Detroit Daily Press: No news good news? Or bad news?

**BShea** · December-29-09, 03:03 PM

Co-owner expects to have news about the Press and its return to printing after Jan. 1:

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/shea

**buildingsofdetroit** · December-29-09, 04:10 PM

Thanks for the update, Bill.When you're "still working at it" and won't know until Jan. 1 [[in other words, two days later) whether you're gonna pull off a comeback, I wouldn't hold my breath.

**buildingsofdetroit** · January-09-10, 07:31 PM

This just in: The Daily Press is down for the count.

" A new Detroit-area newspaper that suspended operations after less than a week says it won't resume publication as planned."

http://freep.com/article/20100109/BU...e-publication-

**daddeeo** · January-09-10, 09:33 PM

The whole idea was like selling ice to Eskimos.
Not surprised they went under. You can't start up a paper
unless you have a lot of money. Even if you do, this is the worst time to do it.

**Detroit500** · January-09-10, 10:09 PM

foolish, it was a fun attempt.

**MattH** · January-09-10, 10:23 PM

Is a full version of their statement available somewhere? Their circa-1994 webpage still has subscription information.

**professorscott** · January-10-10, 12:45 AM

It occurs to your humble old Professor that one of the requirements of operating a newspaper is some amount of fluency in the language in which you intend to publish. In the case of the Detroit Daily Press, so far as he can tell, that language was to have been English. So we read in the Free Press the following bon mot:

"The statement said suspension of publication will be permanent 'for now.'"

Have you ever heard such a remarkable phrase as this? "Permanent 'for now'". It rather boggles the mind.

Your Professor must confess he has to go to the refrigerator and get a can of Labatt's and ponder this some more. In fact, in order to parse such an astonishing phrase, he must confess to wishing that LSD was permitted legally. Beer, he fears, isn't going to do it.

**sumas** · January-10-10, 06:46 AM

Hey Prof, did you ever teach at Monteith College? If not, you should have.

**Hermod** · January-10-10, 07:18 AM

Originally Posted by professorscott

"The statement said suspension of publication will be permanent 'for now.'"

Have you ever heard such a remarkable phrase as this? "Permanent 'for now'". It rather boggles the mind.

Having worked for the government for a long time, I have become quite fluent in mentally reducing Classic Waffle to plain English. They are talking about a "final maybe" and are leaving a tiny crack open in case money starts raining down from heaven. The sentence should read "We will not publish another paper unless and until someone, somewhere is foolish enough to bankroll our salaries."

**daddeeo** · January-10-10, 09:58 AM

I suspect that one of the Bowery Boys was in charge of the press release. The paper has come to a final "contusion"

**BShea** · January-10-10, 12:43 PM

Full press release/statement from the co-publisher, and updates on the accusation that union demands and Freep/News meddling were involved:

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/shea

**Bobl** · January-10-10, 01:19 PM

Thanks for the update, Bill.
This just does not seem to be the time for a new print news service. "I don't like it, but it just turned out that way".
I was hoping that they would defy the odds.

**daddeeo** · January-10-10, 04:35 PM

They just couldn't compete in the big leagues. If you hadn't figured out how to distribute the paper, why even publish it?

**dookie joe** · January-10-10, 05:41 PM

During their brief press run, none of their stories were even mildly interesting. You'd think they would have had their reporters working on at least one big story for their launch. Instead, it was all opinions, stories about minor meetings, rewritten press releases -- and, the coup de grace, biographies of their staff members [[!)

Did the editors honestly think their readers cared that the Detroit Daily Press's city council reporter enjoys Bruce Springsteen records and quiet evenings at home with his pet iguana?

**HarperNottingham** · January-11-10, 06:57 PM

[quote=dookie joe;109002]During their brief press run ... it was all opinions, stories about minor meetings, rewritten press releases -- and, the coup de grace, biographies of their staff members [[!)

That wasn't much of a newspaper at all, was it, Dookie?
When a publication is riddled with typos, as was the Detroit Daily Press, it speaks volumes about the writers and editors -- and about those who hire them.

The glaring typos simply rob the paper of its credibility, no matter how large the circulation or how many ad dollars they pull in.

On a related note, today's community newspapers are damn near unreadable.
Everyone's standards simply need to be higher.

But, sadly, the bar is low.
Much too low.

Good people with good ideas and good intentions [[and good connections and good hair and good Rolodexes) aren't necessarily going to be good writers or spellers. And that's at least half the battle.

Hiring editors need not be concerned with applicants' GPA or alma maters.
They should be concerned instead with their motherfucking writing skills.

Too many writers and editors rest on their laurels and don't make an effort to improve at their craft. I didn't read anything in the Daily Press that made me sit up and take notice. Just because I recognize a name or two doesn't make it a good publication.

Good writing and good journalism make a good publication.

And, frankly, there's precious little of it in metro Detroit.

**dookie joe** · January-11-10, 09:54 PM

Dig that, Harper.

**professorscott** · January-11-10, 10:31 PM

I find good writing and good journalism chiefly in two places nowadays, and editorially they are poles apart: Crain's, and the Metro Times.

The Freep and News occasionally shine, but the massive cutting of staff has taken its toll, and I'm afraid the glory days are behind them.

Of course I'm not a professor of journalism and this is all just IMO.

**HarperNottingham** · January-12-10, 01:11 AM

Off the top of my head, Curt Guyette, Daniel Howes, Tom Henderson, Jack Lessenberry. These guys can write — oftentimes with integrity.

Those in the regional print media who cannot write well are legion.
[[There are some who won't know the meaning of the word "legion," yet lack the innate curiosity to look. it. up.)

[[And it is they who will sign your measly paycheck.)

Today's media, both locally and nationally, is horrendously oversaturated.
Reminds me of expansion baseball.

Any lefty nowadays with a 4.62 ERA can get a book deal.
And a talk show.

You're on deck, Governor Palin.
If you can just give me six innings, I'll guarantee you a syndicated column.

**pffft** · January-12-10, 09:47 AM

Bill Shea's reference to one local "newspaper union" is puzzling.

Try about six or seven.

Route29 · January-12-10, 11:14 AM

While I don't mourn the loss of the Royal Oak Daily Press, we desperately need the void left by the Freep/News filled.

Yesterday's Detroit Free Press had one article in the Nation/World section. One article. That's all that was newsworthy in the entire world yesterday?

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the NYT ran a 2 page article on Detroit business ventures, including the Burton Theatre, Good Girls go to Paris, and Leopold's. As far as I know, the Detroit papers have given them no attention. Disgraceful.

I'm also mightily sick of braving the cold weather to spend a $1.00 for that 9 page rag since they ended my normal daily subscription. I'm essentially doing it out of spite: when they finally go under and blame it on customers not buying their worthless paper, I can say "fuck you, I did my part to support print media. You let us down"

I wish someone from the Detroit papers was reading this, but they're probably too busy picking their noses and trying to find "news" on facebook.

**Melody** · January-12-10, 04:53 PM

"I wish someone from the Detroit papers was reading this, but they're probably too busy picking their noses and trying to find "news" on facebook."

Wish granted. Now back to picking my nose and finishing my Thursday story which includes Good Girls go to Paris.