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We rip on the L.A. Times a lot for the massive amount of advertising it runs on its front page, on the front page of its Web site, and other places. One place we haven’t run them over the coals over is the article pages that often get linked on Google News. Above the ad is another 728x90 ad. So, in other words, you have FOUR ads above the fold. FOUR. And here’s a article about the dangers of buying precious metals from certain firms. And it’s surrounded by ads … that encourage you to buy precious metals. Whoever is on the staff of the ad side of the L.A. Times needs to do some serious thinking about the kind of precedent the heavy advertising creates for their paper. Because, we’ll tell you now – it’s not a good one. source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Aug 2010 19:59

02 Jul 2010 12:03

This L.A. Times ad drew a ton of controversy yesterday because it looks very much like a real newspaper. It fooled a lot of people, to the point that the L.A. County Board of Supervisors criticized the paper for the choice, which the editor is defending. We shouldn’t lower our standards to be misleading like this; it’s wrong, plain and simple. source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 1 Comment • Permalink

She said she didn’t want to be the spokesperson for anything, but unfortunately that’s what she had become.
Los Angeles Times blogs editor Tony Pierce • Regarding the pain sportswriter Christine Daniels, a transsexual formerly known as Mike Penner, eventually felt towards her very public identity change. Initially, Daniels wanted to use her status as a L.A. Times reporter to make the change a megaphone, but later felt so pressured by the change that she changed back to Penner and eventually broke many of her ties to the transgender community. Penner killed himself last year. Many Times reporters still won’t talk about the incident, including the brother and ex-wife he worked with. source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

I’d like to suggest that CNN, in parting ways this week with its most opinionated host, Lou Dobbs, may be planting the seeds of its resurrection and holding out the possibility that around-the-clock broadcasting doesn’t have to mean around-the-clock spin.
L.A. Times media columnist James Rainey • Discussing CNN’s move to objectivity thanks to the departure of Lou Dobbs and the subsequent scheduling of John King. Rainey suggests that the constant spin cycle on other networks is getting tiring for many who might just want good journalism – you know, the kind CNN used to do back in the day. “If CNN fortifies the information meal,” he suggests, “I think King could prove correct.” Considering the votes our poll got today, it seems a lot of ShortFormBlog’s readers agree with his assessment. • source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink