John Myers
California. Politics. Ex-news (LAT, KQED, et al.). Advocacy comms. Comments are mine, not part of the current job. #GoDuke
- The passing of Lou Cannon is truly the end of an era of political journalism. The masterful Reagan biographer was so gracious to me in my 1998 coverage of the CA gubernatorial race, and provided analysis for TV pieces I did on the Dem primary. A pro’s pro. I remain grateful.
- If an elected official is praised by a columnist and the two of them happen to be pretty good personal friends, might not that friendship color the columnist’s viewpoint?
- The celebrity is the indefatigable CA legislative historian, not a journo has-been!
- On the road to the Final Four…
- Survive and advance. 😈 🏀
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- It’s frustrating to see good reporters, some who are former colleagues, file stories that have more color (descriptive details, lyrical prose) than context. Context is the most consistently overlooked ingredient in modern daily journalism.
- Morro Bay remains one of my favorite places, years after I was lucky enough to work down on this part of the coast for KSBY-TV…
- Out of office…
- I hate to tell them, but…
- News reporting swings back and forth between access and exclusivity. Few (no) reporters will turn down a meaningful “get”… and none should quietly acquiesce to a ban on an outlet’s access. The business is competitive, yes, but only as long as rights are respected.
- A good newsroom will explain this week in detail how the companies that pay US auto workers rely heavily on parts from MEX & CAN, painting a clear picture of North American alliances. A lazy newsroom will focus on the threat to “your Super Bowl guacamole,” severely underplaying the issues at hand.
- Nothing is better than beating Carolina at Cameron. NOTHING. 😈🏀
- Please, editors: No more columns from writers who have only an opinion, and no actual expertise in a subject. The era of “Here’s my take” feels like it’s long since passed.
- Maybe I should be posting about politics or government stuff, but instead I’m passing along a huge endorsement of the “SNL 50: Beyond Saturday Night” series on Peacock. Ep. 2 is a wonderful look at the sketch of the century!
- Context. Context. Context. Context.
- I’ll be surprised if anyone had “Mt. McKinley” on their bingo card today. Or have I missed some groundswell in my departure from daily political news?
- Too little of the social and traditional media coverage so far has taken a breath before casting blame. We’d be better off with more discussion along the lines of this take from NPR.
- Interesting point and, to me, another good reason to focus on more traditional budget-year revenues and expenses when discussing the out-years, no? These leftover funds are a big deal… but they don’t feel reliable enough to fully count on when framing a narrative about 2-3 year budget health.
- A thoughtful look that suggests we are long overdue for taking “wild” out of our concept of deadly fires, how the lessons of the Great Chicago Fire have been forgotten.
- Kings crushed the Celtics. Can’t believe I’m typing that. (And without Fox!)
- Easily the most comprehensive story I’ve seen on why the LA fire zones had so many water supply issues this week for firefighters. Lots of urban planning, tech, and govt funding issues to resolve.
- Happy New Year, all. It’s champagne and war tonight with my 16 year old.
- The passing of Aaron Brown, the last of the golden era television journalists, is a reminder of how far the medium and the audience has changed.
- The passing of President Carter should give us a moment to reflect on the nature of public service, far beyond terms in elected office. A reflection, too, of a kind of politics we left behind a long time ago.
- NBA referee Bill Kennedy is the GOAT when it comes to telling the crowd how a coach’s challenge panned out. 🏀 #GoKings
- The CNN evening show’s format — all panel convo on all topics in the news, all the time — is exhausting. But it also reflects the familiar broadcast news crutch of “Hey, let’s talk about the news.” It used to be confirmed largely to news/talk radio (my gig in 2002) and even then was vacuous.
- MTV, ostensibly still titled “Music Television,” is showing… Titanic. I know I’m a GenX guy from the launch of the network and that music faded a long time ago, but come on.
- Sunday multitasking.
- I spent the morning reading final CA voting data (once an election reporter…) Hard to ignore how truly anomalous 2020’s high turnout (~81%) was… with 2024 looking more like historic norms of 70%-75% of registered voters casting a ballot. (And presidential elections are typically more popular.)
- Can’t help but wonder, while wishing a speedy recovery to the former speaker, how long it might’ve taken most Americans in her situation to have received similar care.
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- Always on the 🎄 of this relocated North Carolinian.
- 43 years later, I discover that Kim Carnes sang of making a “pro blush” in “Bette Davis Eyes”… and not a “probe lunch.” (I have no idea what I thought a probe lunch was… or what it consisted of!)
- Not exactly Dewey Defeats Truman, but the Kings lost tonight…
