Another Perspective

[Harry]

http://meangreen.beloblog.com/

[FirefightnRick]

I want to believe that once the factfindings are over(and when that is we may never know?) that the vindication will be front page news. Channel 4 did a great service to our program tonight. More of that please.

Rick

[SilverEagle]

To Todd Jorgenson.

Dear Todd. As to your problems/concerns about "page-layout-decision-making-I-have-other-people-wanting-coverage-for-their-own-schools etc" .....BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

You made the decision to run the negative story on the front page. And since journalist are bound by ethics* to present fair and balanced coverage of any story, your explaination holds absolutely no water with me. I'm very sorry that the other side of the story did not come around at a more convenient time for you. But if a professional is conducting himself in an ethical manner, he/she should give both sides of the story the same placement in the paper. Otherwise the person making the decision about story placement is essentially BIASED.

This is a story that can, and will, effect Coach Dodge's chosen profession. As far as I'm concerned, when you made the decision to run it in the first place, you made an ethical decision to cover it in a fair and unbiased manner.......and (IMHO) that includes placement of the story(s).

*Am I making a big assumption about journalist being bound by ethics?.

Edited November 6, 2007 by SilverEagle

[DeepGreen]

To Todd Jorgenson.

Dear Todd. As to your problems/concerns about "page-layout-decision-making-I-have-other-people-wanting-coverage-for-their-own-schools etc" .....BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

You made the decision to run the negative story on the front page. And since journalist are bound by ethics* to present fair and balanced coverage of any story, your explaination holds absolutely no water with me. I'm very sorry that the other side of the story did not come around at a more convenient time for you. But if a professional is conducting himself in an ethical manner, he/she should give both sides of the story the same placement in the paper. Otherwise the person making the decision about story placement is essentially BIASED.

This is a story that can, and will, effect Coach Dodge's chosen profession. As far as I'm concerned, when you made the decision to run it in the first place, you made an ethical decision to cover it in a fair and unbiased manner.......and (IMHO) that includes placement of the story(s).

*Am I making a big assumption about journalist being bound by ethics?.

Did you email the lad? Way to go SilverEagle

[Guest JohnDenver]

Did you email the lad? Way to go SilverEagle

The editor's response was a punt.

Translated: "You can't possibly understand, or have valid opinions, regarding how we lay out our newspaper. You are just lucky to have any UNT coverage, because some readers suggest we cover high school and Big 12 over the local universities."

[MeanGreenZen]

I would like to know how many hits the DRC website gets on its volleyball stories vs. how many hits it has gotten on the allegations against Dodge. That should answer the question of what should have been on the front page. Girls high school playoff volleyball? Ridiculous.

[GreenBat]

This is for those who subscribe to the Denton Record-Chronicle, which is owned by Belo Corp, only. If you are unhappy with the placement of the positive story. Then CANCEL your subscription and tell them why.

This is for those who subscribe to the Dallas Morning News, which is also owned by Belo Corp. If you are unhappy with the placement of the positive story in the Denton Record-Chronicle. CANCEL your subscription to the Morning News and tell them why.

If you are a arbitrion ratings household and you are unhappy with the placement of the positive storiy in the DRC, then DON'T watch channel 8 news at 5, 6 or 10 p.m. November is sweeps month, where the news stations set their advertising rates. If you DON'T watch then you will affect their bottom dollar.

If you live in another market other than Dallas/Fort Worth and there is a Belo owned subsidiary (newspaper or TV station), either CANCEL your subscription to the newspaper or DON'T watch their news this month and be sure to tell them why.

Show the power of the MEAN GREEN NATION and hit them where it hurts, the bottom line.

Brett Tulloss

[UNTLifer]

Interesting. I posted a reply comment to Mr. Jorgensen's blog entry that they have chosen not to put in the paper. My comments were, in summary form, as follows:

1. Big 12 coverage? You are a Denton paper located in the same town as North Texas which is the largest employer in town and not a member of the Big 12. Big 12 coverage can be found in the Dallas Morning News for the folks requesting this coverage for the front page.

2. Middle School Sports? They don't play on Fridays, so there is no need for coverage on a Saturday.

3. High School Sports? They deserve front page coverage on Saturday, but so does news of NT's game that day. Besides, this was a bye week for NT. Either use the space that is usually set aside to preview the game, or wait until Sunday and use the usual front page space were you cover the game to print this story.

4. NASCAR Coverage? These folks visit the area twice a year, and while we enjoy the money they bring to the area, shouldn't you cater to your customer that supports the paper on an annual basis. The NASCAR coverge could be relegated to page 2 or 4 for that matter.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Lifer, those look like pretty valid points to me.

