From: Mark Berton <mark@incommunitymagazines.com>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>Sent: Fri, Jan 20, 2012 7:44 am
Subject: Lebo Copyright Policy
Hi Elaine, We’re working on the spring issue of IN Mt. Lebanon magazine and I was reading about the copyright issue with the district website that you posted. I’d like to offer you a page or two in the spring issue if you would like address this topic since you have Mike Madison’s opinion and have written about it thoughtfully. This is an important issue for anyone in the media and one that, you would think, would negate the necessity of having a district communications coordinator whose sole purpose is to disseminate district information to the public, since the public is not allowed to rebroadcast those disseminations. Let me know your thoughts and I’ll be happy to budget the space to you. Thanks,
Mark Berton
Western Regional Editor
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On February 21, I received this from Mark:
"I know it's been a while, but we're working on the Spring IN Mt. Lebanon.
Here's the page layout. Let me know if anything's changed since we last
spoke or if we need to make any changes."
IN Mt. Lebanon decided to call my article, "Censored Lebo."
Here's the page layout. Let me know if anything's changed since we last
spoke or if we need to make any changes."
IN Mt. Lebanon decided to call my article, "Censored Lebo."
There were some minor punctuation errors and a spacing issue to my two page article, but it was fine otherwise. And if they wanted to call it censorship, then so be it.
Well, I have been "censored" again. This morning, I got this delightful email:
Hello Elaine
I am Managing Editor for In Mt. Lebanon Magazine. In the final stages of review of the magazine, we decided to pull the feature that you submitted to us from the Spring edition. We are trying our best to keep a neutral position in the community regarding the municipality and my decision to pull this editorial was based purely on this stance.
I greatly appreciate you taking time to submit the editorial and hope you understand our position. If you know of any person or organization who lives or works in the Mt Lebanon Community, whom you think we should be writing about, would you let me know?
Thanks in advance for your understanding.
With kind regards,
Marybeth Jeffries
Managing Editor
In Community Magazines
603 E McMurray Road
McMurray PA 15317
In Mt. Lebanon magazine was my last hope for unbiased journalism in Mt. Lebanon. I guess it is all about the mighty dollar.
Not a big loss. There really no reason to read meaningless MTL fluff in two magazines.
ReplyDeleteEssentially just more junk mail that I wish they wouldn't clutter my mailbox with.
Dick Bachman
That's their version of "fair and balanced reporting" -- only cover highly selective topics (usually dated) with positive spins & hype, never the revealing, documented negative truths. It's a rag, trying desparately to replace *mtl* and attract more gullible advertisers.
ReplyDeleteBill Lewis
I'm with Bachman and here's why.
ReplyDeleteA synonym for neutral is "indifferent" and I really don't need to deal with receiving and disposing of essentially more junk mail. Its a waste of time, and a waste of paper (natural resources) and energy.
Furthermore, as I taxpayer we already have a MTL publication that is better written and designed that we contribute too. I know, Sue Morgans claims no taxpayer money goes to the magazine, but I suspect her fringe benefits, pension, credit line and rent give her publication an unfair advantage over a private enterprise like IN MTL. Be aware though MTL doesn't maintain a neutral policy when it comes to MTL issues.
That said, IN MTL competes directly for the same advertisers and ad dollars as "our" publication. So, why support it? We're only cutting our own throats. Rather than see a 1/4 page ad from say Little Tokyo in both publications, I'd rather see an ad in one with a !)% off offer. Which they might offer since they cut their marketing budget in half.
Sorry, IN MTL your neutral magazine just leaves me indifferent.
Giffen Good
I think it's important to realize that the brilliant men who drafted our Bill of Rights in 1791 understood that having a free press was paramount to the new kind of nation that they wanted. That's why the words forbidding government interference with a free press were included with the First Amendment.
ReplyDeleteI think it's equally important to realize today how far things have deteriorated since that time.
Now, we have some publishers avoiding controversial issues for fear some official(s) will get mad and stop talking or work with them. Do these publishers not realize that they would earn residents' respect for presenting both sides of issues? Have these same people no interest in doing their jobs properly?
And how dare Ms. Jeffries have the audacity to ask Mrs. Gillen for suggestions about future newsmakers for the magazine!!!
Thank God for people like Elaine who spend countless hours without pay keeping the community informed.
Maddie Miller
Maddie, my reply to Ms. Jeffries was something like- you want to know who to write about? Are you kidding?
ReplyDeleteI guess Ms. Jeffreys won't be accepting editorials unless they are neutral as well.
Elaine
These fluff publications are missing the boat, as well as losing out on the chance to perform an important community service. Every municipality around here has divisive issues that should be brought forth.
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine how boring the magazine's planning meetings must be. (yawn)
Maddie Miller