Category Archives: future of newspapers

Fantasy JOA, Round Two

By Joel Thurtell Guess I was ahead of my time. I could have won myself ten thousand big ones if I’d just been a little patient. But now, I had to shoot off my big mouth. Actually, I’m glad I … Continue reading

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Five-percenters

WARNING: The following commentary has been REPURPOSED. It contains no original SOURCING. It was sparked by a magazine report of an absurd program aimed at re-training (i.e., CONTROLLING) writers like me. This column is NOT news, but an essay REPURPOSED on the … Continue reading

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Apologia

By Joel Thurtell I want to apologize for a recent blog column in which I compared three Gannett honchos to pigs for splitting 10.6 million in salary and bonus bucks while firing 6,000 workers and asking the ones who remained … Continue reading

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Of rats and humans

By Joel Thurtell What kind of human being would do this: Fire 6,000 employees, freeze the pay of those who remain and then demand they take 12 percent pay cuts. And give himself a 50 percent raise, banking $4.7 million … Continue reading

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Senator Patterson’s stimulus plan

By Joel Thurtell Republicans never cease to amaze me. You think they’re all in the pockets of business and industry, and then out of the blue some GOP hack shows a streak of brilliance. So it is with Michigan Senator … Continue reading

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I’m ‘yellow’! No, I’m ‘red’!

By Joel Thurtell It’s an idictment meant to unsettle the nerves of any correct-thinking Journalist: I’ve been charged with Yellow Journalism. My accuser — whom I don’t know — sent me an e-mail under the subject heading “Manny Maroun”: Joel, … Continue reading

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‘Loyalty’ and all that

By Joel Thurtell Shhh! Please keep this under your hat. It’s an idea that could make me a bundle of money. I don’t mind sharing it with you, but please, PLEASE, don’t pass it on to somebody who might steal … Continue reading

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Lord of the Lies

By Luke Warm Professor of Mendacity University of Munchausen There comes a time in the career of every Professor of Mendacity — even those of us who have earned multiple PhDs in the fields of Duplicity, Mendacity, Deceit and Diversion … Continue reading

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Maunderings of a media mogul

A play in one act By Joel Thurtell The hero of our new unillustrated, eponymous comic strip is the head of a once huge media company hard-hit by an economic recession. He is struggling with the same moral issues that … Continue reading

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Those Gannett sweeties

By Joel Thurtell They’ve done it again. Honchos at America’s Number One Newspaper Chain surpassed themselves. I’m talking greed, of course. Who else does it as well as Gannett? Can you believe Gannett CEO Craig Dubow banked $4.7 million last … Continue reading

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