It's all there in black and white

Etchings endure
But not in Sand
Meanings Collide
To Unresolved Fragments
Codes fizzle to Static
They are not lost
But Unheard
Never lost
Fading slowly to Silence
By infinite degrees
 ― Ashim Shanker, Sinew of the Social Species

Permanence is a valuable attribute in the trust game

 
By Rob Carrigan, robcarrigan1@gmail.com

On the whole, many historians consider the invention of the printing press as one of the most important events in human history. But those same historians are just now dealing with the digital world. Consider too, that they define history as a written report of past events.
As a long-time ink-stained wretch, and a digital dabbler, I don't discount the importance of either print or digital. But I think there is big advantage to print that somehow fails to get mentioned very often. Permanence.
In fact, it is almost universally misunderstood.
"If you’re doing marketing, more than likely, you’ve probably heard of programmatic advertising.
Programmatic’s theory is sound. Instead of buying space on a platform — like a newspaper, radio station or television station — you’re 'buying' the audience," wrote Jerry Raehal, the former CEO of Colorado Press Network and the Colorado Press Association.
"With programmatic, you buy the desired audience based on desired geography, demographics and behaviors of the consumer’s online history. Think of Big Brother stalking you online, keeping tabs and trying to sell you stuff," Raehal said.
"Combine a desired audience with a relatively low cost compared to other forms of marketing, and it’s easy to see the appeal. The theory makes sense to marketers. But the theory is flawed. Programmatic has problems. Lots and lots of problems," he said blaming the deficiencies on fraud, fraud and more fraud. He cites "bot" traffic which he notes in 2016, accounted for  more than half of all traffic to websites, according Incapsula's widely-reported findings. Also, delivery from unreliable vendors is a problem — or for lack of a better description, "fake results."
When my old 'beginning newswriting' professor Chuck Rankin, would fail budding reporters on an assignment, it usually had something to do with spelling a proper name incorrectly. He suggested that if you can't get the name right, you can't be in the business, in those days.
Get the facts correct, or don't bother to report it. The basics, if you will, of reporting.  Legendary Chicago Sun-Times editorial writer and also a professor of mine, Cecil Neth, was even more insistent. The emphasis should be on reporting, but it doesn't do anyone any good, not to be sure of your reporting.
Today, news seems to be built for speed, with little thought to anything else. With the advent of 'instant audience' and 'breaking news,' a number of news operations now back away from accuracy, in order to beat competitors to the punch.
Thus, I think, accuracy and responsibility suffered — and has yet to recover.
Not to mention leader's, sources  and newsmaker's tendency to exploit the changing nature of news today.  For their part, they understand you can manipulate the public by saying something in the morning, deny it that afternoon in a walkback, and then flop and swear that evening that is what you originally meant. 
Advertisers and marketers have always been suspect. High volumes of snake oil, quackery and other mysterious potions have been sold in the past. They will likely try to sell us in the future.
Back to permanence.
When what you say, is set in type, and printed out in a indelible record, it tends to have greater weight. Point of no return is an important concept, in printing —and in life. Legal notices operated and continue (to large extent), to operate under that theory.  The first printing job in history, the Gutenberg Bible, has maintained respectability. In my mind, permanent printing has more credence in the marketing game.
It is there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of year, after the initial run. Chances are: greater care was taken in spelling the names correctly, and getting the facts right.  After all, it is all there in black and white, recorded for posterity.

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Danger at the center of the universe

Either the greatest blessing or the greatest curse in modern times

By Rob Carrigan, robcarrigan1@gmail.com

Yesterday, I was over in Greeley and took the opportunity of time travel, visiting some of my Colorado newspaper roots at Utopia's Newspaper.

"Nathan Cook Meeker, agricultural editor at the New York Tribune, penned an editorial proposing the establishment of a new settlement based on morality and temperance in Colorado Territory," reads a display in the Greeley Museum downtown.

"Union Colony was incorporated in 1869. As the population grew, Meeker quickly saw the need for a local newspaper. With a loan from Horace Greeley, 'The Greeley Tribune' was established and began publication on November 16, 1870.

