* From Paddock Publications’ announcement last week that it was dropping the printing and distribution contract with the Proft papers…
Paddock Publications has made the decision to cancel commercial printing jobs with LGIS. As an independent newspaper publisher, we want no part of the flame-throwing accusations taking place between Gov. J.B. Pritzker and LGIS. Many critics cannot or refuse to differentiate between a commercial printing operation, for which the parent company Paddock Publications has many customers, and the Daily Herald’s editorial mission to be unbiased and fair.
On Thursday morning came a public news release from Pritzker’s campaign manager, Michael Ollen, excoriating Paddock for the print job. No one from Pritzker’s office had contacted the company regarding its concerns and instead sent out a news release announcing it would withdraw from an upcoming online forum with his Republican opponent, Darren Bailey, because of the printing issue.
The Daily Herald arranged for the forum on behalf of the Illinois Associated Press Media Editors group, which represents dozens of newspapers around the state. The joint forum was created to provide a variety of papers access to the candidates.
Senior company leaders sought an audience with Pritzker Thursday afternoon, but he was unavailable. Instead, campaign manager Ollen agreed to meet. Senior management outlined Paddock’s position on the printing, but Ollen would not commit on the governor’s behalf to participate in the forum.
Withdrawing from the forum would be a grave disservice to voters.
* The Chicago Tribune’s chief political reporter Rick Pearson was on John Williams’ WGN Radio show yesterday and had this to say…
Pearson: When Paddock Publications said that Pritzker’s non-participation would be a ‘grave disservice to the voters,’ you perhaps could argue the same thing that by printing these political mailings filled with vast amounts of misinformation and distortion does a great disservice to the voters.
Williams: I suppose so, but the newspaper could also argue that that was not the newspaper’s decision, that was this company that could be on Mars for that matter. Granted, they have co-owners but they are not co-deciders, that company made a decision. The newspaper makes a decision. What do you think of that?
Pearson: The company owns the newspaper. [Cross-talk] I mean, the printing plant is the Daily Herald Printing Center. It’s not Paddock Publications Printing Center. […]
Williams: So you think that Paddock Publications made the right decision to no longer print, ostensibly, Darren Bailey’s campaign literature?
Pearson: The mere fact that these are fake newspapers is a disservice to journalism. That’s just the bottom line. They’re nothing more than political mailers that are fake as newspapers. To try to use and distinguish and give them the credibility of legitimate newspapers. It’s phony. And to assist in the phoniness of this is beyond the pale.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
Thoughts?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 12:00 pm:
Good on Pearson.
I read all he writes. So good.
The genius of Proft in this whole fiasco is that the discussion is now that the Daily Hearld lacks the integrity and honesty to be a true instrument of journalism…
… while Proft has/d no intention to be a purveyor of journalism with his mail piece masquerading as a newspaper.
The DH failed in it’s obligation to it’s readers.
Proft fulfilled his obligation to Uihlein.
The credibility of the DH is not only in jeopardy, it’s already a punch line. Proft did that, and changed the whole discussion to his own ethics and integrity too.
- Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 12:05 pm:
I will keep going back to the fact that the Daily Herald felt fake news was such a problem that it sponsored community forums on media literacy and how to spot fake news.
Meanwhile, its parent company, Paddock, was publishing fake news.
Remember, one person is chairman, CEO and publisher of both Paddock and the Daily Herald.
This is not some sprawling publishing empire. There are a handful of people who control Paddock and the Daily Herald. One hand isn’t operating mysteriously separate from the other. The people in charge put profit over credibility. That is morally bankrupt corporate leadership.
- The 5th Deputy Governor - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 12:10 pm:
Agree with everything Rick said.
Side note, at what point does someone file a complaint with the ISBE calling these newspapers what they are? These are squarely election communications. Yes, the 1st Amendment issue will need to be confronted, and who knows how that will turn out, but is that a good enough reason to allow for repeated violations of campaign finance law?
- Dirty Red - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 12:11 pm:
The first time I met Rick was at the ILGOP State Convention in Decatur. When he took his seat in the media section, a few delegates quickly moved to other areas saying, “The 800-pound gorilla is here.”
As true today as it was then, but with more substance behind it.
