News-Record.com

Many newspapers all over the country played "Troopergate" findings out of Alaska prominently. Some examples, and sorry for the pixillation:

The home paper:

The big West Coast paper:

A more conservative paper:

I just like the rest of the Chicago front page

Next door

Raleigh and Greensboro treated the story similarly

We thought it was front-page news, but, given the findings, didn't think it was such a huge deal that it needed to dominate the news cycle, particularly given the other things on people's minds.

How would you have played the story? Other front pages here.

Do headlines such as "World markets tumble" and "No end in sight as losses rise" and "'We're in a hell of a mess'" fuel the panic over the financial collapse?

Some members of our readers advisory panel think so.

I think the media is helping to drag down the economy. All we hear is gloom and doom. People are afraid and you contribute to it. Don't be a Pollyanna, but could you not be so totally negative. How about a story about media negativity?

I'm tired or reading about gloom and doom. We need some uplifting stories. All we hear on the news every night is more of the same. At least give me something worthwhile to read.

This illustrates one of the balancing acts that some request of the news media: Report the bad news in its full glory while still providing a sense of hope. With some news stories -- particularly these scary ones -- there's no way to put lipstick on the pig.

Do we fuel the panic? If so, what should we do with stories like these that affect every single person negatively?

The New York Times reports today that North Carolina is one of six states that has removed eligible voters from election rolls or blocked them from registering "in ways that appear to violate federal law."

Mark Binker reports that state election officials, who apparently weren't contacted by the Times, say "nuh-uh."

No one is denied registration if their Social Security number does not match said Bartlett and local elections officials.

"The worse case scenario is they show ID at the polls when they show up," said Charlie Collicutt, deputy elections director in Guilford County.

The Times story isn't sourced very well, and no one from North Carolina is quoted. To me, it seems as if the Times is speaking in technical legal terms while the state is speaking in practical voting terms.

But the Times didn't follow up with anyone from N.C., or so it seems. (Oh, have I said that before?) On the other hand, on a previous page, they published photos of both Kay Hagan and Sen. Elizabeth Dole, and they are both from North Carolina.

Meanwhile, the AP version of the story is currently No. 1 on Yahoo's "most e-mailed" list.

Update: Bob Hall, executive director of Democracy North Carolina, didn't much care for the story, either.

The harder problem continues to be cynical rumors and false information from ill-informed, sometimes well-intended, sources, now including the New York Times (and local re-printers who failed to check the story with state election officials). Certainly, there have been serious problems with lost ballots and election manipulation. The public should remain vigilant, and individuals with any doubts should confirm their registration status through websites like 2008ElectionConnection.com or by calling their local board of elections. What we don’t need are inflammatory stories about stolen elections or cheated voters that have no basis in fact.

Update: Greg Mitchell at E&P picks up this post and improves it with video from the FoxNews morning show. (Although the Fox crew isn't nearly as incisive as this post.)

This is either proof that men run the AP or that Gov. Palin comes by her aversion of the media elite honestly.

Supporters watch as Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and vice presidential running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, legs visible in foreground, participate in a rally in Allentown, Pa., Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008

For some reason, AP photographer Gerald Herbert snapped this shot, and for, I guess, the same reason, AP sent it out.

He wasn't the only photographer interested in Palin's gams. So was Carlos Barria of Reuters.

But maybe it wasn't her legs as much as it was the young male supporter in the pink shirt!

Guess not.

It will be interesting to see if any newspapers run the photos. Incidentally, the AP didn't move any snaps of Joe Biden's legs. Thank goodness for small favors.

Update: Brian Cubbison says it's the shoes, not the legs.

After listening to friends and acquaintances talk about their weariness and impatience with the presidential attack campaign, I used Twitter to ask: Are people really sick of the campaign, as I often hear? And does that mean they don't want to read/watch it anymore?

Responses came quickly:

dsilverman: Some are, some aren't. You're most apt to hear from those who are sick of it. doesn't mean they're the majority.

gabrieli: How can people not want to watch the debates, it's like watching a train wreck. Though the current tv version is more fun.

Natallini: Although I am weary of the campaign, this election is the most important I've faced and have to keep up with all media.

JennySeeley: I'm getting sick of the campaign. I can't watch the debates or read about it anymore. It's become too trivial.

I can't find any recent poll showing how many undecided voters are out there, but in early Sept. an AP-Yahoo poll indicated there were 18%. It's surely less now. (Indecision 2008 on the Daily Show says the undecided is 8%. Worth a look. But anyway...)

What's your political temperature? Are you ready for Nov. 4 now?

I didn't have much of a digital footprint back in 2001. 36 results. Lot of broken links, too.

Today? Same search brings back 8,260 results.

Ah, working under the radar...those were the days.

Between the nasty political campaign and the even nastier economic meltdown, the front page is overrun with, well, dreadful news these days.

We search for some bright spots, but they have a hard time muscling themselves into A1 prominence when confronted with 500 point Dow drops, candidate debates, disintegrating 401-Ks and, oh yeah, the $700 billion bailout revitalization.

Am I so desperate that I would shove some cute animal story onto the front page to break the depression? I am. Although I guess this satisfies all the people who write me to say, "Stop putting all that light stuff on the front page. The front page is for serious news like the war, the sinking economy, the election and the madness in Washington."

Edward R. Murrow is one of Guilford County's most famous sons. He wasn't here long -- he moved away to Washington state as a boy -- but we're proud to claim him.

At least, I think we are.

Jeri Rowe writes about the Murrow home place.

Wade through a Southern jungle, and you'll find the five dilapidated houses within a few dozen steps of one another.

It looks like a homeless camp. But it's not. It's one of Guilford County's most historic sites. It's the birthplace of Edward R. Murrow, the father of broadcast journalism. And it's downright embarrassing.

Indeed.

The video shot by Michael McQueen and narrated by Jeri is even better.

UNCG and the Greensboro Historical Museum are hosting events this month to celebrate Murrow and the 100th anniversary of his birth. It's the least we can do.

On our daily TV page this week, we eliminated the listings for the premium channels (HBO, Showtime, etc.). By dropping them, we were able to expand the space in the grids, making the other 60+ listings easier to read and follow.

Some readers objected and asked for their return. When we explained why we did it, some understood. Others disagreed.

I've suggested to some that their complaint is with the cable company. Can you imagine providing a service, without providing a guide to the service? That's what the cable company does -- as do individual television stations, for that matter. And when you pay extra for premium service -- buying HBO, for instance -- wouldn't you expect to get a guide to what is coming on? My understanding is that the cable company will provide one, for a fee. (I don't know. I have cable, but don't buy HBO.) My suggestion was usually greeted with laughter.

It's true that over the years we have trained readers that they can find listings in the paper. But in recent years, we haven't been able to keep up with the explosion of different channels. As a result, I am pretty sure that we haven't provided complete listings of what's on television for several years.

I have also suggested people can get the listings online or by using their remotes, if they have expanded cable. But, really, if I wanted to know what is coming on HBO at 8 p.m. tonight, I would call the cable company, rather than the newspaper.

After all that, an Obsession DVD came in the mail today, addressed to my wife. That darned Redbook must have sold its list!

As I said, it's hardly a free speech issue.

More here.