Showing posts with label The Baltimore Sun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Baltimore Sun. Show all posts

27 November 2012

The End Is Near -- Newspapers Teeter On Brink Of Extinction

"The truth needs no support." - A.P. [name concealed], served 25 years in prison for murder. From a jailhouse interview with The Baltimore Spectator.


Anyone following The Baltimore Spectator and managing editor James MacArthur, knows the passion with which he preaches.

newspapers (Tehrān)
For years now, one man has been sounding the trumpet louder than most, decrying the end is near. Like so many once exciting and groundbreaking developments in communication, the day-of-the-end, of the newspaper is now nearer than ever. Even at the door.

Just like the telegraph -- once seen as one of the greatest innovations in disseminating information -- was eventually replaced by successive technologies, starting with the telephone. The newspaper perhaps should have already been laid to rest, but is being held together by a deceptive facade of non-existent vitality.

Is a person in a vegetative state, on full life support really considered "alive?" It's the same for the newspapers. As revenue continues to bleed, the very lifeblood of the once dominant media oozes away, bringing us ever nearer to an inevitable utter complete collapse.

The writing is literally on the wall, but despite that, like the orchestra playing a sweet serenade on the Titanic, as the mighty vessel continued to take on water, it will be a while before the slowly sinking ship is completely submerged.

Unlike previous Titanic films, Cameron's retel...
At this point, the only hope of survival for crew members is to jump off now while they still can. There's something about sinking ships and the powerful vortex they create as they go down.

Leaping to safety too late can sometimes be futile. One who delays can find themselves being pulled under by a swirling whirlpool to certain death.

It's truly sad to see the demise of a medium that's had such a huge, instrumental role in the great history of our county. The world has been shaped by words written in newspapers.

When it's all over, like we do with departed loved ones, it's certain there'll be gatherings and conversations filled with fond memories of the formerly living.

The graveyard
In the meantime, new media entities, independent reporters and others continue to grow in strength, reach, quality and penetration. In nature, once a vacuum is created, it's empty space is soon filled.

Even in the forest, the old growth eventually has to be cleared, for the new growth to rise. Sometimes they die of old age, sometimes its a brutal fiery death, as the trees are consumed in a raging inferno.

Speaking of trees, you know they make paper from dead ones right? Newspapers.

Enhanced by Zemanta

27 May 2009

Maryland Millionaires Missing -- Taxpayers Flee OmalNomics™

Governor O'Malley And Baltimore Sun Bashed By Wall Street Journal

OmalNomics ™; n. failed economic policies of socialist in training Governor Martin O'Malley, leading to dramatic reduction in state tax revenue and increased burdens on the middle class.

From the Latin word mal, meaning bad, and nomics being a short for of economics. 'O', as in Oh My God He's Ruining The State!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maryland couldn't balance its budget last year, so the state tried to close the shortfall by fleecing the wealthy. Politicians in Annapolis created a millionaire tax bracket, raising the top marginal income-tax rate to 6.25%. And because cities such as Baltimore and Bethesda also impose income taxes, the state-local tax rate can go as high as 9.45%. Governor Martin O'Malley, a dedicated class warrior, declared that these richest 0.3% of filers were "willing and able to pay their fair share." The Baltimore Sun predicted the rich would "grin and bear it."

One year later, nobody's grinning. One-third of the millionaires have disappeared from Maryland tax rolls. In 2008 roughly 3,000 million-dollar income tax returns were filed by the end of April. This year there were 2,000, which the state comptroller's office concedes is a "substantial decline." On those missing returns, the government collects 6.25% of nothing. Instead of the state coffers gaining the extra $106 million the politicians predicted, millionaires paid $100 million less in taxes than they did last year -- even at higher rates.

Read the rest of the story at the Wall Street Journal

20 March 2009

PHONY: Baltimore Sun; Censorship, Insincerity & Suppression

by A.F. James MacArthur, Managing Editor,
(REVISED -- be part of the process, email suggestions or corrections, or use the comments link below article)

A.F. James MacArthur with Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld III. After an interview near police headquarters.


UPDATED: After running this piece, The Baltimore Sun reacts by banning The Baltimore Spectator from their talk forum.
------------------------------------------


So a certain editor of a certain news site introduced the idea of a Violence Reduction/Prevention Symposium. An open letter was sent to Mayor Dixon to which we got a response. In attempting to get further discussion going, the author posted the letter on the "local news" discussion forum of the Baltimore Sun's online website.

A healthy discussion with good constructive ideas began to flow. Several retired and active members of law enforcement chimed in with their thoughts on how to combat Baltimore's out of control crime. A few chronic complainers also checked in. Rather then put the complainers in their place and allow a good free flow of thoughts and ideas to continue, The Baltimore Sun staff pulled the plug on the discussion and deleted the entire thread and attached conversations.

Readers, I submit to you, with all of the excellent crime reporting we see at times in the pages of the Baltimore Sun, why then, if there were true concerns for the community, why would a constructive discussion be killed?

Unfortunately we live in a one newspaper town. The Baltimore Sun is the most dominant and largest media presence in Baltimore. As an admitted news junkie, I, and so many others, are forced to rely upon them to stay informed. In a busy city such as Baltimore, no one site, no one reporter, no one venue can possibly cover all that is going on. At least not with any depth and comprehensiveness.

My love hate relationship with our quirky little daily paper shall continue. My questions to the sincerity and motives of their reporting shall also continue. I love newspapers, but is it any wonder their days are numbered and they're dying off faster than fruit flies?

Space does not allow me to go into details. Search online and check out how many news papers have gone bankrupt, slashed staff, ceased from existing, and others barely hanging on. Find out how many have switched to all online formats, thereby no longer being a newsPAPER.

New Media will boldly march on into the future, but we can't do it alone. In a mission of "Truth To The Masses," we need all hands on deck. That includes you Baltimore Sun.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter Hermann and Justin Fenton are two of the primary crime reporters of The Baltimore S
un. Their work has often been cited in pieces seen at The Baltimore Spectator.


21 February 2009

Nasty Nestor Muses On The Loss OF The Examiner

Local radio guy Nestor Aparicio, CEO of WNST refelects;

The loss of The Baltimore Examiner has given me reason to believe that we’ve now seen the last “newspaper” that will ever try to come to Baltimore and “beat The Sun.” And of course, what The Sun will become over the next decade remains to be seen.

-- Nestor, you're more generous than we are. You actually give the Sun 10 years? -- The Editors

Read the rest of his words on the Examiners untimely death.

BREAKING NEWS: Baltimore Examiners Launch InvestigativeVoice.com




BALTIMORE SPECTATOR RADIO NETWORK - BSRN

SUPPORT INDEPENDENT MEDIA

Our Growing Video Collection

MESSAGE TO ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT/INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES

To all those who willfully, deliberately and routinely violate the civil rights of law abiding American Citizens; Yes, you're powerful. Sure, you're everywhere. But this is still America, and the Constitution of the United States Of America still reigns supreme as the law of the land. The Baltimore Spectator will vigorously and aggressively defend against any and all attempts at spying and suppression. Let it be known to all that we are already aware of the regular monitoring and shadowing attempts. There is nothing to hide, but cross the line and there will be hell to pay.

In the end, efforts to impinge upon the freedoms of the people will ultimately fail. Some of us may get taken out in the ongoing battle for true and lasting freedom, but as I've said many times before, and will say till the day I die or get taken out by you goons, THERE ARE MORE OF US, THAN THERE ARE OF YOU.


A.F. James MacArthur -- American patriot & lover of liberty.

Fair Use Copyright Notice

--DISCLAIMER-- Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purpose such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statue that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.