Hark! The Herald! (Journalism Awards Edition)

June 29, 2015

From our Walt Whitman desk

The hardreading staff has a track record of being, well, hard on the selfie local tabloid. But we also believe in giving credit where credit’s due.

So, from Sunday’s Boston Herald, which is read by up to several people.

 

 

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The Associated Press Media Editors announced its awards earlier this month. Oddly, the only category without a winner was the aforementioned Innovator of the Year.

 

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Maybe it’s still TBA. If so, we’re sure the finalist local tabloid will let u know.

The SPJ Sigma Delta Chi medal, on the other hand, was already trumpeted by the Herald two months ago.

Not to get technical about it.

Regardless, sincere kudos to the Heraldniks.

The hardreading staff is, obviously, glad you’re here.


Ads ‘n’ Ends From the Boston Dailies (Happy Couples Edition)

June 8, 2015

The hardreading staff has long been dedicated to bringing all you splendid readers what’s most distinctive in the local dailies, and today we have a twofer in the ad department.

Start with the Boston Globe, which featured this sixth-page ad on paste A5 (it also ran in yesterday’s Metro section).

 

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We count eight names overall between the two in the happy couple. That’s a lotta class, eh?

But why run the ad in the Globe? The lede supplies a lead:

 

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Plug Renata von Tscharner into the Googletron and you get this: Renata von Tscharner, founder andp resident, Charles River Conservancy. Mystery solved.

Crosstown at the Boston Herald, though, the mystery lingers in this ad, which has run several times in the past month, including today.

 

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We count zero eyes between the two in the happy couple. Plug The Chic Sheet into the Googletron and you come across this Herald promo, which seems to have appeared only online.

The Chic Sheet launching June 9

The Chic Sheet is the Herald’s new annual celebration of style and spirit.

Launching on June 9, the feature will give readers an inside look at Boston’s most giving, gracious and stylish individuals who have mastered the art of being chic.

 

The selfie local tabloid also includes this informative video.

 

 

Raise your hand if you can’t wait for tomorrow.

Same here.


Hark! The . . . Globe?

June 4, 2015

Our Walt Whitman desk is normally the sole province of the Boston Herald, but today it’s not the selfie local tabloid that’s celebrating itself and singing itself.

It’s the Boston Globe that’s passing off promotional material as bylined news.

To wit:

A new Boston tradition: The Globies sports awards

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The Boston Globe has announced plans for a sports awards program that will honor the best of Boston and New England sports. The Globies Presented by Mercedes-Benz will be held Oct. 6 at House of Blues in Boston.

Awards will be given in a variety of categories, including MVPs of the Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins, Celtics, and Revolution, the Boston Pride Award, Community Hero, and Best Female Athlete.

“New England has one of the world’s most passionate sports fan bases and we want to create a new tradition to celebrate the teams and individuals that fuel our passion while forging a stronger connection with those fans,” said Globe CEO Mike Sheehan.

 

Not to mention with Mercedes-Benz.

Globe staffer Matt Pepin drew the short straw and had to write the puff piece, which includes more slop from Sheehan: “We are grateful to our principal partner, the Boston Area Mercedes-Benz Dealers, for leading the efforts to make this vision a reality, as well as our presenting sponsor MGM Springfield, a company with deep roots in sports and entertainment.”

Ah, that explains it – the Globies are a vision. All the more regrettable that it blurs the line between news and marketing.

Perhaps the stately local broadsheet should consider hiring a VP/Optometry for just these visionary occasions.


Hark! The Herald! (Adriana Cohen Plugola Edition)

May 4, 2015

From our Walt Whitman desk

You have to hand it to the Boston Herald: The selfie local tabloid finds endless ways to celebrate itself in its purported news pages.

Exhibit Umpteen, from today’s edition:

Dress 
rehearsal

Talbots, Adriana Cohen help 
unemployed women find Success

Fashion is all about looking good. Who knew it can be used to do good, too?Adriana Cohen in a spring dress from Talbots/photo courtesy Talbots

Starting today, I’m going to be wearing stunning spring ensembles provided by Hingham-based retailer Talbots on my Boston Herald Radio show, “Boston Herald Drive.”

Each day, a new outfit, and you can view every one right on the Herald’s homepage. And after I’ve worn these fabulous dresses, jewelry and accessories generously donated by Talbots, I’ll be giving them to Dress for Success in Boston.

