Press Card
Or maybe it is. it depends on your point of view. It is a man reading my book on the beach. That opens the door for me to suggest that my first novel, ”Press Card,” is good beach reading. Many of you know this. Many of the most-frequent commenters on
Journalism
It’s back to the future for the Philadelphia Weekly, which is returning to an abandoned format that probably insures failure. You don’t believe me? Ask the City Paper, PW’s now-deceased one-time competitor and twin alt weekly. Back in 2020, PW Publisher Dan McDonough Jr. was running the
Journalism
The lawyer writing for the NBC website says Sarah Palin probably feels like she was jobbed by Judge Jed Rakoff, and the lawyer understands that feeling, but . . . First, Palin had a high bar to clear, suing a newspaper as a public official. With that said, the judge did not dismiss
Journalism
At this time of year, columnists and essayists have a choice of three hackneyed traditional topics to write about -- year in review, predictions, resolutions. They’ve been done to death. Always a trail-blazer, I am going to combine all three. I expect Loyal Readers will be able to recognize
Journalism
It only took a fraction of a second during the Eagles post-game news conference last week, but it caught my ear. Star running back Miles Sanders had returned after a few weeks out with an injury, and the first question was this: “What was it like, the last few weeks,
Journalism
Here’s a two-fer freebie: Meet up with Stu (and real crabs) at a special open-to-the-public event on Wednesday, 7-9 p.m. This is a Philadelphia Weekly deal at the not-yet-opened Fin Restaurant and bar at 1000 Frankford Avenue, in blooming Fishtown. Free munchies will be offered. Free parking in
Journalism
Wednesday was a great day for the Philadelphia Gay News, publisher Mark Segal, and Philadelphia. It was Wednesday that a blue and gold state historical marker was unveiled in front of 233 S. 13th Street, the first address of the gay weekly. Mark launched it in 1976, at that location,
Journalism
This is a perfectly accurate headline -- given the white, monied areas the hurricane and tornadoes hit hardest -- but I somehow did not expect to see it in the race-conscious Inquirer. And I didn’t. 😃
Journalism
After six decades of writing journalistic nonfiction, it’s time for my first novel. Years in the making, you might say. Press Card is fiction, but it reads like fact. They say journalism is a search for answers. This is a little different: As an author, I know the answers,
Journalism
The Associated Press gets a lot of respect, largely because it is so large, it has so many newspaper members, it has lasted so long (since 1846) and has great branding. Who hasn’t heard of the AP? Because it has 1,400 member newspapers, plus broadcasters, to create conformity
Journalism
It’s been five days since my last post and when I take that many days off, I hear from some of my subscribers — people who think my mail server is on the blink again, or I have fallen ill. It is neither. I have been occupied reading a proof
Journalism
A news story based on a report of racial imbalance at the Philadelphia Inquirer carefully avoids the word “racist,” which is the inescapable conclusion. I know this will cheer critics of the newspaper, who are numerous here. No accusation of racism ever cheers me, but it does make me think