Later, returning to my office in Fort Collins, I somehow found myself engaged in a Second Amendment argument with a longtime newspaper fellow, and was reminded of J.M. Barrie's 1896 assessment that "The Printing Press is either the greatest blessing or the greatest curse in modern times, one sometimes forgets which."

Now, of course, there are other technical methods and mechanisms, but the distributive sentiment holds.

The museum display takes note of Nathan Meeker's steadfast dedication to his particular causes in the opinion wars of the time. "We shall improve, not apologize," reads one pertinent headline.

"Early issues focused on farming, prohibition, and Horace Greeley's political aspirations. Meeker had lofty political ambitions both for the colony and the weekly newspaper he published,"the display says.

"Individuals may rise or fall — may live or die — property may be lost or gained, but the colony as a whole will prosper and the spot on which we labor, shall as long as the world stands, be the center of intelligence and activity."

I think that Meeker's editorial is revealing of newspaper editors in general, and the human tendency for writers, and most anyone spouting off, to opine on ways of the world.

Smartest one in the room. No one else really knows what is going on. All others are blind.

In 1878, Nathan Meeker was appointed U.S. Agent at the White River Indian Agency in western Colorado. The next year, he was killed by Ute warriors in what became known as the Meeker Massacre, during the White River War. His wife and adult daughter were taken captive for about three weeks. In 1880, the United States Congress passed punitive legislation to remove the Ute from Colorado to Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation in present-day Utah, and take away some land formerly guaranteed them.

According to the Aspen History Society, “Colorow was one of several leaders of a small, unsophisticated splinter group of Utes in Northwestern Colorado, called the White River Band.

In the spring of 1879, Colorow's followers were pressured by local Indian agent, Nathan Cook Meeker, to plant a field of garden crops in a field they had traditionally used to graze their horses.”
Meeker’s miscalculation made members of the band mad.

“In anger, one of the Utes confronted Meeker and ultimately threw him to the ground. Meeker overreacted and sent telegrams to Gov. Pitkin, 200 miles away in Denver, requesting troops be sent for his protection. The army, lulled by general peace on the frontier, and anxious to give its men some "field experience," sent two companies of cavalry and one mounted infantry, (about 200 men) from Wyoming's Fort Rawlins with specific instructions that the Utes not be molested,” says material from Aspen History Society.

“The Utes, however, clearly remembering the massacre at Sand Creek 15 years earlier, panicked. Many moved to new camps or fled the area. But, in the ensuing confusion, a shot was fired beginning events, which would end in the grizzly death of Meeker and all other agency employees. In addition, 2 women, including Meeker's wife, and 2 children were abducted by the Utes.

Colorow explained at the investigation into these events that the stake driven through Meeker's mouth had been necessary.
"To stop his infernal lying on his way to the spirit world.”

The lesson, I guess, is in the danger in thinking that you are the center of intelligence, when every one else thinks the same thing.

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Low-down, dirty, newspaper at Christmas blues

Guy called, "Hold everything." Knows it's late, but wants to get a letter in.
Copy editor started drinking last year's Christmas party, won't stop this millennium.
Story is late, and corresponding wire content doesn't correspond with correspondent.
Advertising promised position, miners knows its not sexy, but wants to market selenium.
Features ran off with printers, and automotive despairs, crestfallen, disconsolate, despondent.
Widows and orphans require more lead, loose paste up, Exacto knife and "Air" again.
Publisher back from Rotary and wants to know what edition donation printed in.
Setting heads, old 7200 Compugraphic and counts don't fit the space for them.
Reporter's dog ate his story. Assignment says, "Follow it around 'til it is in the bin."
"Can't be any more convoluted than last week's, and the same old spin of him."
Old dogs and children. Guess what leads off the on front ten, and then refers in?
Photographer still trying to light just right, uses timer, two pods, models a friend.
The old red suit, white beard, drops his letter, "Yes, Virginia O'Hanlon."

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