Ellington

But notice that his only solution to the problem of newspapers' decreasing coverage of "complex" political issues is finding more bloggers for the Ledger's site. Sigh; it's sad to watch daily newspapers shrink andd die due to their own purposeful irrelevance in the community, while their leaders can do nothing about it but beg for more bloggers:

One of the problems with politics in recent years is that we want to be entertained. We want it simple. We don't want to be challenged in our set thinking and we certainly don't want any work associated with voting.

The candidates know it. Yes, they think we are stupid. We react to emotionalism, shallow images, attack-oriented ads and fluff. They appeal to our worst natures.

And, guess what? They're right. It works. The high-paid political consultants chuckle at how easy it is to manipulate us.

I point the fingers inward at the media as well. Serious political coverage of complex issues is becoming rare. Newspaper coverage is shrinking, networks barely cover the conventions and the cable babble gravitates toward the lazy candidate message of the day. Now back to Britney.

Former Jackson City Councilman Ben Allen is fond of saying "the world belongs to them that show up." Politics may turn off some, but the outcomes Nov. 6 will directly affect your life, like it or not, participate or not. The folks that show up make the rules. Why not show up?

LOOKING FOR BLOGGERS

Our Clarion-Ledger bloggers are taking on the issue of politics daily along with a host of other subjects (visit them at clarionledger.com).

We are in the process of recruiting bloggers from all walks of life to offer comments and observations. If you are interested, give me a call or e-mail me.

Previous Comments

ID

115022

Comment

Also, Mr. Hampton, what's needed first is a return to serious reporting of issues, complex or not. Papers such as yours need to start by just telling us stuff you know about candidates: like they are lying under oath in court documents, they got in trouble for taking bribes in public office and got their jobs back, they made deals to step down and then went to work for the person making the deal for them ... stuff like that. This isn't complex coverage at all—it is the willingness to tell the public the whole truth despite the political winds. And readers simply cannot trust your newspaper to so such things. I just don't get it. You've been there a long time. Why don't you get on a plane, fly to the home office in Virginia, and make a case for why REAL news still matters to REAL Mississippians? If you can't do that, why do you work in journalism? Go get a law degree or something.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-07T09:21:33-06:00

ID

115023

Comment

They (CL) were giving away FREE newspapers Saturday and $5 gift certificates to those who sign up for a subscription. The pitch is this: If you sign up, the paper is free Mon-Friday. You only pay for weekend deliveries. They're literally BEGGING for readers. I took the free paper--shouldn't have, because I haven't even opened it, and will end up tossing it in the trash---but declined to sign up for that sorry piece of junk. I made that mistake once in life---NEVER AGAIN!

Author

blu_n_a_redstate

Date

2007-10-07T20:44:28-06:00

ID

115024

Comment

I pay for the Clarion-Ledger six months IN ADVANCE and now they are going to charge me a premium over the amount I pay now because I won't let them automatically draw on my bank account!! This is pushing me over the edge with them. Just doesn't seem right to me.

Author

ChrisCavanaugh

Date

2007-10-07T21:16:56-06:00

ID

115025

Comment

ChrisCavanaugh, why not cancel your subscription? You can read the sorry piece of junk on line for free. Their reporting is so poor--it's almost criminal. I am SICK of looking to their paper for stories that should be reported and never are. Do they think we're not on to them? When major/important news stories break, we all find out about them first from JFP. That other media can't be trusted. Just say NO, and cancel.

Author

blu_n_a_redstate

Date

2007-10-07T22:10:02-06:00

ID

115026

Comment

I was gonna say the same thing. The only things worth reading in print are the classified and puzzles.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2007-10-08T07:11:28-06:00

ID

115027

Comment

Begging for bloggers, begging for readers. The writing's on the wall. The corporate treat-people-like-they're-stupid-25-percent-profit-margin-at-all-costs model is failing. People are smarter than they think they are. Even in Mississippi. Thanks for noticing, Ledger.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-08T08:16:29-06:00

ID

115028

Comment

The only things worth reading in print [in the CL] are the classified and puzzles. Ha-ha, golden eagle! So true. So true. ;-)

Author

blu_n_a_redstate

Date

2007-10-09T07:49:43-06:00