The blogger bash was very well attended this time around, and was a lot of fun. I got to meet a few new people, including Ms. Pointlessly Hypertechnical, “Cory,” and Karen Carter (Brad’s better half). Although I got there late, there were still a lot of people there. They couldn’t watch the Cubs on TV for some reason, but the eating and drinking went on as planned.
Also, we did discuss “organizing” to some degree, but the more we talked about it, the more complicated (and expensive) the proposition became. So we won’t be starting an Illinois News Bloggers Association any time soon. But we will be starting a Yahoo Group for sharing news releases, press conference announcements, etc., among Peoria’s news bloggers. So that’s a start.
Oh, and I met Elaine Hopkins. I was polite and cordial, but unfortunately she never apologized for publishing misleading statements about me regarding the Kellar Branch issue, despite having ample opportunity to do so. Until she does, there will be no “set[ting] aside [our] differences,” as she suggested in a comment to another post. I’m not amused by yellow journalism, especially when it’s directed at me. However, if and when I receive a public apology from her, I’ll be happy to set aside the whole matter and not bring it up again.
Amazing how one person’s cause is another person’s yellow journalism.
Anonymous: Not true. While I obviously disagree with her stance on the Kellar Branch issue, I don’t hold that against her. I’m perfectly able to be friends with those who disagree with me on the issues. What I object to is not Elaine’s advocacy for a trail, but her personal attack on my character and integrity. That’s where she crosses the line, and as a journalist for over 30 years, she knows that crosses the line, which makes it all the more inexcusable.
Elaine is an ends-justifies-the-means type. Trail is good, therefore anything that will advance it is good, even if it means telling lies and slandering people.
What’s to apologize for? C.J., you admitted that Pioneer Railcorp paid you to do a presentation for the Heights Village Board. Bloggers are often paid to do public relations. It’s now a common practice. If so, they should disclose that.
From your blog on February 17:
I did so on February 19. However, your February 21 post did not include my clear denial of having received any “financial support from Pioneer,” although you printed other bloggers’ denials.
When I did the PowerPoint presentation, I immediately disclosed that, too, on my own blog, saying: “I created the slides for the PowerPoint presentation. And yes, Pioneer will be paying me for my work in creating those slides. This is the first time I’ve done any work for them or received any payment of monetary or non-monetary value.”
The presentation, you may recall, was on providing trolley service along the Kellar Branch rail line. It was a joint effort between Pioneer and the Illinois Prairie Railroad Foundation. I was paid for my time creating the slide show and technical assistance the night of the presentation and that’s it. I was not then nor have I ever been paid for doing “public relations” — a new assertion I see you’ve added in your most recent comment.
Nevertheless, you reported on March 28:
Now Elaine, you’ve been a journalist for over 30 years, right? Are you going to sit there and tell me that your statement was not misleading? That it isn’t a half-truth? That it doesn’t call my integrity into question?
Since you’re being deliberately obtuse, allow me to spell it out for you. “Admitted” is defined as “confess to be true or to be the case, typically with reluctance; confess to (a crime or fault, or one’s responsibility for it); acknowledge (a failure or fault)” (Oxford American Dictionary). In fact, I was always direct and forthright about my relationship to Pioneer. There was never anything to “admit”; there was only a need in March 2007 to make new information known, which I promptly did.
“Being paid by Pioneer.” This line is so broad and vague it leads to numerous questions from the uninformed reader: Paid for what? When? Was he “being paid” over a long period of time or for a specific job? Was he being paid to support keeping the rail line in operation? Is he a lobbyist? The line withholds pertinent information and invites readers to draw their own conclusions.
The Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics states, “Deliberate distortion is never permissible.” Given the fact that I had provided information about what specifically I was paid for, as well as when and why, tell me why your cryptic line that I “admitted being paid by Pioneer” should not be considered deliberate distortion.
I’m still waiting for an apology.
Hey you two-who gives a rats ass about your little dispute?
too much free time
C.J. – I think you’re trying to hold a “reporter” (former that is) to a standard that is too often unseen in the reporting profession today. What we typically see is artful distortion of the facts to sway a reader to a particular point of view. If that weren’t the case, their would never be a need for more than one newspaper in a circulation area or the need for more than one “news magazine” for the nation. Newspapers and magazines distinguish themselves based upon the amount the direction of their leaning….and I don’t think anyone that was on the receiving end of any story by Ms. Hopkins ever praised her for your “balanced approach”.
So they next blogger bash you all have you won’t be holding hands and singing?
That’s why I stay home. Too many personalities, hell, I was told to apologize for a tongue and cheek comment I posted here by another blogger while commenting here on this blog. In fact, I was called names on a live chat and even threaten via email. While I respect the opinions I read on various blogs (some of them) I don’t want to drink with half of you.
…now you say control freak who! -> for those who stayed late.
re: Elaine Hopkins and her yellow journalism. I have been the recipient of it for many years and it has cost me a lot of cash out of my own pocket. She accused me of being paid by Pioneer Railcorp, which also is not true. They have never paid me to do publicity work for them, or paid me for anything else. Also her remarks about the IPRRF not filing a tax return was totally distorted. We are a non-profit Foundation and right now all of the expenses are coming out of my personal pocket since we don’t have dues. She has distorted a lot of stories over the years and even though she no longer works for the JS she still does it on her blog site.
And RomanII I give a rats a__ about the dispute and its not so little. There are a lot of us involved in this and we are not happy about the “yellow so-called journalism” from Ms. Hopkins.
Elaine Hopkins’ blog ostensibly represents “advocacy journalism”. Unfortunately her site is 98% advocacy, 2% journalism.