Tag Archives: journalism

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

Posted in future of newspapers, Joel's J School, Me & Matty | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

New journalism award

By Joel Thurtell I’m having a tough time restraining my star columnist, Luke Warm, from having the first word on something I want to write about. Warm, the renowned Professor of Mendacity at the University of Munchausen, is so excited … Continue reading

Posted in Joel's J School, Me & Matty | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Scraping ‘hope’ from rubble

By Joel Thurtell One week after the disaster that left Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas in ruins, the toll on this country has been measured almost entirely in lives. But Haiti’s institutions, weak as they were, have been grievously wounded too. … Continue reading

Posted in Bad government, Joel's J School | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Why not me?

By Joel Thurtell I just don’t get it. The geniuses who run the New York Times op-ed page. Why don’t they pick me? I don’t have any lucrative government contracts. Why, I don’t have any kind of government contract. I … Continue reading

Posted in Joel's J School | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

‘Inverse truth’ and the Times

By Luke Warm Professor of Mendacity, University of Munchausen First of all, I would like to remind all students enrolled in this class–Mendacity 101–that our primary purpose is to find subtle, even invisible and certainly inaudible, ways of misleading the … Continue reading

Posted in Joel's J School | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

The greatest profession

By Joel Thurtell What if you’re an elite newspaper and your lunch is being eaten by the very supermarket tabloids that normally bring a sneer of loathing to your collective editorial face? The very kinds of sources that sell damaging … Continue reading

Posted in Joel's J School | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Moilin’ in the deadline sun

By Bud Yardline JOTR Sports Writer [paypal-donation] Ain’t that Luke Warm a cool hand with a column? Only one problem from this side of the press room: He may be a college prof, but he’s still full of you know … Continue reading

Posted in Joel's J School | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A reporter’s best friend: Extortion

By Luke Warm Professor of Mendacity, University of Munchausen [paypal-donation] There’s a scene in Richard Wright’s 1940 novel, Native Son, where a newspaper reporter lays down the lie that should be a tool in every journalist’s kit. I thought of this … Continue reading

Posted in Joel's J School | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Of pizzas, pools and prosecutors: or, how the ‘Free’ Press (once again) muzzled itself

The Wall Street Journal‘s revelation that my onetime employer, The Detroit [Self-Styled] Free Press, had invited advertisers to participate in the reporting and editing process came as no surprise to me. I worked at the Free Press 23 years if … Continue reading

Posted in Bad government, censorship, future of newspapers, Joel's J School | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Business model for newspapers

by Joel Thurtell [paypal-donation] Heard about a business model for newspapers. Goes like this: Write news, sell ads, print a paper and hawk it, mail it, put it in vending machines, newsstands and let people decide if they want to … Continue reading

Posted in future of newspapers, Joel's J School | Tagged , | 3 Comments