Well, now we know where Olga is! She'll be appearing in the pages of the new daily newspaper in Freeport and the surrounding areas. Yes, Olga Gize-Carlile, award-winning journalist and former 40 year contributor to The Journal-Standard, is joining the new team. This news, coupled with the hiring of Alan Jones as the editor, adds another feather in the cap for this transition from a weekly paper to a daily paper. There are probably not too many "new" newspapers that are being launched in the United States currently. Many newspapers are folding or merging with other papers, or are drastically cutting their costs via layoffs, and reduced expenditures. Major newspapers are hurting for advertising revenue and subscriptions are dropping with the widespread dissemination of news on the internet, television and various forms of radio.
This isn't stopping AdPix, Inc. and their investors from venturing into charted waters and facing the old guard in a good old-fashioned showdown. The publisher for the "other" paper even commented in the story that announced that The Freeport Focus was going to a daily format that they were "ready to rumble." They started off their rumbling by "terminating" the best-loved and most widely read of their contributors, Olga Carlile. Her picture and the constant reminder of her "Journalist of the Year" award were plastered on the front page of the paper for almost a year after she her accolade was announced. Then when she was walked to the door and unceremoniously released from her writing endeavors at the "home" she has known for 40 some years, there was nary a word in the paper about it.
Rumble, I guess, has multiple meanings. That could signify the sound heard when someone is thrown under the bus, or perhaps the "rumbling" sound one hears from a nervous stomach when one is under great duress and about to face the unknown. Of course, the "rumble" referred to was referring to the announcement at the start of a "professional" wrestling match, and if that is the case, I think I'll place my bet on the heavyweight division... and stay Focused.
Stay tuned, because this town is about to get interesting.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Another Feather in the Cap
A little over a year ago, the following story appeared on the WTVO website:
Where's Alan?
Reported by: WTVO Newsroom
Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 @07:00am CST
UPDATE 8/8/07: There have been requests for an update on the condition of Fox 39 News anchor Alan Jones.
"There's been some improvement", says Jones. "Since my last posting a few months ago, I've undergone eyelid surgery to take care of some of the blepharospasm effects of apraxia. That's allowing me to keep my eyelids open a lot easier. And a regimen of Botox will help as well."
"I'm more than ready to get back to work on the air, and believe that will happen soon. Thanks for thinking of me."
Fox39 News Anchor Alan Jones hasn't left the station as many have asked. No, he's just not in a position to be on the air right now.
"I've been dealing with a severe case of dry eye and what's called benign essential blepharospasms. Those are involuntary eye spasms that are closely aligned with dry eye", says Jones.
"That and the symptoms of dry eye; the irritation and light sensitivity; make it impossible to be on the air. But I've been getting extensive treatment, so hopefully I'll be back at 9 soon."
The station has been receiving numerous phone calls and e-mails wanting to know Alan's whereabouts.
"Thanks for everyone's concerns and questions. I'm still here, producing the Fox39 News at Nine, while my colleagues do a great job filling in for me."
Well, now we know where Alan Jones is. He was just announced as the new Editor of The Freeport Focus, the soon to be daily newspaper in Freeport and surrounding communities. Dan Stevens, current reporter, columnist, editor and publisher was able to keep this under wraps until today's big headline story in Village Voices. It will be the lead story in tomorrow's Focus, also.
How does this bode for our "News Wars" that has been brewing for the past month or so (obviously, much longer than that, but most was behind the scenes). There have been a few major changes at the long-standing newspaper in our area, but the upstart Focus is going ahead with great ambition and great promise. While I know there is a certain amount of ill-will since my inauspicious dismissal from the other paper, and a definite feeling of bias in favor of AdPix, Inc. since I am now a contributing columnist, the overarching feeling in the community is that they are ready for a "local" paper with "local" writers and "local" stories.
People are starting to send in their subscriptions for "Faith in the Focus", the new office is about to be functional, and it will be within a stone's throw of the building at State and Main. This, as it is often said, is about to get interesting.