- AcademicUnionStateEmployee - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 12:11 pm:
==The people in charge put profit over credibility. That is morally bankrupt corporate leadership.==
As goes Gannett, who run the SJ-R. They also put profit over product too, the latter of which gets cut from their papers too (and no Saturday print papers either).
==The genius of Proft in this whole fiasco is that the discussion is now that the Daily Hearld lacks the integrity and honesty to be a true instrument of journalism…
… while Proft has/d no intention to be a purveyor of journalism with his mail piece masquerading as a newspaper.==
As does the SJ-R too.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 12:14 pm:
===As does the SJ-R too.===
The SJ-R was printing Proft newspapers?
- AcademicUnionStateEmployee - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 12:19 pm:
==The SJ-R was printing Proft newspapers?==
Nope, although they’re not much different than Proft papers now. Few news, fluff reporting, ad-laden, and no more Bernie Schoenberg and other former SJ-R greats.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 12:21 pm:
===Nope===
That will suffice for me.
- Siualum - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 12:28 pm:
==As an independent newspaper publisher, we want no part of the flame throwing accusations taking place between Gov. J.B. Pritzker and ILGS.== Seems to me its the ILGS, via the Herald/Paddock, that are throwing flames, not Pritzker.
- Save Ferris - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 12:32 pm:
“the newspaper could also argue that that was not the newspaper’s decision, that was this company that could be on Mars for that matter”
Williams is such a mealy mouthed hack who is a major reason WGN is now completely ignorable. Imagine that intellect using the airwaves once occupied by Milt Rosenberg.
- Vote Quimby - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 12:34 pm:
==As does the SJ-R too==
I think the SJ-R is more a typical example of the decline of a once-great, journalism-focused true newspaper… rather than the potentially shady current business practice of a printing operation which also runs a newspaper.
- Anyone Remember - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 12:48 pm:
===The SJ-R was printing Proft newspapers?===
The SJ-R is printed in Peoria on the presses of the Peoria Journal Star. As is the Rockford Register Star. As is the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- Annonin' - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 12:52 pm:
It would be a good idea for every enterprising reporter to trot down to the press room (unless it has been farmed out) to ask what all is being printed.
Prehaps the DH/Paddock honcho never eyeballed the print work just the balance sheet.
- MisterJayEm - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 1:03 pm:
Paddock Publications deception of the public was bad, but I’d argue that their betrayal of their own journalists is even worse.
– MrJM
- AcademicUnionStateEmployee - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 1:03 pm:
==It would be a good idea for every enterprising reporter to trot down to the press room (unless it has been farmed out) to ask what all is being printed.==
That would be fun to do, but with a twist. Reporters from a rival media publication (either alternative paper, TV, or online) going to one of the newspapers, disguising their identities, and asking about what’s all being printed.
How about this idea: Bruce Rushton disguises himself and sneaks back down to the SJ-R press room (whatever is left of it) and asking what is all being printed. As well as interviewing the managing editor. All of this for an expose in the Illinois Times.
- walker - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 1:14 pm:
I certainly don’t like the Proft pieces, and DH made an error in judgment that cost them.
But highly partisan and misleading political broadsides are an American tradition since our founding, and some were even the start of established newspapers. Proft’s masquerade doesn’t bother me so much in concept.
- Medvale School for the Gifted - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 1:18 pm:
Paddock and Daily Herald:
Let’s put this into political terms you have undoubtedly used on your editorial pages.
What you have done is unethical. You have sold yourself out for profit at the expense of fair and balanced reporting.
How can anyone ever trust you again to do the right thing?
You should be forced to resign.
The Editorial Board
- Commissar Gritty - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 1:20 pm:
You know you messed up when even the Trib is calling out your journalistic integrity. They let John Kass have a career for decades, despite his practice of citing his sources as, “Just trust me, I have a gut feeling” then proceeding to spew out the most unfounded putresence that one could possibly brew up.
Kudos to Pearson on calling this out though, this was an attack on journalism.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 1:23 pm:
walker, aren’t we supposed to learn from history as opposed to citing it as a justification for current misdeeds.
Silly me, our society rarely learns from history. It just keeps repeating it and complaining about history teachers.
