My local paper has been ignoring the Libby trial, so I called them.

[Jackpine Radical]

I said to the guy at the editorial desk, "I'd really like to thank you for the fantastic coverage you're giving this trial, where it looks like they're going to maybe implicate the Vice President in serious, impeachable wrongdoing. I'd like to thank you for that story about Ari Fleischer taking the 5th until he got immunity from Fitzgerald."

When the newspaper guy sounded a little confused, I pointed out I had said I would LIKE to thank them. I hadn't said I COULD thank them. He then claimed they had given the story some coverage, but couldn't point out where or when, and mumbled something about having to provide a balance between national and local news, yada, yada. Then I said I saw his point, this story is probly no more important than that 3rd rate burglary of the Watergate back in 1972, etc. He ended up lamely saying he would have his wire guy keep a little closer watch on the story.

I dunno. Maybe I accomplished something, maybe not.

[Catherine Vincent]

1. You never know.

Does your paper lean left or right? But I think I know the answer to that.:)

[rock]

2. Ooooh! You're so mean.

But in a good way.

[tridim]

3. They have a "wire guy"?

There's your problem.

[havocmom]

4. Good job.

DUers all over should pull that tactic if their local dailies aren't reporting this story prominently!

[NanceGreggs]

5. Lovin' it!

That was a BRILLIANT way of handling the situation. A screaming rant would have been dismissed as just another irate customer calling to complain about something. Sarcasm, on the other hand, delivered in an even-tempered tone, tends to drive the point home and stick in the listener's brain.

[redqueen]

9. Excellent point! n/t

[blm]

6. You probably did, J R. Newspaper newsrooms HATE being caught not covering a story.

Whether it gets by the editors and publishers is another story.

[calimary]

27. ABSOLUTELY. I tell ya, at the AP, if we got ONE call from a disgruntled

member station, it sent the newsroom brass into an absolute tizzy. And it got handled. IMMEDIATELY. 'Cause if they're even remotely on the ball there, they're going to figure (correctly) that if YOU call in and complain, that means there are many others who haven't taken the time to call in with the same complaint, but still share that complaint. If you're saying it, other people are thinking it. And they need to know that at your local paper. Otherwise, they're going to assume they're appropriately covering the news for their readers and that those readers are satisfied with the way they're being served. If you're NOT satisfied, they won't know unless you tell them.

If they think you don't care, THEY WON'T, EITHER!!!

[Danascot]

34. I had no idea they would be sensitive to consumer input

Thanks for the insight. I'll be much more likely to sound off if I think I'm going to make a difference.

[redqueen]

7. You did.

You let them know at least ONE person would like some serious news for a change.

:thumbsup:

[TechBear_Seattle]

8. And people call ME passive-aggressive

:yourock:

[Crazy Dave]

10. I noticed NPR wasn't giving it much attention either

:shrug:

[peacetalksforall]

11. Makes me think of stories on DU where concerned DUers talked

to their leaders in Washington about an issue that was being throoughly covered on DU and the leaders answered that they have never heard of the issue.

[Morgana LaFey]

31. That's what scares me. These folks know less than we do, and

they've got STAFF whose job it is to keep them informed.

[Bitwit1234]

12. That's what we have been preaching...we need to pass

the Fairness Doctrine. Again today...some students..ninth grade students have been charged with wanting hundreds of people killed. A note was found in a trash can..trash can yet. And they then charged them.

Now we have ,,,remember,,,, the right wing radio spewer in New Jersey, who over the air waves told his nutso right wing listeners to go out, find the addresses of the democratic members of congress and kill them.
My brother sent an email to the FCC about this and they said well there was nothing they could do it was FREE SPEECH.

What is the difference here can anyone tell me...a note found in a trash can, stupid stupid stupid I admit. These girls are charged with a crime..a rabid republican spewer telling people to kill democrats is ok it is free speech...Damn my head is spinning.

[ThomCat]

13. Hey, good job.

:)

You may have shamed him into actually doing his job.

[badgerpup]

14. I got on my local fishwrapper's ass...

...back in 2005, because there was this nutcase bereaved mom parked out at the Crawford ranch to get some ANSWERS...and not only was she not going to go away, she was gettin' BACKUP.
:wow:
I got a bduh bduh bduh reply on how AP didn't have anything on this particular story, so I said "OK...I'll email you the links to the websites in the OTHER PAPERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY that are carrying this developing story (Mr Macho RightWing Pickup Truck had just dragged chains and bars through "Little Arlingon" that previous night). Be a shame if this turned out big, and you missed it, what?
Ha ha.
Ha ha...

Do I need to use the :sarcasm: icon here?

[Bobbie Jo]

15. Good on ya! n/t

[kskiska]

16. I remember a letter to the editor of our local paper

complaining about all the world and national news on the front page, whereas the reader wanted to see more local news.

[mopinko]

17. probably a plant

sent out from the white house.

[femmedem]

18. That's what I like to hear! My story:

I recently e-mailed the managing editor of my local paper to point out that the headline of Chavez and Ahmadinejad embracing--captioned "Enemies of the State"--was propaganda.

They printed an apology.

On the other hand, when I called after Kerry lost to say, "Hey, there's some nearly impossible discrepancies between the exit polls and the results, and those voting machines are hackable" the editor said, "Kerry loooooost. It's oooooooover." I can still hear him rolling his eyes.


Edit to add: My paper's been good on this trial. Today's headline: Testimony:Cheney led effort to discredit Wilson.

[madokie]

19. you'd never know unless you try

I think its very possible for one person to make a difference

[smoogatz]

20. Would that be the Bleeder Smell-o-gram?

If so, it's wingnut from the ground up. But thanks for rattling their cage a bit, regardless.

[Jackpine Radical]

21. Indeed it is, Smoog.

House organ of WMC.

[hashibabba]

22. Excellent. We need to at least try to get these people to see the

light. You never know if one person will listen to what you say and then act upon it. Good job!

[Vidar]

23. Good try.

[Bucky]

24. You spoke truth to power. Good job.

He'll remember that conversation next time he's sorting thru what wire stories to cut.

[lovuian]

25. Trial of the Century The Spy left out in the Cold is not being

televised ...Congress has let America down
News media again being partners with Bush and Cheney

[Hubert Flottz]

26. "Maybe I accomplished something"

You made me LOL and that's hard to do lately! Hell I might give my local rag a shot of that treatment too!

[Jackpine Radical]

28. If the inimitable Hubert Flottz is having trouble laughing,

these are parlous times indeed.

[Lusted4]

29. Keep us updated if they do start doing their job. nt

[chaska]

30. Unbelievable! ...No, not really.

Keep up the good work.

[mayflower]

32. It Was Your Civic Duty. Good Job. (n/t)

[Kurovski]

33. Good move.

:thumbsup:

Hopefully (and soon) the story will be impossible to ignore.