Where's Alan?
Reported by: WTVO Newsroom
Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 @07:00am CST
UPDATE 8/8/07: There have been requests for an update on the condition of Fox 39 News anchor Alan Jones.
"There's been some improvement", says Jones. "Since my last posting a few months ago, I've undergone eyelid surgery to take care of some of the blepharospasm effects of apraxia. That's allowing me to keep my eyelids open a lot easier. And a regimen of Botox will help as well."
"I'm more than ready to get back to work on the air, and believe that will happen soon. Thanks for thinking of me."
Fox39 News Anchor Alan Jones hasn't left the station as many have asked. No, he's just not in a position to be on the air right now.
"I've been dealing with a severe case of dry eye and what's called benign essential blepharospasms. Those are involuntary eye spasms that are closely aligned with dry eye", says Jones.
"That and the symptoms of dry eye; the irritation and light sensitivity; make it impossible to be on the air. But I've been getting extensive treatment, so hopefully I'll be back at 9 soon."
The station has been receiving numerous phone calls and e-mails wanting to know Alan's whereabouts.
"Thanks for everyone's concerns and questions. I'm still here, producing the Fox39 News at Nine, while my colleagues do a great job filling in for me."
Well, now we know where Alan Jones is. He was just announced as the new Editor of The Freeport Focus, the soon to be daily newspaper in Freeport and surrounding communities. Dan Stevens, current reporter, columnist, editor and publisher was able to keep this under wraps until today's big headline story in Village Voices. It will be the lead story in tomorrow's Focus, also.
How does this bode for our "News Wars" that has been brewing for the past month or so (obviously, much longer than that, but most was behind the scenes). There have been a few major changes at the long-standing newspaper in our area, but the upstart Focus is going ahead with great ambition and great promise. While I know there is a certain amount of ill-will since my inauspicious dismissal from the other paper, and a definite feeling of bias in favor of AdPix, Inc. since I am now a contributing columnist, the overarching feeling in the community is that they are ready for a "local" paper with "local" writers and "local" stories.
People are starting to send in their subscriptions for "Faith in the Focus", the new office is about to be functional, and it will be within a stone's throw of the building at State and Main. This, as it is often said, is about to get interesting.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Would You Like to Rethink That Plan?
Click the title above to read about the design plan for The Journal-Standard that was written by the most recently departed editor, Andrew Analore, whom upon my dismissal from The J-S, informed me that he had moved half-way across the country for this job. He also made it clear that he had as much at stake in this community as I did. I did remind him of the track record for editors at our local daily (though there will soon be a second daily in town) and that I wondered if he could comment on Freeport after living here for more than 18 years. I guess we'll never find out now.
Why is any of this of any importance? I think it goes to the heart of the lack of communication between The J-S and the community. There is still no word forthcoming on Olga Gize Carlile's status, while the publisher may now call Lena home, he has still only been here for less than two years, and as for the finding out the pulse of the town in coffee shops (as Mr. Analore alluded to in his column about the design change of the paper)...just which coffee shops is he referring to?
I haven't heard the positive comments coming from anyone about the design changes in any of the ones that I frequent, namely all three... Cafe Mondo, Nine East Coffee, and Higher Grounds.
I understand that The J-S is "ready to rumble", and I admit to being disillusioned with their current status (and to being slightly biased as a contributing columnist for the Village Voices and Freeport Focus papers), but I am contacted almost daily about The J-S by people who were disappointed by their decision to cancel my "For the Love of Community" column. They didn't want "personal" columns included in their new format, but now that is exactly what they are going back to, including those by the publisher and new columnists (most of whom are GateHouse syndicates, or local ones who do not live in Freeport or our immediate circulation area).
So, what is it going to be? A nameless distributor of day-old news and sports scores or one that engages the community with thoughtful, current topics by local contributors? I guess we will soon see, won't we?
