JOURNALISM
Media General Inc. today announced that it is selling 63 newspapers, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch, to Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. for $142 million.
Television station CBS 6 WTVR-TV reported that a city official said the city was obligated to build a studio. The city official denied making the statement. WTVR-TV maintains their report is accurate because of language in the ordinance.
There are two problems with this. First, WTVR-TV is wrong to cite a person as the source of a statement found in a document. Second, WTVR-TV is wrong that the statement is in the ordinance. The statement is in a non-binding “intracity correspondence.” Neither the ordinance nor the franchise agreement specify that the city must build a studio.
From: “Wallace, Michael – OPS”
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 5:33 PM
Subject: RE: Cable Franchise Agreement
Thank you for your e-mail. The CBS6 news report was done in error and is misleading, as I never stated that the City was required by ordinance to build a television studio.
As there are no records in existence that are relative to your request, this concludes my response to your Virginia Freedom of Information Act records request.
Thank you.
Michael Wallace
Public Information Manager III
Office of the Press Secretary to the Mayor
City of Richmond
900 East Broad Street, Suite 404
Richmond, VA 23219
The Richmond Times-Dispatch is raising eyebrows with its Sunday front page–or, rather, the full-page ad that took the place of the front page.
via Richmond Times-Dispatch Ad On Front Page Leaves Staff ‘Shocked’ (PHOTO, POLL).
Media General Inc.’s Richmond Media Group laid off 20 employees from its local operations Wednesday because of an ongoing slump in advertising revenue that has hit print media especially hard.
The job cuts primarily affected the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The newsroom, advertising and marketing departments lost employees, as did circulation and support functions at its Hanover production plant.
via Richmond Media Group cuts 20 jobs | Richmond Times-Dispatch.
So what happened to the T-D’s great black hope? Since the ascension of Proctor, 64, the newspaper has become a shell of its former self.
Watchdogs are stirring up Richmond government.
via styleweekly.com Vernal Coleman, Don Harrison; Photos by Scott Elmquist
Today’s Richmond Times Dispatch article by Will Jones about a towing rate increase fails to explore the main questions. The paper did, however, include another article by Mr. Jones praising the city’s Chief Administrative Officer–who wants the rate increase.
Mr. Jones, ask these questions:
Is it open government when towing contract files are lost?
Is it open government when the towing contract audit is unavailable?
Is it true that the towing rate in 2009 was $65.
Is it fair to charge the vehicle owner $95?
Is it fair to give the towing company additional profit?
Is it fair for the towing company to use a non-compete clause for city towing work?
Is it wise for City Council to ignore these questions?
If you know of any improprieties in government or business, or have ideas of investigations that should be pursued, I encourage you to contact any of us with your tips and suggestions.
John Hoke is The Times-Dispatch’s Metro editor. Contact him at (804) 649-6344 or jhoke@timesdispatch.com.
via timesdispatch.com.
City of Richmond, Virginia
“Our goal is to maintain our strong breaking-news reporting while increasing our watchdog and enterprise reporting and expanding our reach into social media,” said Glenn Proctor, vice president and executive editor of The Times-Dispatch. timesdispatch.com