23 Sep 2012
17

Joey Kennedy & the Death Spiral of American Journalism

by Cliff Sims
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A Gallup survey last week stated the obvious: Americans no longer trust the media. As a matter of fact, distrust in the media is soaring to new heights. “Americans’ distrust in the media hit a new high this year, with 60% saying they have little or no trust in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly.” Gallup’s Lymari Morales said. “Distrust is up from the past few years, when Americans were already more negative about the media than they had been in years prior to 2004.” Morales continues further, “Independents are sharply more negative compared with 2008, suggesting the group that is most closely divided between President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney is quite dissatisfied with its ability to get fair and accurate news coverage of this election.”

In spite of the public outcry, most media operations don’t seem to see the value in making sure both sides of the political spectrum get equal billing. Every other industry responds to market forces — however reluctant they may be to do so (e.g. the music industry). But for whatever reason, the traditional news media would rather die than acknowledge their shrinking audience is tuning them out.

Enter Joey Kennedy, the Birmingham News’ Pulitzer Prize winning editorial writer who later this month will become their Community Engagement Specialist (huh?):

Digital media is obviously playing a huge role in the decline of tradition media, and many news organizations are playing catch-up. But Kennedy’s really excited about the News’ new digital effort…

“Make journalism new…” What exactly does he mean by that? I’m fairly certain he means they’re trying new ways to deliver their content. Great — that’s a step in the right direction. But what if that’s not the only issue? Better yet, what if that’s not even the primary issue to consider when addressing a collapse in readership? Has it not occurred to anyone that the problem may be the actual content, not just the method of delivery?

Let’s start with immigration. Roughly 3/4 of Alabamians are in favor of Alabama’s immigration law. Mr. Kennedy certainly does not count himself among the ignorant, racist 75%. “It’s all the worst of Alabama stereotypes. It’s a cruel law… It’s impossible to comprehend… It’s like dropping an atomic bomb on a quonset hut.” Kennedy explains in the video below. And if you’ve read any of Kennedy’s pieces in the News, you know that’s the position he takes over and over and over and over and over… I could go on and on, the links are endless.

If you ran a sandwich shop, how long could you stay open if you called 3 out of every 4 people who walked in the door a cruel, ignorant bigot?

But immigration is far from the only issue Kennedy splits with the vast majority of Alabamians on. He breaks with 60+% of Alabamians and makes it well known that he’s in the tank for President Obama as well…

…and throws in a quick shot at Romney’s religion while he’s at it. It’s not bigoted though, of course.

Then he flips into full MSNBC-mode and takes on voter ID laws that are — again — supported by the vast majority of his readers. He also couldn’t resist taking a shot at the Republican Party while he’s at it…

Then he pulls a Craig Ford and calls out southern white males — who also incidentally happen to make up a good chunk of his readership…

He even somehow manages to find a way to fit global warming junk science into his Twitter conversation…

And to close it all out — as if on cue — Kennedy showcases the type of arrogant confusion that has come to define the newspaper industry’s denial over their loss of readership:

With all of this on display, it’s no wonder Gallup’s Morales concludes “Republicans…express the least trust in the media, while Democrats express the most.” And at the News, there is not a single voice on the right to temper Kennedy’s far left-wing rants. Not one. Until the Birmingham News and other outlets suck it up and give conservatives a seat at the Editorial Board table, they will continue being active participants in the death spiral of American journalism.

Bottom line:

Birmingham News: give us a CONSERVATIVE voice who’s just as opinionated and obnoxious as Joey Kennedy. All we want is ONE.

Rock&Roll says:
September 26, 2012 at 9:00 am

Community = Communist

finebammer says:
September 24, 2012 at 8:52 pm

the sad thing is kennedy thinks HE’S the moderate.

John Killian says:
September 24, 2012 at 6:51 pm

I knew Joey Kennedy when he worked in the Guy Hunt campaign in 1978.

Inside Goat says:
September 24, 2012 at 10:59 pm

OK, so are you also now saying he’s not a liberal? I don’t get all this about Guy Hunt. So what. David Perry works for Robert Bentley. He’s a liberal.

joey haiku says:
September 24, 2012 at 12:19 pm

Joey is a joke, and one we laugh at often. Retire washed up hack. #yellowhammerhaiku

Camaran says:
September 24, 2012 at 8:01 pm

Well done.

Peck Fox says:
September 24, 2012 at 10:43 am

Do the people who call Joey Kennedy a liberal not remember that he worked for the first Republican Governor in Alabama since Reconstruction, Gov. Guy Hunt?

Cliff Sims says:
September 24, 2012 at 10:48 am

Peck – it’s hard to perceive sarcasm through the internet… you serious? I mean, I know he briefly worked on the Hunt campaign, but are you saying he’s not a liberal?

Inside Goat says:
September 24, 2012 at 2:32 pm

Peck, you must be joking. Are you honestly saying Joey Kennedy is not a bleeding heart liberal? The evidence in this post alone is more than enough for a conviction.

Dunce says:
September 24, 2012 at 9:59 am

Oh yea it’s much better to read conservative blog propaganda

you really are a dunce says:
September 24, 2012 at 10:09 am

The first sentence on the “About YH” page says “Yellowhammer is the conservative voice in Alabama politics.”

So we know exactly what we’re getting into when we come here.

Where’s the Birmingham News’ disclaimer that says “Joey Kennedy is the liberal voice in Alabama politics.” And to Cliff’s point, where’s our conservative editorial board member?

What’s even worse is that Kennedy is writing editorials under the “Birmingham News Editorial Board” byline, which means he’s basically speaking on behalf of the whole paper.

Talk about propaganda.

Bring Some Tea to the Party says:
September 24, 2012 at 8:36 am

“Trust me y’all, I’m a journalist.” Hilarious.

Let Massachusetts Keep All of the Kennedys says:
September 24, 2012 at 6:14 am

Joey Kennedy’s Pulitzer Prize = Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize. Just liberals trying to make a political point by giving other liberals an award they didn’t earn and don’t deserve. Give us a conservative voice at the Birmingham News and set our people free!

Lebowitz says:
September 24, 2012 at 6:43 am

Hear, hear!

“With all of this on display, it’s no wonder Gallup’s Morales concludes ‘Republicans…express the least trust in the media, while Democrats express the most.’”

Truer words have never been spoken. That’s exactly why I no longer have a subscription to the News and why I will likely NEVER have a subscription to the News. There’s no way they would humbly admit they need a conservative perspective.

Etowah Elephant says:
September 23, 2012 at 11:05 pm

This is outstanding and THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH. The Gadsden Times is normally biased as well. I was very surprised by their recent article pointing out the hypocrisy of Craig Ford. I don’t think they’re as biased as the News. But since AL.com is becoming one of the few places the get statewide news they have even more influence. What did Kennedy win a Pulitzer for? Probably right place right time and has been coasting on it for decades thinking he’s untouchable. And what the hell is a community engagement specialist?

Tannehill says:
September 23, 2012 at 10:15 pm

A shot across the bow. You’re move Joey Kennedy.

Tannehill says:
September 23, 2012 at 10:16 pm

your*