Why is any of this of any importance? I think it goes to the heart of the lack of communication between The J-S and the community. There is still no word forthcoming on Olga Gize Carlile's status, while the publisher may now call Lena home, he has still only been here for less than two years, and as for the finding out the pulse of the town in coffee shops (as Mr. Analore alluded to in his column about the design change of the paper)...just which coffee shops is he referring to?
I haven't heard the positive comments coming from anyone about the design changes in any of the ones that I frequent, namely all three... Cafe Mondo, Nine East Coffee, and Higher Grounds.
I understand that The J-S is "ready to rumble", and I admit to being disillusioned with their current status (and to being slightly biased as a contributing columnist for the Village Voices and Freeport Focus papers), but I am contacted almost daily about The J-S by people who were disappointed by their decision to cancel my "For the Love of Community" column. They didn't want "personal" columns included in their new format, but now that is exactly what they are going back to, including those by the publisher and new columnists (most of whom are GateHouse syndicates, or local ones who do not live in Freeport or our immediate circulation area).
So, what is it going to be? A nameless distributor of day-old news and sports scores or one that engages the community with thoughtful, current topics by local contributors? I guess we will soon see, won't we?
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Shown the Door, Where's the Gate(House)?
Word on the street is that our 2007 Illinois Journalist of the Year is now out of a job. If recent reports like this one from the Wall Street Journal (The Train Wreck at Gatehouse Media) are any indication of things to come, then it looks like Mrs. Carlile will not be the last of the employees at The Journal-Standard to be lead out to the curb. If the reports from friends of Olga are true (and I would like to speak with her myself to get her side of the story), then this was an ignominious end to a long-term relationship between Mrs. Carlile and The Journal-Standard.
Gatehouse Media is looking at a massive debt load and decreased revenue stream. How long will it be before The Journal-Standard becomes incorporated into the Rockford Register-Star that is also owned by Gatehouse? Consolidation, while not a forgone conclusion, seems to be even more likely given the less than stellar numbers put up by Gatehouse.
In indirectly related news (as far as the fate of print-edition newspapers) The Chicago Tribune announced that they will have another mass lay off by the end of August due to declining ad revenues and increased operating costs. The number of printed pages will again be decreased and a design change is due in September.
Newspapers are struggling. Years of loyal advertising accounts are now looking to spend their money elsewhere. The top-down hierarchy of most newspapers is fast changing with the continued expansion of internet news services, online editions of the papers, and independent bloggers (many of whom have entered the mainstream media by way of their blogging insights). Publishers have, in many cases, downplayed the significance of bloggers as being "guys in pajamas with too much time on their hands", but now that the writing is on the wall for many publishers and major and mid-major newspapers, perhaps it is too late to save the traditional paper as we have known it for most of our lives.
Let's be honest with the citizens, local paper, give us the news of "Where's Olga?" and what is really happening at The Journal-Standard. In the meantime, while it may seem counterintuitive to initiate a new daily paper in the area, it also makes sense, because people are clamoring to hear local voices about local happenings, politics, and business, instead of wire service feeds and syndicated claptrap that doesn't involve us. So, bring on the daily edition of the Freeport Focus. The timing seems right.
Gatehouse Media is looking at a massive debt load and decreased revenue stream. How long will it be before The Journal-Standard becomes incorporated into the Rockford Register-Star that is also owned by Gatehouse? Consolidation, while not a forgone conclusion, seems to be even more likely given the less than stellar numbers put up by Gatehouse.
In indirectly related news (as far as the fate of print-edition newspapers) The Chicago Tribune announced that they will have another mass lay off by the end of August due to declining ad revenues and increased operating costs. The number of printed pages will again be decreased and a design change is due in September.
Newspapers are struggling. Years of loyal advertising accounts are now looking to spend their money elsewhere. The top-down hierarchy of most newspapers is fast changing with the continued expansion of internet news services, online editions of the papers, and independent bloggers (many of whom have entered the mainstream media by way of their blogging insights). Publishers have, in many cases, downplayed the significance of bloggers as being "guys in pajamas with too much time on their hands", but now that the writing is on the wall for many publishers and major and mid-major newspapers, perhaps it is too late to save the traditional paper as we have known it for most of our lives.
