Larry Parnass
One of the most recognizable names still left at the Daily Hampshire Gazette, Editor in Chief Larry Parnass, was apparently fired today ... however, after swift heated reaction directed at publisher Jim Foudy and Aaron Julien, President CEO of Newspapers of New England, the decision was reversed.
Parnass started with the paper in 1988, back when print was in its prime. And even though the Gazette was quick to expand to the Internet w-a-y back in 1996, their use of social media is pretty much phoned in. And it shows.
Interestingly the sudden, surprising news broke via competitors, Northampton Media and WHMP radio, which underscores one of the problems with the Gazette: lack of immediacy.
Although Gazette reporter Bob Dunn did tweet the news about the decision reversal.
More on Monday. Maybe.
BREAKING: NNE reverses prior decision: Larry Parnass remains on board as DHG Editor in Chief (and there was much rejoicing)
— Bob Dunn (@BDGazette) April 12, 2013
Larry Parnass is as good and smart a man as I know. Glad to hear Northampton would not stand for his sacking.
— Ben Storrow (@bstorrow) April 12, 2013
Bob Dunn is a Gazette reporter, Ben Storrow is a former Gazette reporter
6 comments:
Someone didn't read Machiavelli well enough....
I guess I don't do the tweet thing or know how to do the tweet thing. I looked on both those websites and there was no mention of this (but I'm sure it happened). I was checking the date to see if it was 4/1. It reminded that WHMP would be a good site to bookmark, and that fortunately or unfortunately the stories on northamtonmedia are so old I can see dust collecting on them.
I think Parnass is a good editor and a good employee, but I wish the Gazette would just quit beating around the bush and quit doing this shuffle with titles. When Julien bought the paper they wanted to keep his name out of it (this guy from New Hampshire owned NNE, that owned New Hampshire papers). I looked up the definition of publisher, but as far as I am concerned, the person that OWNS the paper is the publisher. After Derose sold the paper, they gave the previous editor the title of publisher. They promoted Parnass to editor. They made the circulation director, director of operations of the Recorder, also owned by NNE. There was less for him to do, and the Gazette doesn't want to tell you this, but when Julien took over they sub-contracted delivery to a company from Maryland called PCF (Publisher's Circulation Fulfillment) and payed the carriers less. Okay, I'll acknowledge the money has kind of come out the newspaper business and this may of become a necessary step. I'm sort of shooting myself in the foot because I used to deliver papers for the Gazette, but I don't have much more to lose anymore. I'll just say one thing, if you get a Gazette delivered, and regardless of what Larry says (I will acknowledge they're have lead feet when it comes to breaking news), they're still a pretty good newspaper, .....tip your carrier, because he or she needs the money. I guess this pretty much guarantees the Gazette will never again print another one of my letters.
A post mortem industry. Only a matter of time for this group too.
No Walter, Post Mortem by choice -- the disposable nature of the medium (as opposed to the quite expensive electronic reader) makes it ideal for breakfast table, left behind in the breakroom, or bathroom.
It is the bias and omissions that have done in the newspaper business.
Sorry wishful thinkers, but newspapers are here to stay, especially ones that bring you local news.
The Gazette has no note about this on their website, but I don't know why I was looking, they have not need to mention it. But I notice when it comes to airing everybody else's dirty laundry, they can do it in a second. I wrote to the publisher (Foudy), he said it had something to do with a strict budget, and to a degree that makes sense.
In such a well read community community as ours, it is true that a newspaper will last longer. It will however go all electronic at a point. I don't know if that will happen in my lifetime. We consider ourselves such intellectuals, that's why there is still a reasonably good circulation for an area that is as relatively small as ours.
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