Truly, this is becoming a perfect case of conflict-of-interest, or am I missing something?
The Chron and SF Gate are at it again with a piece on the state budget, complete with an on-line chat with Willie Brown. As in "Willie Brown, columnist, SF Chronicle?" Or private citizen Willie Brown?
Anybody home? On a journalistic side, Brown's association should, at the least, be spelled out to readers. What if Brown were the subject of an investigation? An audit? How would the Chron cover it?
Then there's his supposed gravitas.
Does not the editors of SFGate and the paper get it? As I mentioned long ago, Brown's appeal runs largely in the Pacific Heights/Nob Hill corridor. His attraction in the suburbs is lifeless, not to mention an instant tune-out or turnoff, (hello Comcast SportsNet.)
Brown is enough of a name to still garner attention, but his cachet is not what it was years ago. Is the Chron that desperate? Guess so.
I dont see any conflict here. He's not in office,never was Governor. As far as the Chron wanting his opinions,well you only have to read Phil Bronsteins blog on occasion to know he's become a real elitist. And why the once great Chron has so many middle of the road and conservative columnists,even extending to the sports pages.
ReplyDeleteSome things are a veiled advertisement ran as news storys. Phil is not a good newspaper editor and how he became one is a mystery to me.
I agree - what is the conflict of interest for the person identified as the former Speaker of the Assembly to hold an online chat re: the budget process on "The Opinion Shop" labeled as "breaking thoughts from the members of the San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Board"?
ReplyDeleteI take your point about Willie Brown being a bit oversaturated.
That said, I, as a student of politics and the media, would actually be interested in hearing what the man who was the Speaker during the last years of the last Jerry Brown administration has to say about this year's budget process.
What's the conflict?
Couldn't agree with you more; Brown is a self- serving blowhard who headed one of the most corrupt administrations in S.F. history.
ReplyDeleteThe Honorable Willie L. Brown, the former Mayor of San Francisco. Is "still" a mover, and a shaker when it come to SF Politics. And whether we like it, or not, Comcast SportsNet, and the SF Chronicle still revere Willie Brown, otherwise he would not be Large, & In Charge, & Front, & Center on any entity.
ReplyDeleteI'm just saying Rich...