Categories: OLD Media Moves

Is this business news?

That’s what the Cleveland Leader wants to know. It doesn’t think that a story on the front page of the Plain Dealer’s business section Thursday about two local Internet sites merging was newsworthy.

The item stated, “Today, on the front of the Plain Dealer’s Business section was a story that hardly deserved mention, let along front page coverage. It was a short blurb about the merger between two of Cleveland’s most over-rated websites: Cool Cleveland and Brewed Fresh Daily. This is supposed to be representative of Cleveland business? If this is so, then Cleveland is truly in a very sad state of affairs. Isn’t there any REAL Cleveland business news to report? Next thing we know, the Plain Dealer will be discussing blogroll exchanges on these websites.

“Organizations such as these are what make Cleveland the armpit that it is. Cleveland has the potential to be great, but instead we allow sham operations to set up camp in our city, siphoning away funds for ridiculous ventures and ill-fated marketing ploys. We allow such a pathetic excuse of a newspaper to continue to wield its power and influence over local affairs, and we continue to foster the buddy-system that takes from the many and benefits the few.

“I realize that these are some bold accusations, but I’ve been biting my tongue long enough. It needs to be said.”

Read here.Â

Chris Roush

Chris Roush was the dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He was previously Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Professor in business journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a former business journalist for Bloomberg News, Businessweek, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Tampa Tribune and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He is the author of the leading business reporting textbook "Show me the Money: Writing Business and Economics Stories for Mass Communication" and "Thinking Things Over," a biography of former Wall Street Journal editor Vermont Royster.