Pittsburgh Media Scoops and Gossip
Welcome, newsroom pros and moles. Here's the spot for all the latest dish and debate on what's happening in Pittsburgh media. This is a forum to talk about issues affecting the Pittsburgh media scene.
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ABOUT THE DOG: Since so many have asked, the photo is simply a dog delivering the paper. He has no connection to any past advertising campaigns for any newspaper. He's a nice dog.
- Yellow Shame -- H.L. Monkey, 12:58:39 03/30/08 Sun [37]
This was initially going to be a comment in reply to the post:
Top Ten Reasons Scaife Loves the Clintons -- D. Letterman
But after reading the 2 references below, I got so pissed off that I felt it necessary to write another post. http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_559659.html
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/whispers/s_559713.html
I worked at the Trib but left in disgust a couple of years ago, although due to the necessary withdrawal and purging process, it seems like yesterday.
So this is a note to the Tribbers. It is by coincidence that it reads like 'Wear Sunscreen', written by Mary Schmich, a columnist for the Chicago Tribune and wrongly attributed to Kurt Vonnegut.
There is life outside of the Trib. Real LIFE! Ask some of those who have moved on such as Dave Copeland, or the anonynous fellow who in reaction to this: (from)--
http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=10840
"In the final days of the 2000 presidential campaign, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review publisher Richard Mellon Scaife, a longtime conservative activist, ordered all photographs and prominent mentions of Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore removed from the front page of the paper. As a result, the paper’s pre-election Sunday edition had a front page featuring George W. Bush in every campaign-related headline and photograph. A story about a Gore rally held in Pittsburgh, originally slated to run alongside a Bush piece on the front page, was moved to the inside of the paper. According to an account in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Tribune-Review managing editor Robert Fryer ‘tried to dissuade Scaife but was overruled.’"
-Did this:
"One of Scaife's reporters was so pissed he broke it to the competition. When Gore was campaigning in Pittsburgh against Bush and the Trib put his photo on the front page, Scaife called and reamed them out and told them in no uncertain terms that only Bush pictures were to be on the front page of his newspaper."
Those, my Trib friends, are real journalists. Those left behind, YOU, are just the same as Tammy Sue Vasco. She, of Walt's Motel fame.
You are engaged in the same profession as Tammy Sue.
Make no mistake. Morally and ethically, you do the same bidding. Scaife's bidding.
Sing.
Accept certain inalienable truths:
Politicians and newspapermen will philander.
You, too, will get old.
And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you
were young, politicians and newspapermen were noble.
And then you will remember. It was you who allowed this to happen.
Floss.
Don't expect anyone else to support you. Especially Scaife. Stick your finger into the winds blowing on Martindale St.
Holy shit, one day it's Bush, next day it's Hillary.
Dance.
Don't try to figure it out. With Scaife no real logic applies. Only one thing is important and remember this, it is your integrity that is at stake.
Hillary speaks civilly to Scaife and he is immediately smitten, abandoning years of hated? Or could it be a simple childish reaction since it has become known that his ex-wife supports Obama.
Stretch.
You have become Scaife's enablers. I do not wish to call names. My only wish is to have you consider what I am trying to say so that you may look outside of your box and perhaps realize that you have some hard questioning to do of yourselves. Wake up and save yourselves.
As others have boldly said before me, it is time to jump ship.
Get plenty of calcium.
Scoff and laugh at me but the truth remains, Scaife is a hollow child without real conviction. He is driven by revenge apparently due to deep seated childhood trauma because of his cold and sarcastic, alcoholic mother, Sarah.
Or maybe:
http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=11403
Read post 2 on this site. Scary!
Travel.
You are part of Scaife's insane world. Without his dependable minions, YOU, he would not be able to function as he does.
You can NOT consider yourselves to be journalists and be part of Scaife's lunacy.
Scream all you want and beat the hell out of me but at the same time, look into your soul and decide what how you wish others to see and judge you and how you judge yourselves.
Don't mess too much with your hair.
I sickens me to see my ex-fellow journalists at the Trib smoozing and a--kissing anything Scaife comes up with.
I was going to mention those that I am particularly sickened with but you know the cast of characters, from Frank Craig on down to the wanna-be phototech who would sell his soul to gain recognition from Scaife.
Research Scaife's life. Lot's of stuff on the WWW.
Get out while you still have a soul.
But trust me on the sunscreen.
