I look forward to talking with new management and others who have a stake in the future of The Times-Picayune to discuss how we can help the newspaper grow and not diminish.I figured he must be on the same page I was. Sorry to quote myself from only a week ago but, here's what I thought the plan would look like.
Say, for example, if maybe we turned Howard Avenue into a special journalism taxing district... or JoZone, if you will. Then we could direct that revenue to a superboard staffed by several mayoral appointees and the Convention and Visitors Bureau who could trickle the money back into quality news stories we all can enjoy. You know, feel good stuff like, "Unexpected Health Benefits Of Oiled Shellfish" or "Councilmembers Enjoy Well-deserved Time Off" or "Jindal's Nationwide Speaking Tour Appreciated By All" "NOPD Lauded For (Very) Warm Treatment of Henry Glover"Now that may look like a stupid joke to you and me but, as it turns out, Boston Consulting Group.. the people who brought you the HoZone concept.. were already a step ahead of us. James Gill explains.
Crime stories must be kept off The Times-Picayune's front page, according to the Boston consultants who produced a tourism "master plan" for New Orleans in 2009.
They won't have to worry about that so much from now on.
The report urges hiring a PR firm to "remove negative crime perception and lower crime news-worthiness." To achieve this it is apparently necessary to "determine type of information to be reported and disbursement (sic)" and to "meet with NOPD to determine feasibility based on developed parameters."
One thing we're learning is you've got to get up pretty early in the morning to out-evil the boys and girls at BCG. Although it looks as if the "Public-private" business lobbying monster, GNO inc is trying.