Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Partners in mediocrity

This is going back a bit, but the new Reader doesn't arrive til tomorrow, so I thought I'd play the game of "let's open to a random page in a random issue and see how long it takes to find something stupid." And it took no time at all!

I couldn't decide whom to sympathize with less when I read Miner's March 4 account of the doings at Crain's. (yeah, I'm obsessed with Crain's. Isn't everyone?) On the one hand, I was thrilled to hear that ASS Jeff Bailey had apparently been forced out as a result of everyone on the staff hating his fucking guts. Let's all throw refuse at his back as he shuffles out of town.

On the other hand, how much less work could Miner have possibly done on this story? I doubt he even took his feet off his desk. He cites all of two sources: one unnamed staffer and one "longtime reader" whose only credentials are that he's "a PR exec for major corporations." In other words, some random acquaintance of Miner's.

Could this story have possibly taken even half an hour to write? Lord only knows what Miner makes from his Reader work, but even if it's only $10K/year he's got to be pulling an hourly rate higher than ten anesthesiologists combined.

7 Comments:

Blogger spacecog said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

12:44 PM  
Blogger spacecog said...

Also: I'm not sure the Reader would want to pay me for writing about how much they suck.

12:53 PM  
Blogger Venus Brady said...

I can't wait to hear how you feel about New City! Anyway, what alternative Newsmag would you suggest?

1:00 PM  
Blogger dunl said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

2:59 PM  
Blogger Spiky said...

Well, that's the problem, isn't it? We don't have much choice. (on paper, at least. Sites like Gaper's Block and Chicagoist pick up some of the slack.)

4:09 AM  
Blogger Spiky said...

Oh, I forgot to mention the Chicago Reporter. But only because I can never find it for some reason. My neighborhood is crammed with UR boxes, but I never ever see the Chicago Reporter anywhere.

4:34 AM  
Blogger Veronica said...

I think this is a great idea. The Reader does suck.

8:28 PM  

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