As I recall, my contribution to the production process was superhuman as always. (At one newspaper, we made deadline 100 straight days, and the credit went straight to (wait for it) the paste-up people! Someday I'll recall all these details -- or at least the ones I can keep straight -- in the long-awaited chronicle "Print Journalism in the 1990s -- When the Hairline Rule Became More Important Than the Printed Word.") The "article" I wrote, though, was not so great. I looked at my copy of this edition a few years ago and was not impressed with what appeared under my name. But life goes on!
I am actually not sure what became of my clips file. I do have a few loose supplements for some reason. The rest has been lost to the sands of time. There was one article I wanted to keep, simply for how it came about. The University had released some mildly hazardous chemical, and I had made a habit of writing down every name that was mentioned. Then I would call those people and bluff them into thinking their names had been provided as sources. I was able to parlay one of those conversations, plus a random answering machine message, into a scoop. We managed to tick off one of the major advertisers in a follow-up article, but that is a whole other story.
Two things: we lost Eric Boehlert (sp?) this week - even though i can’t spell his name, his Press Run journal was integral to understanding of how media is going to hell (RIP). And speaking of hell, Art Briles…and the fact that David McCormick, former hedge fund manager and billionaire, has not only gone MAGA flannel shirt good ole boy to try to replace Pat Toomey in the US Senate from PA, he’s hired every insect from the most recent former President’s staff to do it - Stephen Miller, Hope Hicks…you know the names. The fact that these maggots will be crawling around my state for the next six months makes me sick….and how are you?
"...if I can help, I’ll help, and if I can’t, I’ll get out of the way." Wise words, Will.
As I recall, my contribution to the production process was superhuman as always. (At one newspaper, we made deadline 100 straight days, and the credit went straight to (wait for it) the paste-up people! Someday I'll recall all these details -- or at least the ones I can keep straight -- in the long-awaited chronicle "Print Journalism in the 1990s -- When the Hairline Rule Became More Important Than the Printed Word.") The "article" I wrote, though, was not so great. I looked at my copy of this edition a few years ago and was not impressed with what appeared under my name. But life goes on!
I am so, so lucky the Daily Illini archives from that time are not online!
I am actually not sure what became of my clips file. I do have a few loose supplements for some reason. The rest has been lost to the sands of time. There was one article I wanted to keep, simply for how it came about. The University had released some mildly hazardous chemical, and I had made a habit of writing down every name that was mentioned. Then I would call those people and bluff them into thinking their names had been provided as sources. I was able to parlay one of those conversations, plus a random answering machine message, into a scoop. We managed to tick off one of the major advertisers in a follow-up article, but that is a whole other story.
Two things: we lost Eric Boehlert (sp?) this week - even though i can’t spell his name, his Press Run journal was integral to understanding of how media is going to hell (RIP). And speaking of hell, Art Briles…and the fact that David McCormick, former hedge fund manager and billionaire, has not only gone MAGA flannel shirt good ole boy to try to replace Pat Toomey in the US Senate from PA, he’s hired every insect from the most recent former President’s staff to do it - Stephen Miller, Hope Hicks…you know the names. The fact that these maggots will be crawling around my state for the next six months makes me sick….and how are you?
The Boehlert news was just horrible.
Miss him already…as to my other complaint, it is the definition of irony that McCormick hired the snake charmers army and Twitler then endorsed Oz…