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- Blogger busts writer on plagiarism -- Matt, 13:44:44 03/24/08 Mon [16]
The cardinal sin of journalism is exposed on a blog.
http://www.pittblather.com/2008/03/20/inexcusably-crossing-the-line/#more-5042
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- The Continuing Ineptness of China Millman -- Would Steen, 20:04:01 03/27/08 Thu [18]
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08087/868111-242.stm
My favorite sentences:
"On one visit, they were garnished simply with Shropshire blue cheese. On another, chorizo and Shropshire blue lent the dish a Spanish inflection."
The American Heritage definition of "inflection."
"The act of inflecting or the state of being inflected.
Alteration in pitch or tone of the voice.
Grammar
- An alteration of the form of a word by the addition of an affix, as in English dogs from dog, or by changing the form of a base, as in English spoke from speak, that indicates grammatical features such as number, person, mood, or tense.
An affix indicating such a grammatical feature, as the -s in the English third person singular verb form speaks.
The paradigm of a word.
- A pattern of forming paradigms, such as noun inflection or verb inflection.
- A turning or bending away from a course or position of alignment."
So Millman, the great food writer, doesn't even have her word usage straight? She can't tell "inflection" from "flavor" or "overtone?"
It's bad enough that by the last graf, she thinks readers might care to hear about how she effectively "outed" herself as a "critic" by showing up at this obviously nice bistro on a night when most customers are known regulars. I call this "padding."
Another couple of these turkeys and someone's gonna start a "bring back Lizzie" movement.
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- This is the best Samantha can do? -- Hawker, 10:56:24 04/10/08 Thu [3]
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08101/872168-151.stm
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- Why Trib? Why? -- Em Beay, 19:52:53 04/08/08 Tue [3]
Now the Trib is trying to get in on the West Virginia MBA story?
Puh-leeeeeze!
They were absolutely battered by the PG on this story and now the Gov's daughter has something bad to say about the PG so, in typical Trib fashion they go running to her and let her yell from her soapbox.
Hey, Trib Kiddies, you lost this one. You can't save face on this story now, no matter how hard you try.
Anyway here is the ridiculous attempt by the Trib to get in on this story.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/breaking/s_561339.html
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- Betsy Hiel on "Night Talk" -- L. Nino, 18:24:19 03/25/08 Tue [12]
Boy, talk about awful. Pintek is a gasbag par excellence, but Hiel is really something. She came off like she was jet-lagged and drank way too many Red Bulls to have any sort of presence at all. And for all her Middle East expertise, she left an impression of shallowness. Maybe she needs to stay off TV and let her reporting speak for her because in person, she sure can't speak for herself very well.
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- PG TV Incredible -- mammer, 06:10:54 03/28/08 Fri [10]
The PG builds a new studio, purchases all there fancy editing gadgets and this freaking Bill Toland show is the best they can come up with?
I last exactly 42 seconds. Then fell asleep.
http://www.post-gazette.com/multimedia/?videoID=100300
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- Scaife point of order -- Shopworn, 12:05:35 04/06/08 Sun [3]
Just a point of order for this board. On the eve of the war in Iraq, Scaife's editorial page called for containment of Saddam, not invasion.
His editorial page has also supported one of the war's chief critics, John Murtha, specifically on his opposition to the war and a call for a pullout.
Scaife has consistently been a critic of George Bush on domestic issues as well.
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- Making Colin's Week... -- Hair It Age, 16:22:42 03/31/08 Mon [8]
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/mcnickle/s_559661.html
Duuuuuddddeeee! Colin talked tough and "called out" (wooooo!) the "McNeil-Lehrer Newshour" on who they needed to tap as talking heads, and they actually PAID ATTENTION to the "Shove It!" boy's! ideas! Made him feel ten feet tall, tough enough to bash the WaPo for writing something that didn't suit him.
How s heartwarming. Hillary took Dickie seriously and the libs at PBS acted like Colin actually mattered (we all know better). My goodness, those Trib-bigwigs need their self-esteem burnished, don't they?
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- But seriously, folks- -- Drama Queen, 15:35:49 03/30/08 Sun [3]
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08090/868759-325.stm
Honest to God, how many people go on these tours? Do the Blocks' survey show that more than a thousand or two of their falling readership besides Rawson himself even give a crap about this stuff? Sounds like the ghosts of PG Past at work.
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- ballpark cost -- Acc U. Racy (Crunch The Numbers), 17:57:54 03/31/08 Mon [1]
Dejan Kovacevic screwed it up again.
