07 February 2008
Chron covers three week old news
On January 18th, KUHF-88.7's Jim Bell reported that the Harris County Housing Authority was taking on national responsibility for those displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
Yesterday, almost three weeks later, the Chron's Mike Snyder filed a story on the subject:
Tiny Houston housing agency takes on national job
11,000 Katrina families across U.S. will be helped by group noted for its expertiseA small, Houston-based agency with 25 employees has been chosen to administer housing assistance for about 11,000 families around the country who were displaced by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Except that it's not Houston's Housing Authority that is administering the national program; it's Harris County's Housing Authority, which is noted in the second paragraph. There is a difference.
It's questionable whether Houston's Housing Authority would be up to the task, but then again, Houston's Daily Information Source isn't up to its task either.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 02/07/08 08:27 PM |
31 January 2008
Editorial LiveJournalists (finally) comment on Schatte, Surface arrests
On January 25, news broke that the FBI had arrested Andrew Schatte and Michael Surface on corruption charges.
Today, the Chronicle Editorial LiveJournalists finally got around to commenting on the matter.
It's nice to see the Editorial LiveJournalists are as timely as ever in "leading [their] daily discussion with Chronicle readers."
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/31/08 11:50 PM |
29 January 2008
Chron Eye for the (formerly) anti-Semitic black activist guy
It took two reporters and one photographer to work up this makeover of Quanell the Tenth.
The editorial decision-making that goes on at the Chronicle is just astounding.
BLOGVERSATION: Laurence Simon
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/29/08 08:32 PM |
23 January 2008
Chron metro columnist follows up on Alice (TX) puppy
A few weeks ago, Chronicle metro columnist Rick Casey posted what was basically a rewrite of various stories from the Alice (TX) Echo News Journal on an odd fight over a puppy (he did credit the newspaper, which isn't always the case).
Casey has followed up by taking a cue from the Chron Froot Loop bureau, and has posted a rewrite of the most recent developments in the great Alice puppy caper, as reported by Corpus Christi television news reporter Gabe Caggiano.
We're still not sure why the Houston Chronicle (whose diminutive editor sometimes emphasizes "Houston") employs an alleged hotshot metro columnist to rewrite reporting from small-market Texas newspapers and television stations, but maybe some readers find it compelling.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/23/08 10:55 PM |
16 January 2008
Chron's Stiles assumes new role
Carolyn Feibel posts that reporter Matt Stiles will be moving on from the City Hall beat to a wider-ranging role at the Chronicle:
Yes, folks, the rumors are true. Matt has moved on from the City Hall beat. Or so he claims. But he's going to keep his stick in the fire -- as the Chronicle's government watchdog reporter here in Houston, he'll be reporting on city, county and even state government and doing what he does best: keeping our taxpayer-funded officials and workers on their toes.
Congratulations to Stiles, who has already done his fair share of this type of reporting on the City Hall beat and will no doubt produce some excellent local journalism now that he has the watchdog remit.
It's also a nice move by the Chronicle, which could do a much better job at this sort of reporting in the area -- especially Harris County. We are pretty sure Stiles will not be imitating some of his colleagues at 801 Texas Avenue, whose idea of watchdog reporting seems to be following around the local TV guys.
BLOGVERSATION: Lose an Eye, It's a Sport.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/16/08 08:19 PM |
15 January 2008
Chron.com's front page
...has a new look.
First impression: You have to scroll (way) down to find the local headlines -- past the reader photos and blogs, past the video section, and past the news bizarre and celebrity buzz sections.
Which makes sense, I suppose, since that's the direction the Chronicle has been heading for quite a while now -- less substance and more fluff.
Anyway, what do you think of the makeover?
BLOGVERSATION: TBIFOC.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 01/15/08 07:19 PM |
13 January 2008
Chron Froot Loop Bureau gets more sophisticated
We haven't seen much lately from Chronicle's Froot Loop Bureau, which once featured writers who seemingly watched the morning TV news with their breakfast and then posted accounts of their TV watching to Chron.com.
It seems that the Froot Loop Bureau has now adopted somewhat of a different tactic when it comes to letting the TV guys do the initial work for them: Just fire off public information requests asking for all the stuff previously requested by the TV guys.
Nice!
Even nicer is the declaration that the correspondent is "a journalist" and that any questions about the request should be communicated via email or phone. Because that's more timely, after all.
That Froot Loop Bureau doesn't miss any tricks!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/13/08 09:29 PM |
02 January 2008
Cohen: "The name of this newspaper is the Houston Chronicle...."
