Chastain pic is enlarged and cropped for drama
When it comes to hiding in plain sight, the Kansas City Star’s in a league of its own…
Let’s be clear about one thing: these days the local newspaper of record doesn’t go out of its way to appear even handed.
I set off any sarcasm detectors?
Which isn’t to say when they gaze into their bathroom mirrors they don’t convince themselves otherwise.
Trust me on this one.
To be a “serious” print journalist is to believe that outside of the odd error you’re totally fair, balanced and above all – dead right.
The awful truth: they’re just as opinionated and biased as the other losers on the barstools next to you.
Not that they don’t try to hide it or at least pretend otherwise.
In days gone by, editors had somewhat strict internal checks and balances.
No mas…
Just as CNN made the dramatic decision to abandon ship on its neutral approach to reporting a dozen or so years back (in search of Fox News-like ratings), Star reporters and editors routinely allow their political leanings into what is supposed to pass as straight news.
An unimpeachable example of the newspaper’s flagrant disregard for fairness:
It’s practice of running unflattering pics of people whose views run counter to theirs…
McCaskill looks like she’s sticking it to a caught aback Hawley
And of course, neutral to positive pics of people who’ve garnered their editorial favor.
Take the recent lame hit job on longtime light rail and activist Clay Chastain…
“This candidate for KC Mayor appears to live in Virginia. Shouldn’t that be a problem?” reads the headline.
Chastain fired back – almost in an aside – that the Star “:always uses unflattering pictures of me looking angry.”
True story.
It’s rare that you’ll see pics of Eric Greitens, Josh Hawley or Donald Trump looking like they halfway have a clue.
Whereas pols like Claire McCaskill are generally pictured in a far more flattering light.
Hey, if you’re going to trash someone, why not go all the way?
The $64 million question: will the newspaper ever return to even halfway even handed reporting?
Don’t hold your breath.
The Star and the whole truth and nothing but the truth statement have never ever been on the same page in thoughts or what to print. So much for unbiased news reporting in Kansas City. I get attacked in social media for pointing out facts and truths while seldom are those who print or air fairy tales and non supported untruths are never questioned and freaking flip out if they are labeling you as a hater. But I seem to remember you being pointed out for not reporting the whole truth before during your time with the Star. I also remember a local celebrated radio personality telling me to never tell you anything either because you will either twist the facts or ignore the facts that should be pointed out. But maybe you have changed your ways and then maybe you have not and want to still attack the Star for whatever. As for why you were let go by the Star we only have your side of the issue and what happened later so who do we believe? Your telling us we can’t believe the Star, should have never believed the Star and since you were a part of them at one time must mean you might have not told the truth then so how can we believe you now? See where I am going with this line of thought?
Not saying what you’re saying here isn’t the truth. But then how do we know it’s the truth? Readers don’t need to be reminded that the Star is very bias against those they don’t like. No way a person could have their head so deep in the sand to not know that very well unless they are so gullible to believe anything and everything they see in mass media. Then again it appears that many do believe what they see is fact and never bother to check it out. Interesting times we are in for sure and more and more every day I see hate thrown at people such as Chuck and myself for simply wanting to see the truth of the matter sees the light of day and not a bunch of silly nonsense that is miles from the truth.
Maybe the Star needs a new name. Tales and fables seems to pass for what is news anymore and that is sad. Rebrand it as the, “The Kansas City Forgery.”
I’m not telling you that you can’t believe the Star or never should have believed the Star…
I’m just pointing out that in the past handful of years they have abandoned ship on fairness in reporting, especially where political bias is concerned.
Hey, they’ve always had a left leaning editorial slant and behind the scenes, I can assure you that finding a staffer there that isn’t wildly liberal and/or a democrat is a rarity.
Funny thing is, fellow Star staffers had me pegged as a republican while friends and outsiders (readers) thought the opposite.
So maybe I was doing something halfway right.
The dearly departed Stomper used to bag on me for pointing out that I voted twice for Obama when trying to pigeonhole me as a card carrying repub (which I’m not). I also voted for Perot and Ralph Nader, so I bat to a number of fields.
The reason some radio people and others were afeared of me was I didn’t pull many punches when calling them out. And when I caught one of them (or anyone else) doing something untoward or suspect, i called them out. I also mostly called them to allow them to comment…as in defend themselves or convince me that whatever the story was about was untrue.
It’s no secret that I was laid off – not fired – along with hundreds of others.
What most people never knew was that they wanted to hire me back (like Lee Judge was) at a lower salary sans most of the benefits (like 28 days of vacation and or sick leave and weekly expense account) but that I stupidly closed that door by not following the directive of taking my six months severance in 2008 instead of 2009 (which i did to save taxes).
Abd McClatchy woulds not allow an exception to having to sit out 2009 before any employee that took the money in 2008 could be rehired.
That was on me.
As was reporting on all the ugliness that ensued during that first big year of layoffs, which pissed off Mark Zeiman and all but guaranteed that i would not be rehired.
All I’m doing here now is critiquing the newspaper for its somewhat obvious shortcomings…in part because it’s so easy to do.
Because I’ve got a busy, successful career going outside of journalism and don’t have the time (and top some extent) the geography to do much else…although I keep telling myself that I soon will.
Guess we’ll see!
True the Star does make it easy for someone to rip on them a little. Sad that the Star behaves the way they do instead of not taking sides and just put the story out there while presenting all of it and let the readers look for either what they believe is the truth or lay the ground work to maybe find some answers. To me you can’t say you report the news if you only report that you want people to know while clearly forcing your opinion on them. That is what the editorials are for, sharing your view on the matter not sharing your view while calling it the news.
There’s a somewhat fine line here, SD…
It’s still news…I’m just not sure the extent to which they even realizer that they’re shading the truth.
The “new” editorial board is another matter.
Those people can’t wait to see what spills out of their mouths each day was they cloth their rosaries and pray that their time here will not come to the abrupt end that hit doubtless will.
“The dearly departed Stomper.”
I was shocked to hear this Hearne. I am really sorry to hear about this. I really think you should have penned a tribute to him and his contributions in this room.
Again, very sad news.
Sorry Chuck but…
I was being tongue in cheek there, he’s alive and well. But I think he’s been on strike since I kind of rubbed him wrong during the Kavanaugh hearings
Whew!
That’s good news!
🙂