He notes in his "Dates To Circle" column today that the Pirates will play on May 1 at the Washington Nationals' new park, which cost "320 million."
Obviously, he didn't read his own sports section, which, on another page, reported that the Nationals won yesterday at their "new $611 million home..." That figure, of course, is the right one, but what's a $291 million difference among ill-informed baseball writers?
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- Top Ten Reasons Scaife Loves the Clintons -- D. Letterman, 03:33:50 03/30/08 Sun [0]
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_559659.html
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/whispers/s_559713.html
And no, it's not because he's a sad old man looking for validation. Here goes!
10. Hillary didn't mention passing Doug's Motel on the way into town for their meeting.
9. She didn't say "Oh, yeah! The 'Shove it!' guy, right?" when introduced to McNickle.
8. She didn't say "I'll give you the name of my hairdresser" when introduced to Salena Zito.
7. She said, "How's Beauregard? He didn't catch anything when Ritchie had him, did he?"
6. She told Dick she'd be glad to sign an autograph "For your lady friend in White Oak."
5. When she met the editorial board, she never said, "are these the 'Trib Kiddies' I read about on Pittsburgh Media Scoops and Gossip?"
4. Hillary asked Dick about a good divorce attorney in case she loses due to Bill's big mouth on the campaign trail.
3. Offered Chelsea's services writing a Trib advice column to compete with "Cat's Call."
2. Told her buddy, Gov. Rendell not to punch out Brad Bumstead.
AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON SCAIFE LOVES THE CLINTONS!!!!
1. BECAUSE RITCHIE BACKS OBAMA!!!!!!!!
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- RMS : guest columnist. -- neeno nineo, 08:23:57 03/30/08 Sun [2]
I almost don't know what to make of this. File it under "bizarre."
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_559659.html
Thoughts from the peanut gallery?
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- Pathetic PG -- PiGlet (Clairvoyance copy), 14:06:12 03/29/08 Sat [3]
Nice job on the Cedrick Wilson story. Just one thing, this graf has him doing anger management in McKeesport.
Clearly whoever wrote this wasn't in the courtroom or even bothered to make a phone call. The judge is allowing Wilson to undergo anger management in Arizona where he is involved in a physical training program.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08088/868761-100.stm
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- "The Convolution with Bill Toland" -- Would Steen, 09:41:16 03/28/08 Fri [1]
http://www.post-gazette.com/multimedia/?videoID=100300
This is the lowest ebb so far of the PG's so-called multimedia efforts. Aside from a horrible musical intro out of "Seinfeld," Toland is a lousy interviewer on camera, with a style best called "NPR Lite." Watching him trying to get something interesting from the local bloggers known as "2 Political Junkies" (actually two boring, lifeless couch potatoes) is as much fun as fingernails across a blackboard or watching paint dry.
The money Block Nation's spent on this BS so far is bad money after bad.
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- Smizik on Steelers controversy -- Viewing from afar, 12:43:18 03/26/08 Wed [2]
Anyone hear anything about the Bob Smizik criticism of Dan Rooney's tortured attempt to explain the difference between James Harrison's and Cedrick Wilson's attacks on their respective significant others. It appears the piece appeared only on the well-hidden Blog N Gold blog on the P-G Web site and was subsequently watered down significantly. Did the Steelers complain? Did Smizik's bosses tell him to back off?
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- Scaife courts Hillary -- Puzz Uld, 06:25:23 03/27/08 Thu [3]
Wow, d'ja see today's 3/27 Trib main story? Never thought I'd see the day that a Dem would be the featured front page story.
Maybe I'm off base but I can only think that Scaife may be doing this for one of two reasons. Both may be goofy (on my part) but considering Scaife's wacky antics, who knows?
1. He is enamoured of Hillary. I could go on and on to explain what I mean with such justifications as sexual deprivation and/or the need to feel control over powerful women. Or maybe just the need to feel a connection to power or those in power. You get the gist. I base this on his history of women and his desperate craving for power.
2. This is attempt to pull the Democratic vote from Obama and secure a Rep. presidency.
If (in my opinion) Obama takes the nomination, you'll probably see a Dem as president. If it's Hillary, nah, too much baggage.
I'm not convinced of either idea but WTF. A not so negative story of Hillary on the Trib's front page?