In the January 2008 Texas Monthly, Paul Burka writes about reductions in the size of the Austin press corps. His story includes snippets of a conversation with Chronicle editor Jeff Cohen:
I called Jeff Cohen, the editor of the Chronicle, to ask him about the reduction in the paper’s coverage, including the layoffs at the Hearst bureau. “I don’t feel bad about having only six reporters covering the Capitol,” he said. “Texas Monthly only has one in Houston, the nation’s fourth-largest city. The name of this newspaper is the Houston Chronicle, not the ‘Austin Chronicle.’ We often put Austin stories on the front page in session and out of session when they relate to the leadership or they involve watchdog reporting.” A lot of political stories, he said, can be covered with local reporters, such as a recent piece on the unfulfilled promise of electric deregulation. He acknowledged the financial pressures newspapers face: “Advertisers are unsure about where to spend their dollars in a fragmented media marketplace. That will resolve itself eventually, but in the meantime there’s a pressure to cut costs.”
In the long term, my concern, like Jefferson’s, is government without newspapers. How will people in Brownsville and Harlingen and McAllen know what they’re not reading about what’s happening in state government? They won’t. How will Speaker Tom Craddick’s claims to absolute power affect legislative races around the state if the media don’t remind the public of the controversy? Beyond these questions lies another: Will there still be newspapers—or newspaper readers—in the digital age?
Jeff Cohen says yes. “Chronicle home delivery is up,” he told me. “We’ve sold more college subscriptions in Austin, College Station, and Waco in each of the last three years. As long as there are informed and educated readers, there will be a place for newspapers.
So, how much better might the Chronicle be able to cover the Houston area AND Texas if the newspaper were to shutter its expensive (and ineffectual) Washington bureau and redeploy some of the resources to local and regional coverage?
We agree with Cohen that yes, the newspaper's base is the Houston area, and that means it should focus on Houston. Most people don't pick up the Chronicle to see what its stellar D.C. bureau is reporting. But they do pick it up to see what's going on in the area (and for coupons!). And if the Chron is truly selling more subscriptions in Austin, College Station, and Waco, then it suggests the newspaper should be broadening its regional/state coverage, not cutting it.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 01/02/08 10:22 AM |
20 December 2007
Jeff Cohen named NPF editor of the year
Word reaches us that Chronicle editor Jeff Cohen has been named Editor of the Year by the National Press Foundation.
Here is an excerpt from the organization's announcement:
Jeff Cohen joined the Houston Chronicle in June 2002 as executive vice president and editor, overseeing the newspaper’s English and Spanish editions and its Web site, chron.com.
Under his leadership, each section of the paper has seen a marked change. There is a greater emphasis on lively, engaging writing and a tighter focus on local topical issues as well as the broad themes that define the nation’s fourth largest city. During his tenure, the features and sports sections have been recognized by their peers as among the best in the country. The newspaper, along with its accompanying Web site, has been redesigned top to bottom. It has added a sister Spanish-language weekly, La Voz, and successfully launched niche publications in fashion and health.
Cohen directed the Chronicle’s coverage of some of the biggest news events in Houston’s recent history: hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Enron trials, the space shuttle Columbia disaster and a scandal in the police department’s DNA lab that resulted in the release from prison of three innocent men.
Cohen also has embraced the digital revolution. Over the last five years, chron.com has grown into one of the top newspaper Web sites for breaking news, video features, staff and reader blogs and overall reader interaction. The site’s animated editorial cartoons have attracted national attention and made the newspaper’s cartoonist a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2007.
Some of us who actually read the newspaper carefully on a daily basis can't help but wonder about that praise of the features and sports sections (or for that matter, the irony of praising the HPD crime lab reporting by Steve McVicker, who is no longer with the newspaper due to the latest round of layoffs); but then again, we aren't the sorts of pros who determine these sorts of awards. Under Cohen's leadership, though, there is no doubt that the newspaper has stressed its online presence (and breaking news online), and it has also reworked its Austin bureau in a sensible way -- both positives.
The awards ceremony will apparently take place in February in Washington, D.C. We hope that the weather allows the editor a good round of golf while he's in the D.C. area (on the NPF's dime!). Maybe Julie Mason can even liveblog the awards ceremony, and give her boss the sort of treatment she regularly gives other important world leaders!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 12/20/07 09:36 AM |
19 December 2007
Chron.com: Sorry, no such article. Thanks for visiting!
I've mentioned before how annoying it is that the links to articles on Chron.com go dead after a week or two, and then you have to use Chron.com's frustrating search engine to find an article. I usually give up or try Google because I've had so little luck with the search flaw feature.
