Joel Connelly, long time columnist for the Seattle P-I, writes in his blog:
The Seattle Times announced Wednesday that it will develop and run ads for Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna as an “independent expenditure” that is supposed to show the value of political advertising in newspapers.
The news, three weeks before the November election — and appearance of a big Times-created McKenna ad on page B6 of the newspaper’s Wednesday editions — immediately raised two questions:
Can Seattle Times reporters and editors be trusted to fairly cover McKenna’s opponent Jay Inslee? Can the newspaper fairly report on a campaign where the Times has a vested financial interest in the outcome?"
“There is absolutely no interface between our news coverage and this effort: We realize some people may question the approach, but we hope they will give us the benefit of the doubt as we try an innovative approach to new revenue and, at the same time, raise awareness of the credibility and effectiveness of newspaper advertising for political campaigns,” Jill Mackie, the Times’ vice president for public affairs, said in an e-mail."
According to Jim Brunner, a Times political reporter, the news department was not a part of this decision, leaving us to wonder if Frank Blethen is once again using the Times as his personal soap box.
Connelly continues, "In announcing the “Seattle Times Initiative for Political Newspaper Advertising,” the newspaper stated:
“Our involvement in this (McKenna-Inslee) race will be via an independent expenditure in which The Seattle Times runs ads that have in no way been coordinated with the McKenna campaign. As required by law, we will report such contributions to the Public Disclosure Commission.
“Independent expenditures are allowed under Washington State law and are not subject to limits on spending.”
The ad on B6 extolled McKenna as an architect of “change that will make us all proud.” It carried the disclaimer that the ad was paid for by the Seattle Times and “no candidate paid for this ad.”
The Times is also making an “in kind donation of ad space” to the Washington United for Marriage, the campaign to approve Referendum 74 and same-sex marriage on the November ballot.
“This political advertising initiative was developed as a one-time approach for this election to demonstrate the effectiveness of political advertising in the Seattle Times,” Fairview Fannie added in its statement."
Well we are SHOCKED!! Shocked, I tell you! The Seattle Times, endorsing a Republican???? Nawwwwwwwwww.
Connelly writes: "It twice backed Republican Dino Rossi against incumbent Gov. Chris Gregoire. In the 1960′s and 1970′s, the newspaper supported GOP Gov. Dan Evans as well as Gov. John Spellman, the last Republican to hold the state’s top executive job.
The newspaper, in years gone by, has allowed its biases to leave the editorial page for the front page. It ran major front-page hit pieces on Democratic Gov. Al Rosellini in 1964, and gave front-page play to the gambling activities of 1968 Democratic gubernatorial candidate John O’Connell.
Will this transparent effort to elect McKenna pay off? In the August primary, Inslee beat McKenna 3-to-2 in votes in King County.
What do you think?
The paper version of Fox non-News. So much for the Constitutionally protected Fourth Estate.
The comments under the article tell the story.
Posted by: T-S | October 17, 2012 at 09:48 PM
Boo hoo, broadcasting and cable get most political advertising and my guy might be behind in the state polls (if I choose to give them credibility). I am going to show them my paper gets results, then they will have to buy advertising from me that will make me richer and prove that I can be a bigger kingmaker than William Randolph Who. I'm going to make those damn presses print money like they used to.
Posted by: Cueburner | October 18, 2012 at 10:23 AM
Called to cancell my subscription. They have a new thing called a "Protest" Delay\Cancellation or something. They woulod stop my subscription until the end of November. Odd they have a special catagory for this.
Posted by: Lucas Foxx | October 18, 2012 at 10:45 AM
Speed typing kills....
Posted by: Lucas Foxx | October 18, 2012 at 10:46 AM
At a press conference this morning, former KING5 journalist Mike James said, "The damage it has done to the reputation of the political coverage of the newspaper is unrecoverable." 100 Seattle Times news staffers agree it has damaged the reputation of the paper - They've signed a letter protesting the decision.
Blevens really believes he will become a game changer and a "player" by doing this. I hope Connelly reports on just how many subscriptions are cancelled because of this.
And, yes, I would think the same thing if they had done this for Inslee. It is disgraceful that a city the size of Seattle does not have a better paper.
Posted by: sparky | October 18, 2012 at 04:28 PM
I think this might hurt McKenna. I hope so. This is what Republicans do.
Posted by: T-S | October 18, 2012 at 06:34 PM
Newspaper is going under any way, so what's the big deal. Does any one really still buy a newspaper today with all the news sources available. Wow, I doubt it. Much ado about virtually nothing.
Posted by: Observer | October 18, 2012 at 07:28 PM
Yes, Blevens has syphilis so everyone else must be infected, right?
Posted by: Preston | October 18, 2012 at 07:41 PM
The big question is, will King County manufacture enough voters from dead people to prevent McKenna from being elected ?
Answer to be known by December 1 or after.
Posted by: KS blathers | October 18, 2012 at 09:40 PM
How about some Blather about the changes at KIRO.
Posted by: Mike | October 19, 2012 at 04:54 AM
Tough decision...protest hold or cancellation.
Damage is done. Only vindication would be same size ads for Inslee pd. by the Times.
Cancellation is the more effective message.
Posted by: Terry West | October 19, 2012 at 08:00 AM
So, does any one know where Bill Radke is going. His blurb says to another radio station, anybody know which one?
I agree with this move; morning news on KIRO was real korny and going nowhere, bringing John Curley's wit and wisdom to the wake-up crowd is a good move, he was being wasted in the evening hours. The guy is a REAL talent.
Posted by: Observer | October 19, 2012 at 11:18 AM
I am so ready to cancel our subscription and the papers left will be a nice litter box liner and Frank Blevens is another oligarch willing to line his pockets instead of making sure the SeaTimes is the 4th Branch of our Democracy riding herd on the professional politicians.......
Posted by: Julz | October 20, 2012 at 01:33 AM
----"How about some Blather about the changes at KIRO."
----"So, does any one know where Bill Radke is going. His blurb says to another radio station, anybody know which one?"
Thanks for info--I had no idea.
I used to read Blatherwatch for local radio info. Now radio news isn't given by the blog's owner, but by a few readers? Too lame for words. Blatherwatch has become as lame as KIRO--sort of like the Ron and Don of blogs.
I stopped listening to KIRO mornings when John Carlson returned to KVI weeks ago. Curley? No chance I'll tune in to KIRO now...
Posted by: olaf olafsson | October 20, 2012 at 05:28 AM
Don't like the Times or this advertising "test" but I've got to point out the that the publisher's last name is Blethen not Blevens. There's no reason to not get the basics correct here.
Posted by: Bob Boblaw | October 20, 2012 at 09:30 PM
I caught that but I thought the writer was being quirky. One never knows on this blog.
Posted by: T-S | October 20, 2012 at 11:55 PM
Called to cancel my subscription. They have a new thing called a "Protest hold". They would stop my subscription until the end of November. They have this special category to maintain you as a customer for advertisement income.If you cancel they will loose their # of customers this is what the advertisement income is based on.
Posted by: pierre | October 26, 2012 at 10:59 AM