Given my last post, and in general the coverage of the Sheriff election in the Daily News--I thought I'd post the SPJ's code of ethics. I can give a blow-by-blow of how the paper violated at least a dozen parts of this code in this election, but I think it's just too obvious, for those following the election (both Braudis and Magnuson supporters), once you read it.
Continue Reading 7 comments November 1st, 2006
By now, it's no secret of the Aspen Daily News' pro-Braudis Bias--a bias, in fact, so extreme that it is compromising the paper's integrity as a so-called news source. During this election, the paper has eliminated the firewall between news and editorial in relentlessly attacking Magnuson in purported "news stories" (e.g., the performance art); fighting Magnuson's statistics and calls for change with rhetoric (but no substantiation); and publishing push polls on its website seeking not insight but influence; while failing to challenge Braudis' claims (whether it be DUI arrests, violent crime statistics, etc.) or putting a fraction of the scrutiny of Braudis' past behavior or record.
Today's Daily News endorsement of Braudis thus is anti-climatic. Even its condescending, at times nasty tone is not surprising. But what the editorial points out--aside from reinforcing its bias--is just how much the paper lags in quality from its cross-town rival. We are rapidly shifting from a two-newspaper to a one-newspaper town. For instance, statements like "voters here don't fall for Magnuson's rhetoric and fuzzy math, which he's managed to paint with a sweeping brush that would have been best left in his studio" reinforce the paper's pro-Braudis themes of the campaign, including its own tired rhetoric of Magnuson running for performance art. Seriously, this performance art theme is so tired, even a Red Bull followed by a doppio espresso wouldn't wake it up.
On the contrary, The Aspen Times's recent endorsement for Braudis gives a fair and balanced take on the campaign. It credits Rick for running an "aggressive campaign" but says "we feel we already have a solid, upstanding sheriff with a deep understanding of Pitkin County". It moved well beyond the "art" theme by saying "At first many Aspenites thought Magnuson's bid a joke, given his part-time occupation as an artist. But Magnuson took the race seriously."
Let's compare the two endorsements.
Continue Reading 15 comments October 31st, 2006
Our long-term drug fatality rate is higher than 29 of 32 major cities according to US Department of Health and Human Services. Only New Orleans, Albequerque, and Baltimore--not quite urban quality of life benchmarks--have a higher fatality rate, and those are only higher by ~10%.
Who does Pitkin County lag?
Denver, for one (102)--we have TWICE the fatality rate of our closest major city.
The "CSI" cities: New York and Miami have rates a half to a third that of Pitkin County.
We're also THREE times the rate of Washington DC (whose former mayor famously smoked crack cocaine), and TWICE that of San Francisco.
Check the data yourself. Statistics don't lie.
Continue Reading 24 comments October 13th, 2006
For all that blogs are criticized for ("pseudo-journalism," "focus on the trivial," etc.) the Aspen Daily News is doing a great impersonation of a blog. And a bad one at that.
In the latest in a series of skeptical and biased articles supporting Bob Braudis, the Daily News headlines with an article focused on a piece of art Rick Magnuson created over a year ago.
This piece of non-news can only be called a pathetic attempt to create controversy or a scandal.
Continue Reading 21 comments October 13th, 2006
In Rick Magnuson's latest post on Pitkin County DUIs, an ad he posted in the Aspen Times (a four-year graph of the fatality rates of Pitkin v. CO), all along with a very balanced article in the Daily News, Magnuson digs into the statistics on Pitkin County DUIs and cites some unpleasant facts...
Continue Reading Add comment September 8th, 2006
The Aspen Times article "Study: Basalt economy scores big with Roaring Fork Club expansion" set off some alarm bells for me, and not just due to a title that solidly falls into the Aspen paper "spin zone".
(Again, the 'mainstream' papers don't fail in putting a subtle spin in their reporting. At least in blogland we wear our spin, proudly, on our sleeves.)
The alarm rung when I saw what the "big score" was for the economy: $895k in revenue, and $5k in tax surplus.
Continue Reading Add comment September 7th, 2006
Last week, the California Global Warming Solutions Act mandated emissions reductions of 25% by 2020 for the state. It will achieve it through a "cap n' trade," a combination of creating hard "caps" of greenhouse gasses with innovative, market-based trading mechanisms that has worked very well to reduce sulfur-dioxide emissions in the midwest.
Where do we stand in Aspen? Two years ago we took a bold initiative to become a leader in showcasing the benefits of a renewable-intensive, energy-efficient future. We took a detailed inventory of our emissions, and have brought together public institutions, nonprofits, and local businesses to work on the problem. We have a good leader, Dan Richardson, running the effort, and dedicated funding to the program.
But in the process--we forgot to set a goal!
Continue Reading Add comment September 6th, 2006
Following up to AREDAY and some good recent environmentally themed blogs by Michael Conniff (who coined "Code Green") and alpha 6, I wanted to put forward an initiative.
It's so simple and logical, I apologize if someone has proposed this before. Regardless, when you look at the data and see our community's stated priorities, it needs to be done.
Continue Reading Add comment August 25th, 2006
One reason why I said I supported Rick for Sheriff is that--despite his underdog status--he brings competition, and ultimately, change to an office that is basically on autopilot.
Continue Reading Add comment August 24th, 2006
Hmmmm...a large project managed by WestPac under review (hence on hold) for being oversized and locationally challenged.
Again, I found all of this after only an hour of internet searching (and another hour to write this up). Aspen Times/Daily News and others actually getting paid to find and investigate the news, get on your phones, get some contacts lined up, and book some tickets to San Luis Obispo.
This is going to be interesting.
Continue Reading 6 comments August 19th, 2006