At the top of the Blog Watch section on the Opinion page of Chron.com is a link to a Houston Strategies post, "Houston's new air service to the world." If you click on the very first link to a Chron story about Emirates kicking off nonstop air service to Dubai, here is what pops up:
No such article.
We're sorry, but the article you requested is not currently available on Chron.com.
If it's an older article that you had bookmarked, you may be able to find it in the archives.If you got to this page from a current link on our site, then it's an error. In this case, the system has automatically detected and logged the error, but you can email [email protected] to report additional information or if you have any questions.
Thank you for visiting Chron.com!
Nice.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 12/19/07 05:15 AM |
It's not a Pulitzer, but it's something (cont'd)
Regret the Error, a blog that keeps track of media errors and corrections, has done its year-end list of best media oopses, and has awarded the Chronicle Typo of the Year:
The Houston Chronicle, like just about every other North American media outlet, spent a lot of time reporting on Anna Nicole Smith this past year. In attempting to explain her, um, humble origins, the paper gave itself a measure of comeuppance. And that’s what makes it the typo of the year.
A photo caption in the paper read:
“When Redding, a longtime scout for Playboy, discovered Smith, the model could barely right a sentence…”
Who’s illiterate now?
We're so proud.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 12/19/07 05:00 AM |
18 December 2007
The return of the Froot Loops Bureau!
Cory Crow alerts us to this dispatch from the Chronicle's Kevin Moran, who apparently is manning the Froot Loops Desk (or should that be the Froot Loops Breakfast Nook?) this morning:
Inbound commuters should avoid the North Freeway this morning after a pickup truck caught fire near Interstate 10.
The fire was confirmed at 6:09 a.m. and traffic remained mired in the area after 7 a.m., according to Houston TranStar. Televised reports showed the pickup engulfed in flames and an attached trailer destroyed. Firefighters arrived at about 6:23 a.m. and quickly doused the blaze. Fire crews did not clear the scene until 7:35, according to TranStar.
Those televised reports go well with breakfast!
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 12/18/07 08:35 AM |
11 December 2007
Spivak: Chron reporter borrows without attribution (updated)
HouStoned's Todd Spivak noticed something interesting in Todd Ackerman's story about salt and nutrition in today's Chronicle:
Here is reporter Todd Ackerman putting salt into context:
“Suspicions about salt are not new. In 2,500 B.C., physicians in China warned patients that if they used too much, their ‘pulse’ would harden. Today, doctors say…”
For grins, I punched “salt 2500 bc china” into Google. A bunch of stuff came up, including the reporter’s source. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1997 ran a story in its FDA Consumer magazine that reads as follows:
“Scientists’ suspicions about salt are not new. As Jeffrey Cutler, M.D., director of the Clinical Applications and Prevention Program, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, points out, physicians in China back in 2,500 B.C. warned patients that if they used too much salt in their food, their ‘pulse’ would harden.”
The language in the FDA report – which is not cited in the Chronicle story – is almost identical to Ackerman’s. I’m no expert, but I don’t think that’s plagiarism. Just lazy journalism.
It seems fairly clear that Ackerman "borrowed" parts of Alexandra Greeley's writing (which was in an article in an FDA magazine, not an FDA report) without attribution. Whether you want to call it plagiarism is up to you.
UPDATE: Matt Bramanti finds additional instances of apparent "borrowing" without attribution.
BLOGVERSATION: Lose an Eye, It's a Sport, She Eats, Lone Star Times.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 12/11/07 11:37 PM |
10 December 2007
Is its news, opinion, or what?
Chron.com's recent tendency to mix opinion columns with the regular news stream was on display in the metro/state section again today.
Austin Bureau Chief Clay Robison's column, "Appointing Wilson could be a battle," appears in the regular online metro/state news section with just that title (and no indication that it is opinion or analysis). But, the same column also appears in the Columnists sidebar in the same section.
So, how are online readers to know whether the Austin Bureau Chief's column is opinion or news (and what of this "firewall" between news and opinion that we sometimes hear about)?
Good questions.
Of course, those questions have long been raised by the Chronicle's odd practice of having the head of its Austin NEWS bureau moonlight as an OPINION columnist. Even some Chronsters have confided to us privately that he ought to be doing one or the other. But apparently the Really Important People at the Chronicle feel differently.
BLOGVERSATION: Lose an Eye, It's a Sport.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 12/10/07 10:24 PM |
08 December 2007
Chron journalist blogs a little religion
Last week Julie Mason focused her razor-sharp wit on President Bush and his relationship with God:
Phew! A few weeks ago, the blog noted with some alarm that the President of America had pretty much ceased going to church and instead was just doing massive bike rides every Sunday. Crisis of faith? Annoyed by the strangely pointed homilies? Not really. The first lady was traveling a lot, and for some reason he only goes to church when she's around.
