According to a story today (June 12) in the Los Angeles Times, some Orange County Register employees were happy that San Diego's "Papa Doug" Manchester, owner of the UT, did not buy the Register, as he had hinted he would. The Register staffers "said they were relieved that the paper did not go to Manchester, whom critics have accused of influencing the UT's news coverage to favor his political and business interests," wrote the Times.
One Register editor said, "Nobody wanted to go to Manchester." As soon as Manchester bought the paper and appointed John Lynch as chief executive, Lynch declared that the paper should be a cheerleader for local San Diego business and for a subsidized Chargers stadium. Any reporter covering the stadium issue should denounce opponents as obstructionists, declared Lynch. Such statements, combined with unpopular firings and use of the front page and other parts of the paper for propaganda purposes, led New York Times columnist Dave Carr to flay the new ownership in his column Monday.
Lynch denied the UT's coverage is slanted, said the Times. Lynch asserted that the pro-business, pro-military, pro-family coverage was confined to the editorial page. "We've taken a little bit of an unfair rap," declared Lynch.
Would any reader say the slant has been confined to the editorial page?
According to a story today (June 12) in the Los Angeles Times, some Orange County Register employees were happy that San Diego's "Papa Doug" Manchester, owner of the UT, did not buy the Register, as he had hinted he would. The Register staffers "said they were relieved that the paper did not go to Manchester, whom critics have accused of influencing the UT's news coverage to favor his political and business interests," wrote the Times.
One Register editor said, "Nobody wanted to go to Manchester." As soon as Manchester bought the paper and appointed John Lynch as chief executive, Lynch declared that the paper should be a cheerleader for local San Diego business and for a subsidized Chargers stadium. Any reporter covering the stadium issue should denounce opponents as obstructionists, declared Lynch. Such statements, combined with unpopular firings and use of the front page and other parts of the paper for propaganda purposes, led New York Times columnist Dave Carr to flay the new ownership in his column Monday.
Lynch denied the UT's coverage is slanted, said the Times. Lynch asserted that the pro-business, pro-military, pro-family coverage was confined to the editorial page. "We've taken a little bit of an unfair rap," declared Lynch.
Would any reader say the slant has been confined to the editorial page?
The UT has been so utterly biased for so long that readers might not even see the new level of slant.
You make a good point. The paper under Copley and Platinum Equity managements was hardly a model of objectivity. But I suspect that the Manchester crew is reaching critical mass: too many people are aware of the slant. Best, Don Bauder
It was tolerable under Copley, not anymore.
It also feels like a HS student paper in the new miniature sized version.
Yes, the UT under Platinum, actually, wiped out the copy reader function, for the most part. That has been continued under Manchester. Ergo, you get the high school effect. Best, Don Bauder
It is so slanted that the headlines and story text should be in italics!
You are really hot tonight! Have you thought about becoming a standup comic? Best, Don Bauder
he is!!!
Late-night comics need new energy, I'm told. We have one who could provide it. Best, Don Bauder
dwbat- THAT WAS HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You will soon be watching dwbat on TV. Best, Don Bauder
Sooprise, sooprise, Sorgent Carter! Would anyone at the Register have looked at Dougie and Johnny with favor? Hard to imagine. BUT the alternative, which they will soon experience, may be no better. At least we won't have a single party line of news coming from all the major papers south of LA.
I think it's probably too early to say what the politics of the Register under new ownership will be. Smart managers play to the market, not their ideologies. Orange County, like San Diego County, has changed. Best, Don Bauder
Who knew that the suburban-lite OC Register journalists would rise up and state their desire to throw off the (potential) choking yoke of Papa Doug & his Lyncher John? I have new found respect for writers in the land of Disneyland now.
How about the former OC Register editors who now dominate the Union-Tribune? Will they insist on honest journalism? Don't count on it. Best, Don Bauder
Lynch declared that the paper should be a cheerleader for local San Diego business and for a subsidized Chargers stadium. Any reporter covering the stadium issue should denounce opponents as obstructionists, declared Lynch. Such statements, combined with unpopular firings and use of the front page and other parts of the paper for propaganda purposes, led New York Times columnist Dave Carr to flay the new ownership in his column Monday.
The UT will crash at a much faster rate than other daily papers because of the bias. It was tolerable with Copley, but not today.
When Papa ManHater put that DT Stadium Op Ed piece on the ENTIRE FRONT page back in January I knew the UT had jumped the shark.
Some suspect the new UT leaders are deliberately killing off the print edition so they can boot the staff out of the Mission Valley building and develop the real estate. I don't think they are savvy enough to do that. Best, Don Bauder
If they wanted to do that they simply would do it-nothing to stop them.
It is shocking how FAST the Internet put daily papers, one of the most powerful businesses in America, out of business in such a short period of time, 15 years.
It was only a few years ago that newspapers, including metro dailies, sported some of the highest returns among various industries. Quickly, many newspapers plunged into red ink. The UT alone was worth $1 billion five or six years ago. Copley sold it for around $50 million in 2009. Best, Don Bauder
If it crashes it's because it's a bore. People pick up must-reads and this is not one of them.
Did you mean whore? Or bore? Best, Don Bauder
No, I meant bore. A whore would at least be interesting.
Men go to brothels for cerebral conversation. Best, Don Bauder
u maniac...hahahahahahaha
Heads or tails? Best, Don Bauder
I just canceled my UT subscription - been wanting to do it for a long time, the NYT article and the UT's handling of Tim Sullivan were what it took to get my wife to agree. It was satisfying being able to explain my position to the UT customer service rep - I wonder how many others are canceling, explaining they can no longer support the motivations/objectives of "Papa" Doug Manchester and his ilk.
What did your wife see in it? Coupons? Best, don bauder