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

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | Tagged | 6 Comments

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

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | Tagged , | 18 Comments

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

Posted in Hearne_Christopher, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 19 Comments

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

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | Tagged | 57 Comments

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

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | Tagged | 16 Comments

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

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | Tagged | 29 Comments

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

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | 9 Comments

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

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | Tagged | 15 Comments

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

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | Tagged | 21 Comments

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 31 Comments

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

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 17 Comments

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

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | 45 Comments

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

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | Tagged , | 30 Comments

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

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | Tagged , | 15 Comments

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

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | Tagged | 4 Comments

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

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | 2 Comments

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

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

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

Posted in Uncategorized | 27 Comments

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

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | Tagged , | 6 Comments

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

Posted in Hearne_Christopher | Tagged | 44 Comments