McElroy versus Hornback
Jack McElroy is having quite the discussion on his blog “The Upfront Page” at the Knoxville News Sentinel. A charge was made by local GOP Chairman Brian Hornback that Mr. McElroy has a conflict of interest because he serves on “all kinds of boards of non-profits”. If you have ever read Mr. Hornback’s writing you know it quickly devolves into partisan politics.
Mr. Hornback writes, “From what I understand Jack “Conflicted” McElroy appeared on Inside Tennessee and said that the replacement of term-limited incumbents isn’t about party building. So, if you are Jack “Conflicted” McElroy it is about party building. Party building the Democrat Party and tearing down the Republican Party. The question for Editor McElroy is: How is that position on the Democrat Board going for you?”
To Mr. McElroy’s credit he addresses the larger issue of whether the Editor of the News Sentinel should sit on various boards and asks his readers for their viewpoints. What happens is an eighteen post free for all with several commenters including the pseudonymous writer “50 Cents Wasted” and even the appearance of Mike Cohen to make the required charged of, “Also, Mr. Cents, folks would pay more attention to you if you signed your name. It’s awfully easy to trash folks when you can shield your own identity.” Even Cynthia Moxley drops in to clarify, “FYI. I’m not the only Moxley in town. All you have to do is turn on the radio to know that. And that is not me who posted to this site on Jan. 20.”
This is not only an interesting read but asks some important questions about the role of Editor and Publisher of a daily newspaper in a mid-market town like Knoxville. Conflict of Interest is a Knoxville tradition. Some might say a Religion. It is a positive step to see the Editor of the News Sentinel consider whether it is time to make some changes.
Give it a read.
January 24th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
My dogs put the KNS to its highest and best use, and I seldom read it for more than 1 minute as I go get it from the driveway every morning for my wife.
Whether McElroy has a confilict of interest is meaningless to me, though, because I dismissed the KNS as a serious publication years ago back when Harry Moskos routinely carried water for politicians he liked and against politicians he loathed.
It was never about Knoxville and Knox County – it was nothing more than a snapshot of the community through Moskos’ eyes.
The KNS, though, is not the only local rag that unabashedly pushes its agenda.
Ironically, the Knoxville Journal is the only one which is honest about its true role, which, in its case, of course, is tabloid journalism (using the word loosely).
The MP has some very creative and insightful local color articles, but its editorials and news sections contain the predictable college town liberal screed.
January 24th, 2007 at 11:00 pm
Your critique is right on Chris. And Knoxville is worse for the decline of the Sentinel. It is difficult to assess the importance of a balanced neutral daily paper. Some day, maybe, the Sentinel will recognize it’s charter and live up to the statement, “Give light and the people will find their own way.”