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- I Quit! -- Noah More, 14:30:27 01/17/08 Thu [31]
This is an invite for ex-tribbers to to tell us why they quit. Not just why, but maybe all the details like the turning point when you decided, what led up to that, how long it took after making the decision and how you did it (what you said to your supervisor or F.Craig, did you give 2 weeks, etc.), and the supervisor's or Craig's reaction.
Careful what you say though if you wish to remain in F.Craig's good graces.
C'mon, this will be fun!
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Replies:
- Re: I Quit! -- PG or Trib, 05:12:40 01/18/08 Fri
- Re: I Quit! -- Pittsburgh Pressed, 06:01:59 01/20/08 Sun
- Re: I Quit! -- Crocuta Nomorda, 06:39:11 01/18/08 Fri
- Re: I Quit! -- #75 on Eric Heyl's list, 13:48:51 01/18/08 Fri
- Re: I Quit! -- Ghost of Trib past, 13:52:28 01/18/08 Fri
- Re: I Quit! -- Promises, Promises, 14:23:59 01/18/08 Fri
- Re: I Quit! -- Day of reckoning for lies, 03:46:26 01/22/08 Tue
- Re: I Quit! -- Elijah Lovejoy's Granddaughter, 07:48:24 01/19/08 Sat
- Re: I Quit! -- Applicant Only, 14:01:52 01/19/08 Sat
- LMAO! -- Soap N. Windoze, 02:10:34 01/21/08 Mon
- Re: I Quit! -- Bright Side, 15:38:01 01/19/08 Sat
- Re: I Quit! -- The under-$20K Trib salary left me in debt, 21:08:59 01/20/08 Sun
- Re: I Quit! -- name dropper, 12:05:07 01/21/08 Mon
- Re: I Quit! -- Deep Esophagus, 14:51:15 03/26/08 Wed
- Re: I Quit! -- Ida Nevergobak, 11:12:44 01/21/08 Mon
- Re: I Quit! -- Dorcas Drummerfields, 18:43:22 01/21/08 Mon
- Re: I Quit! -- Disillusioned, 23:12:31 01/23/08 Wed
- prime example of PG A&E section going downhill -- Peabo Bryson, 10:08:02 03/20/08 Thu [14]
look at this - http://www.postgazette.com/pg/08080/866480-388.stm
Why, oh why do we need a feature this lengthy on some gospel artist who practically no one has ever heard about? On top of that, he's not playing a true concert venue, but at a freaking church in East Liberty.
On top of that, it isn't even writted by a music writer, but someone who puts together some ridiculous and shallow celebrity blog that is pulled off the wires anyway.
Massey, Eberson, et al should be ashamed.
Is this a case of giving a "black artists" equal space?
Is this a case of a writer thinking a story is a good idea and an editor not having the stones to say no?
This singer coming to town for this "concert" is a brief, at best.
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- BCT "Go" tab -- Bucky, 13:31:57 02/10/08 Sun [14]
How much money is the Beaver County Times pissing away on that piece of crap "Go" tab? They had cutbacks, yet they have money to waste on something that looks like a high school paper.
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- The next Charlie Rose? -- Lucy Spiller, 23:08:53 03/23/08 Sun [3]
http://www.post-gazette.com/seen/breakfast/
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- You'd think it was the freakin' Beatles! -- E Street Sweeper, 02:35:49 11/08/07 Thu [13]
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07312/832017-42.stm
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- False Start -- Alcoa, 05:58:19 02/07/08 Thu [24]
Mike White jumped offsides as Terrelle Pryor called an audible on his unnamed sources. Was the PG right to report the score before the game was over? Should it get the same Roughing the Presser penalty that Prisuta received in this forum for fumbling on Russ Grimm as the next Steelers head coach? You make the call.
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- Now this is an embarassing typo -- Ethel Merkin, 16:26:04 03/18/08 Tue [14]
Anyone see the display ad that ran in the Beaver County Times in which a health center urged African Americans to have regular prostate exams because they have a higher incidence rate of "coon cancer."
Ouch!! And I'm not talking about cold hands, doctor.
I get the feeling Leno will pass on this one.
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- Anybody remember Tom Hennessy and the Pittsburgh Forum? -- David, 14:59:30 03/21/08 Fri [1]
The Forum was a local alternative weekly back in the early '70s. Tom Hennessy was its founder and editor. He recently retired from a columnist gig in Long Beach, CA:
http://www.presstelegram.com/ci_7673749
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