PD Doubles Down on "Vocal Minority" Rhetoric

[Michael Deneen]

As expected, NEOMG published a very flawed editorial endorsing the destruction of Lakewood Hospital.
Their representative ignored facts that were presented by "Save Lakewood Hospital".

NEOMG spotlights its ignorance of our city by continuing to insist that opponents of the deal are a "vocal minority".
They obviously have not driven down any Lakewood streets in recent weeks.

I agree with them about the "vocal" part.
But if it's really a "minority", then why has the PD devoted TWO editorials to attack the group?
Also, if it's just a minority, why was the LOI allowed to expire?

http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index. ... d_hos.html

[Alex Belisle]

This is the comment I wrote re: editorial

"As a new Lakewood citizen recently moved from NYC where I was a member of their press corps, I know how some editorial boards work and I have a sneaky feeling that the Cleveland Clinic is wielding tacit power behind the scenes with its medical mega-status and financial muscle. Hopefully this is not the case but considering the fact that the Clinic is eagerly moving forward to build a hospital in a richer demographic area (Avon), one wonders? Can't blame them for doing what they do - it's all about the bottom line, isn't it?

Hmm . . . what's that thing called the Hippocratic oath? oh yes, "provide medical aid to those who can best afford it" "

[Brian Essi]

Did the PD spend the money to do a poll in Lakewood to determine the alleged minority? No it just repeated Summers' delusional claims.

Did the PD write that the Clinic ought to be embarrassed about losing $500K per month because of the premature announced closing of Lakewood Hospital and the Clinic's own mismanagement?
No it just printed an editorial endorsing the Summers/Clinic horrid plan and demeaning those who appose it.

Why is the PD concerned about $75K being spent by City Council and not doing an investigation of the tens of millions LHA gives CCF each year without check or balance?

Peter Krouse told me that City Council is just spending money on Huron Consulting to "cover their butts" because of the Save Lakewood Hospital pressure.

I guess he thinks just like Mayor Summers and Council President Madigan i.e. Councilmembers are just stupid if they can't see things the way the "elite" do sitting on their pillars looking down at us in the "minority"

Its so sad that Summers and the Clinic cling emotionally to the PD and Sun Post when the "paradigm of change" in Lakewood's media makes the PD obsolete and the Observer the present and future source for facts and diversity of opinion.

[m buckley]

Well they hit the talking points. I'll focus on one. "Let's hope reason not emotion dictates the outcome". Clearly it is a point of emphasis for Team Summers that they are in sole possession of reason. The suggestion that the doctors, lawyers, accountants, and the rest of the hard working people who want to save Lakewood Hospital have stumbled through life fuelled on emotion, is not only insulting but carries with it that special stamp of Mike Summers. Mike Summers he knows what's best. He stays clear-headed while the children around him melt down. How did Jim Kenny put it... " I trust Mayor Summers. I believe he has acted like the patriarch we elected. And like a parent, he is considerate and responsible to those he asks to follow him." I have no doubt that Mike Summers and Mr. Kenny believe that. But here's an awkward fact for Mr. Kenny, Mike Summers might be your Daddy but he's not mine. This process has stunk from the very beginning, that the P.D has put it's stamp of approval on what the Cleveland Clinic wants, changes nothing. It's the obsequious response of a dying paper.

[Bill Call]

This process has stunk from the very beginning, that the P.D has put it's stamp of approval on what the Cleveland Clinic wants, changes nothing. It's the obsequious response of a dying paper.

The Plain Dealer can't be trusted to report honestly on this issue. Much like our Mayor they are committed to supporting a policy they don't understand and can't explain. They are reduced to name calling and disinformation.

Month ago the Mayor promised a "point by point" rebuttal of arguments against the deal. He has yet to do it.

"Experts" like to pretend that they are the masters of the universe and those that disagree with them don't understand the issues and are driven by emotion. It's an attitude that is shared by "leaders" around the world. It's one reason so many of our political institutions are becoming actively anti-democratic.

This might seem an odd comparison but it is not:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comm ... reece.html

[cameron karslake]

Can anyone tell me where to find this new editorial? It didn't seem to be in Wednesday's (6/17) Forum section. Was it only online? Last Sunday's edition?

[Marguerite Harkness]

Cameron,

The editorial went on yesterday 6/17. It is on Cleveland.com, go to the Plain Dealer, go all the way down the page to the Regional section, click Lakewood, and you'll find it there - along with about 20 comments from folks who understand what's really going on (well, a couple folks in Virginia don't "get it", but who would expect them to?).

