Philly Magazine Tierney story

Well-done, frightening Philadelphia Magazine profile on Inquirer/Daily News publisher Brian Tierney:

http://articles.phillymag.com/articles/press_lord_20/index.html

I know most of us probably didn't have any delusions that Tierney was going to be good for the Philly papers after what's happened in the past year, but damn. The future looks even more foreboding for the Inky and Daily News after finishing that story.

 

I found it interesting (and troubling) that a newspaper man -- or, at least, what passes for one in this day and age -- has such credibility issues.

 

oops. my bad. hoped this was a maura tierney thread. ;D 8)

 

seconded. rowr.

 

Super piece.

 

Keep Brian Tierney in mind when you rail against corporate ownership of newspapers.

 

sorry, the piece sucked. couldn't force myself to read past page 2.

 

It's devastating stuff. Course, it helps to be interested in (a) the NE market, and/or (b)
BT's personality profile.

 

The fact he thinks Stephen A is great worries me greatly. Never read him, but he completely turns me off on TV.

Still reading the rest

 

Tom, just curious...why did it suck? And no, I'm not Fagone.
As for the issue in the story, here's what got me:

"The idea that a newspaper owes something to its community beyond profits clearly isn’t what excites Tierney anymore, and maybe it never did. What excites him is the possibility that this cobwebby enterprise of American metro journalism — this business that belongs to the era of Charles Foster Kane — could be made to rhyme with the values and business climate of 2007, and that Brian P. Tierney could be the guy to make it happen. Forget the civic experiment. Philadelphia Media Holdings is a mere business experiment now."

Well, great. It's ridiculous to think, as it was mentioned in the story, that Tierney could have been a reporter. He may be a "visionary", but to a completely skewed end that would turn the Inquirer into an information bazaar.

 

Once I read that Tierney is walking around believing that Annenberg actually conceived the idea for TV Guide himself, I rolled around on the floor, laughing hysterically.

The young are so easily fooled.

 

His take on newspaper unions was interesting.