Last week we noted the president was, in fact, back among the historic pews of St. John's, but we wanted to wait. Was it a one-off, or was he really back with God? It now appears he's back. Today's pool report is from Ken Herman of Cox Newspapers, who went to church with Bush and noted that the Rev. Luis Leon read from Romans12:11-14:
Including the hint of a theme we shall try to develop deeper into this pool report. "Let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness," we are taught...
Hmm. Really? Tithing also came up during today's sermon. Unclear if the president and first lady give any money to the church, but much like the federal government, it's budget time at St.John's:
"Please submit your cards "as soon as possible," says Rev. Leon, "so we can prepare a sober budget for our parish."
Which brings us back to today's attempted pool-report theme, which is sobriety and why it's good for you.
After church, the president went for a 90-minute bike ride at the Beltsville Secret Service training facility. We feel nothing but relief. Church and a bike ride: Bush is right with Jesus again, and Sundays are BACK. Hallelujah.
I'm guessing matters of Christian faith are mysterious to Ms. Mason.
It seems fitting to add Matt Bramanti's refrain: "that’s the kind of valuable news and analysis you can only find in Houston’s leading information source."
It's certainly different from the type of journalism we used to get from, say, Steve McVicker.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 12/08/07 09:07 AM |
05 December 2007
Owning the (hyper)local story
Chron.com posts this breaking news:
Smoke could be seen above the buildings near the Majestic Theater at Main and Preston early this afternoon.
Firefighters were arriving at the scene around 12:40 p.m. Smoke could be seen coming from behind Deans Easy Credit and Clothing at 316 Main, according to one eyewitness. Diners at Mia Bella Trattoria were being evacuated.
No further information was immediately available.
That was posted at 1:23 pm.
I guess nobody was available to WALK the few blocks from the Chron building to the news scene, interview a public official, and call the information back into the mothership.
But it's nice to know the news team could see smoke out of their windows at 801 Texas Avenue!
Some days, we actually miss the Froot Loops recaps of TV reporters on the scene of breaking news.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 12/05/07 02:36 PM |
02 December 2007
A joint press release effort between the Chron and Metro
How has the line blurred between the Chronicle's Metro reporting, and Metro's blog postings?
So much so that this Rad Sallee story on the new stores Metro has opened to "ease the pain" of light rail construction has been crossposted at Metro's Sit and Spin blog.
Well, practically.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 12/02/07 03:13 PM |
01 December 2007
Cragg Hines returns
Retired Chron politics columnist Cragg Hines returned to the newspaper last weekend... in the travel section.
Hines had a nice write-up on the rebirth of New Orleans, replete with a list of his favorite spots for food and drink.
We weren't the biggest fans of Hines the political writer, especially in his last few years, but he is an avid traveler and an interesting travel writer. We wouldn't mind seeing more of his writing in the Chron travel section (especially since there isn't much compelling travel writing coming from Chronsters these days).
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 12/01/07 02:13 PM |
27 November 2007
Any particular mall in north Houston?
Chron.com has a breaking news story posted which is a bit light on some necessary info:
Houston police were responding to reports of shots being fired at a mall in north Houston.
Police were checking out a report today that shots were fired inside the mall after a burglary was called in to authorities. A portion of the mall has been closed off.
A SWAT team was on the scene. There's no immediate word on injuries.
How did the SWAT team know which mall to converge upon?
If the Froot Loops bureau had been open, Chron.com would have known what KHOU-11, KTRK-13, and KPRC-2 were able to report: The mall in question is Greenspoint.
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 11/27/07 11:42 AM |
17 November 2007
More Chron.com spam
A month ago, Lou Minatti and I both received a Chron.com spam email. I clicked on the "opt-out" link just to make sure I wouldn't get any more Chron.com spam, even though I had never opted IN.
Yesterday, I got an annoying, graphic-heavy, Chron.com spam email, advising me I should pick up a paper copy of the Thanksgiving Chronicle for all the fabulous sales ads. It also advised:
You received this e-mail because you are subscribed to The Houston Chronicle Mailing List as [redacted]
To opt-out from this e-mail, please use this link.
I used the opt-out link a month ago, but apparently my request wasn't honored.
It's nice for users that the Chron gives free access to archives in exchange for registration. It's nice for the Chron that so many registered users provide free web content and boost page views via the comment and blog features. It's not nice that the Chron spams registered users who have not signed up for their junk email.
Posted by Kevin Whited @ 11/17/07 02:45 PM |
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