[Bill Grulich]

Can anyone tell me where to find this new editorial? It didn't seem to be in Wednesday's (6/17) Forum section. Was it only online? Last Sunday's edition?

Here is the link: http://bit.ly/1dMBcq8

[Bill Call]

Can anyone tell me where to find this new editorial? It didn't seem to be in Wednesday's (6/17) Forum section. Was it only online? Last Sunday's edition?

I think the PD felt some pressure to produce another editorial about the closing of Lakewood Hospital. I also think they are under pressure to under report the story itself. A lot of people don't know what is going on, a lot of people believe the lies the Mayor tells and a lot of people think the Hospital is already closed.

A series of articles that reported the facts as uncovered by the volunteers of Save Lakewood Hospital would have embarrassed the Cleveland Clinic, put at risk the Mayors plans and put at risk the PD's entire regionalist agenda.

The PD hasn't been a real newspaper for quite some time. For some strange reason I still expect them to act like one. I guess I'm a slow learner.

[Michael Deneen]

I also think they are under pressure to under report the story itself.

I have many friends and family members in journalism (including at the PD), and there are a few factors in play:

1. Deck readers love and cherish Lakewood. However, for the PD Lakewood represents less than two percent of the Northeast Ohio market. We only get ink if there is a very high profile story (gay flagpoles, eminent domain, etc.) Folks in Sandusky, Ashtabula, North Canton, and Willoughby generally don't give a hoot in hell what happens here.

2. The newspaper industry has been decimated by the loss of advertising revenue. Websites like Craigslist have destroyed the market for classified ads, and commercial advertisers are moving to online or direct mail.

Loss of revenue means fewer reporters. This means:

2a. Fewer reporters means that fewer stories get covered. There aren't enough bodies to cover all the local communities. For example, as the "Sun News" system consolidated reporters were asked to cover numerous cities, not just one or two. Sun papers have become ridiculously homogenous over the years.

2b. The fewer reporters that remain are in tremendous fear of losing their jobs. They can't afford to alienate the people that they cover, because that would reduce access to potential scoopss.
In two cases (The Cleveland Browns and the Cleveland Orchestra), reporters were fired/pushed out for "offending" their subjects.
You won't see reporting like Woodward and Bernstein anymore. The Jimmy Dimora story, for example, was broken by the FBI, not the PD.

In many cases, reporters leave newspapers and work PR for their former subjects. One of my fellow Northwestern alums just left the PD Health beat to join MetroHealth. Another NU alum left the PD and now works in local government. One Chicago sportswriter lost his job, and was hired by NU to write fluff PR pieces for their Athletic Department.
If you are worried about losing your present position and want to land a safe job in the future, you can't afford to irritate potential employers.

My brother-in-law lost his Environmental Reporter job when the Seattle Post-Intelligencer closed a few years ago. He had to launch his own foundation...there are no newspapers willing to hire hard-nosed investigators that would alienate corporate advertisers.

[Alex Belisle]

"...there are no newspapers willing to hire hard-nosed investigators that would alienate corporate advertisers."

How true ! Advertising money is a driving force in contemporary print media.

[Jim O'Bryan]

"...there are no newspapers willing to hire hard-nosed investigators that would alienate corporate advertisers."

How true ! Advertising money is a driving force in contemporary print media.

Well most of it, but not all of it.


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[Brian Essi]

...there are no newspapers willing to hire hard-nosed investigators that would alienate corporate advertisers.[/quote]


Peter Krouse was apoplectic when I told him he had to cower to his "client and corporate advertiser" i.e. the Clinic. He must hate the Clinic because they own him---if what I said wasn't true he would have laughed at me instead of crowing.

[Bill Call]

...there are no newspapers willing to hire hard-nosed investigators that would alienate corporate advertisers.

I don't think the Clinic or Mayor want this issue covered in any way. The more people that find out about the deal the worse it is for them.

The real danger is that the Mayor pushes through a bad deal and leaves the new Mayor a vacant hospital without any customers.

[Jim O'Bryan]

The real danger is that the Mayor pushes through a bad deal and leaves the new Mayor a vacant hospital without any customers.

Bill

This is why many are now starting to wonder if someone should step in and stop the entire
deal, and the city from doing anything outside of "needed services." Back talk is doubling
down, and push, push, push.

PS - In America, the only people that can be "owned" are those that want to be owned.

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