[Smitty]

I believe the press has been fair and balanced thus far. HOWEVER, there is a critical step which the press needs to take: follow this story to conclusion. Don't let this drift off the radar and fade away, because the media has a really bad habit of doing just that.

It is completely reasonable to expect the media to keep after this story, and specifically to keep after the NAACP until its investigation is completed and the results of the investigation are made public. In a situation this volatile, it's not acceptable for any investigating body to drag its feet or fail to release its conclusions. The accusations have been made public, so a public conclusion is called for.

I do not know if the NAACP would or would not announce their findings if those findings were negative. But if they conclude that no racism took place, then that damn well needs to come out. The media needs to stay at this and keep asking questions until they get answers.

Gentle prodding - IN RESPECTFUL TONES - of the press to keep asking questions is appropriate. The media does sometimes listen to its readers. They tune out angry, fist-shaking, conspiratorial rants, but reasonable and intelligent opinions are at least listened to.

So keep up the drum beat - the DRC and other media need to keep asking questions. And if the DRC fails to pursue this story, or fails to publish the conclusion on Page 1, then, yes, that would unquestionably be unfair and unbalanced coverage.

[H-towngreen]

The thing keeping this going right now is the NAACP. These allegations were brought forth last week, and still nothing has been done. Are they even coming to NT to talk to anyone? The longer this goes on is both good and bad for NT. The good is that the NAACP probally doesn't see this matter as holding water. The bad there is no conclusion to the allegations.

[rcade]

I would like to know how many hits the DRC website gets on its volleyball stories vs. how many hits it has gotten on the allegations against Dodge. That should answer the question of what should have been on the front page. Girls high school playoff volleyball? Ridiculous.

Prep sports sell a lot of papers. Editors also catch hell for leaving out one area school when giving others play. I'm not agreeing with the editor's decision, but speaking as a former journalist, I think people don't realize that prep stuff is important to readers too.

[KingDL1]

The thing keeping this going right now is the NAACP. These allegations were brought forth last week, and still nothing has been done. Are they even coming to NT to talk to anyone? The longer this goes on is both good and bad for NT. The good is that the NAACP probally doesn't see this matter as holding water. The bad there is no conclusion to the allegations.

NAACP loves drama and center stage the more attention they can get the better they feel it is for them.

[Mean Green 93-98]

NAACP loves drama and center stage the more attention they can get the better they feel it is for them.

I think we had better see how this plays out before we go impugning selfish motives to the NAACP in this particular case. If there are some things they need to look into before they make their visit, by all means. I believe in this case, the more careful and thorough the investigation, the more thoroughly Coach Dodge and his staff will be exonerated.

[centex eagle]

The DCR needs to respond to North Texas in the same maner as the Bryan paper does the university located in their readership area--as a mainly positive promoter of the university that IS the reason the city exists in the first place.

[Quoner]

The DCR needs to respond to North Texas in the same maner as the Bryan paper does the university located in their readership area--as a mainly positive promoter of the university that IS the reason the city exists in the first place.

They really need to just merge with the NT Daily and report into the SID. It would make life so much easier.

[UNTFan23]

Interesting. I posted a reply comment to Mr. Jorgensen's blog entry that they have chosen not to put in the paper. My comments were, in summary form, as follows:

1. Big 12 coverage? You are a Denton paper located in the same town as North Texas which is the largest employer in town and not a member of the Big 12. Big 12 coverage can be found in the Dallas Morning News for the folks requesting this coverage for the front page.

2. Middle School Sports? They don't play on Fridays, so there is no need for coverage on a Saturday.

3. High School Sports? They deserve front page coverage on Saturday, but so does news of NT's game that day. Besides, this was a bye week for NT. Either use the space that is usually set aside to preview the game, or wait until Sunday and use the usual front page space were you cover the game to print this story.

4. NASCAR Coverage? These folks visit the area twice a year, and while we enjoy the money they bring to the area, shouldn't you cater to your customer that supports the paper on an annual basis. The NASCAR coverge could be relegated to page 2 or 4 for that matter.

You can view this on the meangreen blog right now (I promise I'm not protesting the DRC in saying this). I've noticed it does take upwards of 12 (or more) hours to get a comment posted.

[Smitty]

The DCR needs to respond to North Texas in the same maner as the Bryan paper does the university located in their readership area--as a mainly positive promoter of the university that IS the reason the city exists in the first place.

But why stop there? Let's make the Austin American Statesman a mainly positive promoter of Gov Perry, the Wall Street Journal a mainly positive promoter of investment bankers, and the Washington Post a mainly positive promoter of the federal government!

And you'll never in your life actually learn anything that you really need to know! Congratulations, you've discovered blissful ignorance!

