to say that the full story of the media juggernaut that’s scored a direct hit on our
own community won’t be page one Register-Guard news. So it seems only fitting
that Eugene Weekly should report on “Who’s Going or Gone at The Register-Guard”
(3/1). Thank you, Eugene Weekly.
The departures listed in the Weekly were headed by the RG’s fairly new publisher,
Logan Molen; Baker family managing editor, Dave Baker; and longtime editorial
page editor, Jackman Wilson, who unfailingly wrote editorials with unadorned and
straight-to-the-point words that provided readers with the clarity needed to under-
stand complex issues.
The 17 others listed were also key players in the award-winning running of the
business, including long-time investigative reporter Sherri Buri McDonald, who ful-
ly educated readers about every important issue she covered. Because EW reported
that reporters and photographers have so far been retained, it’s probably safe to say
that reporter Buri McDonald’s departure was voluntary, perhaps based on principle or
another job, or both. It’s rumored the jobs of the nine copy editors listed were shipped
to a central location in Texas. This jaw-dropping piece of work is vintage GateHouse
management.
Japanese multinational corporation SoftBank Group Corp. in mid-February 2017
acquired Fortress Investment Group, the parent company of GateHouse, which is
owned by New Media Investment Group, which is in turn managed by an affiliate
of Fortress, giving SoftBank the entire portfolio of New Media’s community print
publications, which at the time of acquisition totaled 564.
New Media’s website states that its strategy is “to acquire and operate traditional
local media businesses and transform them from print-centric operations to dynamic
multi-media operations, through our existing online advertising and digital marketing
businesses.”
That explains the hiring of Shanna Cannon as the RG’s new publisher. Accord-
ing to records available to the general public, her newspaper experience centers on
advertising. She started as an “ad-visor” while a student and continued on to posi-
tions that included national and major accounts manager, advertising director, and
vice-president of advertising and general manager. In 2006 she was hired to replace
the president and publisher of an E.W. Scripps Co. newspaper who’d been named
Scripps’ advertising director. Scripps tagged Cannon as “an experienced newspaper
publisher with a solid background in advertising sales and general management."
Scripps is on the same media-buy-up track as GateHouse/SoftBank.
The $3.3 billion SoftBank Group cash deal closed in December 2017. Also of
particular note, SoftBank’s CEO met in December 2016 with newly elected president
Donald Trump, pledging $50 billion and 50,000 new jobs in the United States. It’s
unknown if the two events are related (“Japanese firm to buy GateHouse Media’s
parent company for $3.3 billion,” Boston Business Journal, 2/17/2017).
Will the last Baker-family-hired employee who leaves please turn out the lights?
Nancy A. Olson has worked in the publishing industry for 30 years, 17 of them at The Register-Guard.
BARBER SHOWS UP
MOROSE ABOUT THE MEDIA
I cannot cast my vote for East Lane
County Commissioner based on gender, as
Tony Corcoran recommends (Viewpoint,
2/22). I do have a “pro women” bias in
general, but we desperately need a county
commissioner who is committed to restor-
ing democracy to Lane County! We need
a leader who understands that “We, The
People” need to be in charge of how we
live in our communities in order to protect
our health and safety.
James Barber is the best candidate to
do this. James has dedicated time and end-
less effort to grassroots organizing, and
the man “shows up” — at racial justice
events, at climate justice events, commu-
nity marches and town halls.
Wherever community is rising to fur-
ther “the good,” there is James Barber. I
have seen him speak “truth to power” at
numerous city and county public meetings.
James is a local businessman, community
leader and a dedicated husband with young
children. James grew up in a working class
family that, at times, benefitted from the so-
cial support programs provided to vulnerable
community members by a civil society. This
has shaped his ethic of “kindness.”
We need bold progressive change in
county leadership. We need a person who
cannot be bought out by “special interests.”
Let’s take back our community and build a
safer, more just and inclusive Lane County.
Talk to James Barber, then decide for
yourself!
Debra McGee
Eugene
I’d like to cast my vote against the
new EW website, which is much less user
friendly. Comments on articles were abol-
ished. The letters to the editor are no longer
linked from the main menu; they are nested
in the sub-menus. Only a single letter is
readable at a time, making it easy to over-
look some. The calendar has more advanced
search features, but is more difficult to sim-
ply scroll through all the listings.
Comments for articles are a difficult
topic. Many forums are infested with in-
sults instead of wise discussion. However,
moving the conversation to Facebook does
not prevent that problem.
KLCC radio used to have a call-in show
where community concerns could be dis-
cussed. Now that program, and its daily lo-
cal news show, are merely memories.
Posting comments at the Register-
Guard website is also more cumbersome
than it used to be. I doubt the new owners
will undo this.
Claims of democracy are not only
based on voting for one flavor of politician
versus another, even if one brand pretends
to care about ecology (while supporting
clearcuts). Without robust public spaces
to interact, discuss, argue, agree and have
reciprocal learning, authentic democracy
will remain an illusion.
Mark Robinowitz
Eugene
RADIO RADIO
For many years, my quest for the hu-
man voice and spirit has regularly led my
radio dial to KLCC. The DJs are among
the best I’ve heard — charming, witty,
knowledgeable and music-centered.
But something is amiss — in recent
weeks I have tuned in to KLCC programs
usually hosted by Kyle Christopher and Cina
Kraft only to be greeted by Muzak. What
gives? Has management decided that listen-
ers can’t tell the difference between live and
canned shows? Like other canned things,
are volunteers considered disposable? Will
KLCC soon become a victim of auto-play?
Do other listeners even care?
Daniel Henry
Eugene
BALLOT RESULTS
Interesting idea to change the way
we vote and save money in the process
(“Changing the Ballot,” 3/1). There are
many ways to improve the democratic pro-
cesses in our country, but one of the most
important is for people to actually vote. Af-
ter voting, using our voices to guide what
happens in Congress is also important.
Witness the power of those too young
to vote speaking out after the shootings in
Florida. Also, let those who represent you
know when Congress does good things,
like both parties working together to end
the preventable deaths of millions of wom-
en and children in our world every year.
The Reach Every Mother and Child
Act is cosponsored by 118 members of the
House from both parties, including repre-
sentatives DeFazio, Bonamici, Schrader
and Blumenauer from Oregon. So far in the
Senate, there are 20 cosponsors from both
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March 8, 2018 • eugeneweekly.com