 

Put aside for a moment the whole concept of showcasing “stunning spring ensembles” on radio. And ignore the factory-installed bromides such as “There’s no doubt that the fastest way out of poverty is a good paying job. It’s the surest path to prosperity and achieving the American Dream.” (Ya think?)

Why the hell is this occupying a full news page in the flouncy local tabloid?

(To be sure graf goes here)

To be sure, this is a good cause and all involved should be applauded.

In a house ad.

Not in a bylined piece by (God help us all) a newspaper columnist.

Not to get technical about it.


Hark! The Herald! (Flack Scratch You Back Edition)

April 23, 2015

From our Walt Whitman desk

For years, the hardreading staff has noted in awe the ability of the Boston Herald to celebrate itself and sing itself in the paper’s purported news pages.

But Wednesday’s edition of the selfie local tabloid might represent its greatest achievement yet: An interview with the Herald’s editor by the Herald’s favorite flack.

To half-wit:

This purported column by barely read Talkers magazine publisher Michael Harrison about barely heard Boston Herald Radio.

Forward-looking Herald charting a new course

Boston Herald Editor-in-Chief Joe Sciacca is a newspaperman with truth in his heart, ink in his blood and digital Screen Shot 2015-04-23 at 12.40.50 AMvibrations in his brain.

Along with a multigenerational team of information practitioners, Sciacca has transformed what was purely a print publication into a multimedia news organization that spawned its own online radio station.

 

Seriously? Truth in his heart? Multimedia news organization?

Think the up to 17 Boston Herald Radio listeners know that?

You do the math.


Boston Herald Pitches Purcell Property

February 21, 2015

From our Walt Whitman desk

Call him Pat Pursell.

Boston Herald publisher Pat Purcell is a minority investor in National Development’s $200 million Ink Block project on the South End site that was home to the Herald for 53 years.

As the hardreading staff has noted, the selfie local tabloid relentlessly heralded last month’s opening of a new Whole Foods market on the site, which will also include luxury condos and apartments, retail shops and restaurants. One of those pieces disclosed Purcell’s financial stake in the development, but we’re not sure the others did (we tried to check, but they’re archived at $3.95 a pop).

Regardless, now comes yesterday’s full-page pitch (in article form) for the next Ink Block phase – two apartment complexes.

 

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Pitch-perfect graf:

Rents in the three buildings range from $2,529 to $2,804 for studios, $3,234 to $4,304 for one bedrooms, $4,104 to $4,704 for two bedrooms and $5,404-$5,804 for three bedrooms. Garage parking costs $325 a month.

 

Disclosure of Purcell’s financial interest in the project is conveniently buried in the middle of the piece.

Perfect.


Hark! The Herald! (Tsarnaev Defense Edition)

December 30, 2014

Today’s edition of the selfie local tabloid once again demonstrates its Heraldcentric theory of the universe, as it reports that the trial of  alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is all about, well, the Boston Herald.

Lawyers blast feds over Herald column

Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s lawyers have again asked a judge to postpone his trial, challenging Dzhokhar Tsarnaevprosecutors’ claims about their preparation process and slamming a Herald column that criticized the defense’s repeated efforts to seek delays.

In the motion filed yesterday, Tsarnaev’s legal team disputes the government claim that they have refused to stipulate to any evidence — an acknowledgement that would preclude bringing in officials to testify about how it was acquired and handled.

 

The Herald column in question? This one:

 

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According to today’s report, “[t]he defense motion cites Herald reporter Bob McGovern’s Dec. 26 Full Court Press column, which referred to the defense’s ‘foot-dragging’ and ‘stall tactics’ as an example.”

Jackpot!

As you might expect, crosstown at the Boston Globe there’s nary a word about foot-dragging or stalling or stipulating . . . or the Herald.

Tsarnaev defense renews pitch to delay trial

Says prosecutors sent thousands of documents late

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Attorneys for Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev renewed their push Monday to delay his death penalty trial, set to start in one week, until the fall.

In papers filed in US District Court, the attorneys for the 21-year-old, who is accused of detonating two bombs at the 2013 Marathon finish line along with his late brother, Tamerlan, said the government has handed over thousands of documents to them at the last moment.

As a result, the attorneys wrote, there is no way they can be ready to defend Tsarnaev both during the trial, and if he is convicted, during the penalty phase, where jurors will be asked to decide whether the former Cambridge resident deserves the death penalty.

 

One town, two different trials, eh?