[eulessismore]

I believe the press has been fair and balanced thus far. HOWEVER, there is a critical step which the press needs to take: follow this story to conclusion. Don't let this drift off the radar and fade away, because the media has a really bad habit of doing just that.

It is completely reasonable to expect the media to keep after this story, and specifically to keep after the NAACP until its investigation is completed and the results of the investigation are made public. In a situation this volatile, it's not acceptable for any investigating body to drag its feet or fail to release its conclusions. The accusations have been made public, so a public conclusion is called for.

I do not know if the NAACP would or would not announce their findings if those findings were negative. But if they conclude that no racism took place, then that damn well needs to come out. The media needs to stay at this and keep asking questions until they get answers.

Gentle prodding - IN RESPECTFUL TONES - of the press to keep asking questions is appropriate. The media does sometimes listen to its readers. They tune out angry, fist-shaking, conspiratorial rants, but reasonable and intelligent opinions are at least listened to.

So keep up the drum beat - the DRC and other media need to keep asking questions. And if the DRC fails to pursue this story, or fails to publish the conclusion on Page 1, then, yes, that would unquestionably be unfair and unbalanced coverage.

I must agree with Smitty on this one; the "REQUIRED" front page story should be the one which details the pounding of the nails into the coffin of the original story, the one about the complaint. I'm reminded of this quote from the movie "Shipping News", where the veteran newsman is indoctrinating the wannabe reporter on headline writing:

Billy: It's finding the center of your story, the beating heart of it, that's what makes a reporter. You have to start by making up some headlines. You know: short, punchy, dramatic headlines. Now, have a look, what do you see?

[Points at dark clouds at the horizon]

Billy: Tell me the headline.

Quoyle: Horizon Fills With Dark Clouds?

Billy: Imminent Storm Threatens Village.

Quoyle: But what if no storm comes?

Billy: Village Spared From Deadly Storm.

And yes, I do believe the (Mean Green) Village will be spared from the deadly storm!

Edited November 7, 2007 by eulessismore

[flyeater]

"Our coverage of the current investigation surrounding the UNT coaching staff has been as fair, thorough and even-handed as you'll find anywhere."

That's crap. Those players never had a shred of basis for any of their allegations, yet the DRC wouldn't or couldn't report the facts of what really happened on that sideline. They continued to beat Green's drum of "I'm suspended because I used the word hood." They were manipulated by disgruntled players who only told half the story, and they failed to confirm what really went on down there during the MT game, at least until the damage was done. They're proud of themselves because Green reached out to their paper, claiming racial bias without a single instance to back it up. Fair, my ass.

Their solution? Go find several ex-players or colleagues nearly a week later and run it on page 4. I don't have a problem with friends, etc. of Dodge venting or otherwise, but they can provide little or no factual context to absolve the coaching staff (from a public perception standpoint), other than their own personal experiences. It was a cheap, easy way to get back into Dodge's/UNT's good graces without actually getting to the heart of the matter, which is:

1. Green and Chatman seem to think since the coaching staff is "out of touch" with hip-hop culture, dress or language, they must be racist for holding every player (black, white, brown or green) to the same standard.

2. Green and Chatman are very immature. They are football players and UNT students, not rap stars who answer only to themselves.

3. Green and Chatman put their personal identities, wants and needs ahead of the team concept.

4. Green and Chatman managed to manipulate a week's worth of superfluous media coverage out of a very damaging non-issue.

5. They're idiots.

Edited November 7, 2007 by flyeater

[H-towngreen]

Does anyone know when the NAACP is supposed to be coming to town? This is over a week old now and nothing has come of it. At this point I highly doubt that they are even going to do so. I'm assuming that they heard the complaints filed and laughed.

[flyeater]

Does anyone know when the NAACP is supposed to be coming to town? This is over a week old now and nothing has come of it. At this point I highly doubt that they are even going to do so. I'm assuming that they heard the complaints filed and laughed.

Startlegram said today they have postponed two campus visits with the players. Maybe letting the school handle it and backing off?

[GreenBat]

Startlegram said today they have postponed two campus visits with the players. Maybe letting the school handle it and backing off?

The NAACP is attempting to drag this out so someone with a credible complaint will come forward. I don't think that is going to happen, so what are Green, Chatman and Oubre going to do then. Will they apologize? Will they come out and say they lied? or Will they do nothing and expect life to go on as usual?

I would hope the NAACP makes them apologize when these charges are found to be without merit.

[greenminer]

Supposedly Dodge has left the door open for them to return. "if" this blows over, and they want to play, what would happen?

[Smitty]

Supposedly Dodge has left the door open for them to return. "if" this blows over, and they want to play, what would happen?

That could be an incredibly tense situation, but it might be a good way to defuse the accusations.