- walker - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 1:25 pm:
Norseman, that’s fair.
- New Day - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 1:28 pm:
“They let John Kass have a career for decades,”
The Trib didn’t make this comment. Rick Pearson did. The Tribsters (Yes, I’m looking at you, Bruce Dold) knew full well what they had in Kass. But in fairness, being a fact-free opinionated hack was kind of his job as an opinion columnist. Ok, he should have had more grounding in facts, but he’s certainly not unique or even unusual in that respect.
- Midwesterner - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 1:33 pm:
Interesting discussion. In my mind what is key is if Paddock or any other organization that does printing or other types of paid work in addition to publishing one or more newspapers is that conflicts and potential conflicts are disclosed.
- Big Dipper - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 1:34 pm:
==They let John Kass have a career for decades==
I wonder if he has uncovered a Combine in Indiana.
- Lefty Lefty - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 1:38 pm:
I canceled my subscription to the Daily Herald once the smoke cleared and I was able to digest all of the information, especially DH/Paddock’s response to the upheaval.
Another version of this is, “We turned down this contract in the interest of solid journalism.” Or - “Boy did we screw up. Sorry.” Neither of these responses came up and still haven’t. “It wasn’t technically us” and “we’re staying out of it” aren’t even excuses - they’re pseudo-journalistic gaslighting.
- Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 1:38 pm:
AcademicUnionStateEmployee, there is no SJR pressroom. The paper is printed in Peoria and trucked back for delivery. Has been for more than a decade.
The SJR building at 9th and Capitol was sold at auction to Sangamon County last year. Everyone and everything moved out some time ago.
- Product of the '60's - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 1:43 pm:
Heard the interview, Pearson never let up on any rebuttal by Williams. Not sure at times if Williams was playing devils advocate or being serious in his “I don’t think this is so bad” overall view. I think Williams political views often seem to veer slightly to either side depending on the day/subject, though I bet most would say he leans to the left.
- Bud's Bar Stool - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 1:50 pm:
Paddock deserves this and more. It isn’t just that they failed to exercise due diligence in screening their clients (and that’s a charitable assessment) but then they had the gall to issue a non-apology apology - essentially claiming they were a victim in a “both sides” feud between the governor and Proft. They showed no awareness and took no responsibility for their profoundly poor judgment.
- Amalia - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 1:53 pm:
Good for Rick. Nice Twitter war and more against the so called newspaper publisher pushes his good things.
- Original Rambler - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 2:00 pm:
I never gave the DH much thought but always presumed that they were independent professional journalists. That presumption has now evaporated and it’s going to be difficult to earn back. As was noted above, its true professional journalists were the ones most affected by the DH’s actions.
- Big Dipper - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 2:23 pm:
Maybe the print version is different but when I looked at the DH website last week it seemed like more than 90% of the articles were from the AP. So if people can get that content anywhere, why support these tonedeaf folks who were wrong to do this in the first place yet have stridently insisted they are the victim here?
- up2now - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 4:51 pm:
Huge difference between what a newspaper publishes in its editorial pages and what a commercial printer prints — even uf both are owned by the same company. Is a commercial printer wrong and unethical because it prints cigarette cartons? I don’t like the idea of telling a printer what he can or cannot print. Sounds like prior restraint to me.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 4:56 pm:
===I don’t like the idea of telling a printer what he can or cannot print. Sounds like prior restraint to me.===
Even if what they printing what they may call fake news?
It’s an ethical question, not a commercial one, unless one lacks ethics.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 4:58 pm:
I find it odd when it’s a discussion to business ethics and a need for a lapse in journalistic ethics… to make a buck.
It’s a crazy idea.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Sep 27, 22 @ 8:03 pm:
Cool cool cool. So if the Daily Herald is financed by Dan Proft, but aren’t co-deciders with Paddock, when exactly is the Herald going to run a feature investigative piece on a Paddock-supported disinformation operation run by Dan Proft?
- XonXoff - Wednesday, Sep 28, 22 @ 8:16 am:
Paddock got caught with their printing hand in the cookie jar DH built. They have an internal problem and are now blambing external forces. Sounds like they need adult supervision.
- XonXoff - Wednesday, Sep 28, 22 @ 8:19 am:
*blaming