Author Archives: Hearne Christopher Jr.
Hearne: Is the KC Star ‘Extorting’ Subscribers? You Decide
Remember the expression, less is more? That’s the polar opposite of the Harlinator, a walking, talking poster child of the More the Merrier school of thought. I digress. The other day one of our comments section regulars, Jim a.k.a. BWH, boasted of paying … Continue reading
Hearne: Just Another Manic Monday @ 18th & Grand
It doesn’t make sense… That the lowly Lawrence Journal World continues to choke out 30 percent more content than the once-mighty Kansas City Star. Yet here we go again today, with a flimsy, 20 page, two-section Monday Star versus a three-section, 26 page Journal … Continue reading
Hearne: New, Improved Pitch — All Dressed Up, Nowhere to Go
Seen the vastly improved Pitch website lately? Not too shabby for a dying news and entertainment medium. Seriously, keeping the grim reaper at bay for print publications these days is no easy task. Especially when you’re giving away the principle product … Continue reading
Hearne: The Point Nails Down Top Spot in March Radio Rankings
Long time no radio ratings… However with the winter of our discontent in the rearview mirror, what better time to sort out the winners and losers among area stations. And guess what? There’s a new king of the beasts – The Point … Continue reading
Hearne: A Tale of Newspaper Woe in Two Cities
Talk about David v Goliath… Is hard to imagine that the vaunted Kansas City Star would be upstaged by a neighboring, small town daily, but it’s happening. Just yesterday the lowly Lawrence Journal World choked out 26 pages of news and information to … Continue reading
Hearne: Will This Year’s Royals Continue to Lay Waste to Local Economy?
They say it’s lonely at the top… Well, make no mistake, Craig Glazer of Stanford & Sons comedy club isn’t the only lonely, local businessman to take note of the financial toll the success of the Kansas City Royals baseball team has taken … Continue reading
Hearne: Topeka Capital-Journal v Kansas City Star
Consider this an observation… A funny thing happened in Topeka today. In the form of a complimentary copy of the $1 list price Topeka Capital-Journal. The question being, how might it stack up against the Kansas City Star? Would it give … Continue reading
Hearne: The Kansas City Star’s Last Stand?
Here’s another take on the Star’s current ship of state, layoffs, buyouts and dial backs from one of the most successful journalists in the history of the Kansas City Star: “All those names headed out the door, they must be … Continue reading
Hearne: No Joy in Mudville Update
Lawrence is a funny town… On one hand it clings to and celebrates its small town charm. On the other, it longs for a taste of superficial, big city amenities with chains like Ulta and Chick-fil-A. Think I’m kidding? Let’s cut to … Continue reading
Hearne: KC Star Layoffs; Last One Out, Turn On The Lights
Put away the black armbands, lose the hankies, this is a time of hope! That’s right, after upwards of nine years of layoffs and buyouts, the Kansas City Star is in a position where…it could.just.go.all.the.way! Don’t rub your eyes, you heard … Continue reading
Hearne: Ridiculous Crowd Estimate Alert for Lawrence
Ah, the joys of journalism… I learned early in my foray into the journalism racket that precious few who call themselves “journalists” are to the manner born. Television newsies are generally wannabe local celebrities who like the idea of acting important, being on camera, wearing … Continue reading
Hearne: The Bill Self Controversy Nobody Will Touch
Nepotism, anyone? Heading into the NCAA tourney, the University of Kansas is flying high. They’re in sole possession of twin Big 12 championships; they’ve won 30 games; and just about anybody and everybody has them as all but a lock for … Continue reading
Hearne: A Death in the Family @ 18th & Grand
It was the beginning of the end… Late last summer I misplaced a credit card that paid my monthly subscription fee to the Kansas City Star. The net result being the gang at 18th and Grand cut me off. Poof, I was history. … Continue reading
Hearne: How (Not) to Fix KU Football
Rhetorical questions, anyone? Coming up with clever column ideas isn’t always easy. Case in point, Lawrence Journal World boss hawg Dolph Simons, Jr.’s most recent effort. His latest; What Will It Take to Turn KU Football Around? Now there’s a $64 million … Continue reading
Hearne: Future Vision Gets Reality Check
There’s a fine line between Big Brother and George Jetson…. Millions of Baby Boomers grew up delighting in the antics of Fred Flintstone and his feet powered cars, but at the same time with their eyes pointed toward a future … Continue reading
Hearne: A Losing Battle for Hearts, Minds, Eyeballs
It’s not easy being a daily newspaper… Oh, it used to be. Once the competition was out of the way and pretty much every major market had but a single significant publisher – the Star in Kansas City, the Journal … Continue reading
Hearne: Former KC Promoter Weighs in on Death of The Eagles Glenn Frey
Pretty much everybody knows and/or remembers KC concert king Chris Fritz… Far less so, Contemporary head dude Irv Zuckerman. And yet without the mostly behind-the-scenes, St. Louis concert promoter’s contribution the area entertainment scene in the 80s, 90s and beyond … Continue reading
Hearne: KU Football Living in the Past
It’s a sad commentary when you have to dig back like 50 years to find a bright spot… However that’s pretty much the sad state of KU football today. As evidenced by a pair of front page stories in today’s sports … Continue reading
Hearne: Lawrence Library Tries to Turn Water into Wine
When’s the last time anybody wasted a half dozen half page newspaper ads to draw fewer than 20 folks to a “free” wine tasting? In the case of the Lawrence Public Library and Lawrence Memorial Hospital the answer would be yesterday. Then again, … Continue reading
Hearne: Donald Trump, Sex Slaves, Mad Max, Granny & Border War Crossing
Face it, the times they just aren’t a changing, like it or not, it’s a brave new world out there,…. Take the annual Gallup Poll results that showed President Obama as the country’s “most admired man.” Politics, nut job and terrorist … Continue reading