Let's be honest with the citizens, local paper, give us the news of "Where's Olga?" and what is really happening at The Journal-Standard. In the meantime, while it may seem counterintuitive to initiate a new daily paper in the area, it also makes sense, because people are clamoring to hear local voices about local happenings, politics, and business, instead of wire service feeds and syndicated claptrap that doesn't involve us. So, bring on the daily edition of the Freeport Focus. The timing seems right.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Where, Oh, Where Has Olga Gone?
The following appeared in the National Federation of Press Women about Freeport's Olga Gize Carlile:
Olga Gize Carlile started her 50-year career in journalism at a time when few married women were in the workforce, becoming one of the first women managing editors at the newspaper. A dedicated print journalist, book author and columnist, she broke ground for women journalists in finding ways to balance career, family, and community commitments. She has held many offices in IWPA, served eight years on the NFPW Education Fund board, and was the 1992 NFPW Communicator of Achievement.
Now, there is no word from her longstanding employer, The Journal-Standard, about her status at the newspaper. Various "rumors" are flying about the town, but to date,there has been no official word from the publisher or editor at The J-S.
Last year when she was being honored by Northern Illinois University as the 2007 Illinois Journalist of the Year, there couldn't be enough "face time" for Mrs. Carlile on the front page of the paper and now... well, only the rumors of her being escorted to the door, being asked to work limited hours with no benefits, or to take a buyout and quit writing for the paper to which she gave most of her adult life her time, talents and treasures.
It is time that some notice be forthcoming. There are many readers of the local daily who have only kept their subscription because Olga was still writing. If she is no longer on the staff, well, it is my guess that there will be an onslaught of letters, phone calls, emails, and canceled subscriptions in the very near future.
Whether intended or not, this will only help to further entrench the support for the new upcoming daily paper, The Freeport Focus. I realize that there is a certain bias on my behalf, having felt the indignity of minimal forewarning before being told that my services were no longer needed at The J-S, but as I was reminded that I was "only" a freelance writer (albeit for 8 1/2 years), Olga has been with The J-S for what 50 years or so? I'd expect a greater degree of dignity than what the rumors are implying, but we'll have to wait and see what the "rest of the story" is or at least the edited version will be.
Olga Gize Carlile started her 50-year career in journalism at a time when few married women were in the workforce, becoming one of the first women managing editors at the newspaper. A dedicated print journalist, book author and columnist, she broke ground for women journalists in finding ways to balance career, family, and community commitments. She has held many offices in IWPA, served eight years on the NFPW Education Fund board, and was the 1992 NFPW Communicator of Achievement.
Now, there is no word from her longstanding employer, The Journal-Standard, about her status at the newspaper. Various "rumors" are flying about the town, but to date,there has been no official word from the publisher or editor at The J-S.
Last year when she was being honored by Northern Illinois University as the 2007 Illinois Journalist of the Year, there couldn't be enough "face time" for Mrs. Carlile on the front page of the paper and now... well, only the rumors of her being escorted to the door, being asked to work limited hours with no benefits, or to take a buyout and quit writing for the paper to which she gave most of her adult life her time, talents and treasures.
It is time that some notice be forthcoming. There are many readers of the local daily who have only kept their subscription because Olga was still writing. If she is no longer on the staff, well, it is my guess that there will be an onslaught of letters, phone calls, emails, and canceled subscriptions in the very near future.
Whether intended or not, this will only help to further entrench the support for the new upcoming daily paper, The Freeport Focus. I realize that there is a certain bias on my behalf, having felt the indignity of minimal forewarning before being told that my services were no longer needed at The J-S, but as I was reminded that I was "only" a freelance writer (albeit for 8 1/2 years), Olga has been with The J-S for what 50 years or so? I'd expect a greater degree of dignity than what the rumors are implying, but we'll have to wait and see what the "rest of the story" is or at least the edited version will be.
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