June 18, 2018
Coincidence? You tell us.
Four days ago Boston Globe reporter Mark Arsenault wrote about a new Suffolk University poll.
Plurality of likely voters say Wynn Resorts should retain license
Nearly 80 percent of likely Massachusetts voters are aware of the sexual misconduct accusations against former Wynn Resorts chief executive Steve Wynn, but a plurality want the company to remain the owner of its casino resort in Everett, according to a Suffolk University poll released Thursday.
The poll of 500 likely midterm voters, conducted by Suffolk’s Political Research Center, also showed a large gender gap in public opinion on the casino giant, which is building a $2.5 billion resort casino on the Mystic River.
Overall, 46 percent of respondents said Wynn Resorts “should continue to be the builder and operator of the Everett casino,” known as Encore Boston Harbor. About 38 percent said the company should not remain owner and operator, and about 16 percent were undecided or declined to answer.
Not exactly a full-throated endorsement. Beyond that, 48% of women wanted Wynn Resorts gone, unsurprising given Steve Wynn’s record of sexual harassment.
(To be sure graf goes here.)
To be sure, Wynn has left his eponymous company, but the sexual misconduct problems at Wynn Resorts Ltd. go far beyond him. Exhibit A: This piece in today’s Wall Street Journal.
But back to the Suffolk University survey. Hard on the heels of the Globe piece comes this ad, which appears in both the Globe and the Boston Herald today. (Its appearance in the thirsty local tabloid indicates how seriously Wynn takes this issue.)
No question those workers want to keep their jobs, but the smart money says they neither set up BuildingEncore.org nor paid for the two ads.
We’d certainly bet on it.
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Uncategorized | Tagged: Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Encore Boston Harbor, Mark Arsenault, Suffolk Political Research Center, Suffolk University, thirsty local tabloid, Wall Street Journal | 
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Posted by Campaign Outsider
April 20, 2018
The Boston Globe is selling itself for parts.
For three years now the hardreading staff has chronicled the $tately local broadsheet’s slapping corporate logos on a series of editorial material – from lending Capital to Suffolk University to mortgaging part of its Business section to Rockland Trust to double-dipping on the Prouty Garden dustup at Boston Children’s Hospital to ensuring that Cross Insurance could “present” part of the Globe’s Arts section.
Now comes the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health‘s mash note to Meredith Goldstein in today’s Love Letters column.
Close-up for the presenter-impaired:
Just last week we noted how relentlessly the Globe’s print edition was flogging the Love Letters podcast in quarter-page ads that are also Kripaluscious.
Stay tuned – we’re guessing the Globe next sells The Metro Minute to Swatch.
2 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: Boston Globe, Capital, editorial content, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Love Letters, Love Letters podcast, Meredith Goldstein, Rockland Trust, Suffolk University, Swatch, The Metro Minute | Permalink
Posted by Campaign Outsider
March 12, 2018
As the hardreading staff dolefully noted over the past few years, the Boston Globe’s editorial content has increasingly been playing footsie with marketing partners ranging from Suffolk University to Steward Health Care System to Rockland Trust to the Star Wars franchise.
Now comes Cross Insurance to “present” this page in yesterday’s Boston Sunday Globe Arts section.
(To be sure graf goes here)
To be sure, the hardreading staff has seen no Cross Insurance tit-for-tad in the $tately local broadsheet. But there is this sponsored content produced by BG BrandLab, the Globe’s in-house shop for producing ads in sheep’s clothing.
Yes yes – we’re aware that a disclosure line sits atop the website, albeit as inconspicuously as possible.
And if you click on the Information doohickey, this drops down.
Raise your hand if you ever click on that doohickey. Yeah, us neither.
Regardless of the level of transparency, we’re just uneasy overall about attaching financial interests to editorial content.
Never the twain should meet, right?
Or are we just hopelessly out of date?
2 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: $tately local broadsheet, ads in sheep's clothing, BG BrandLab, Boston Globe, Cross Insurance, Rockland Trust, Star Wars, Steward Health Care System, Suffolk University, tit-for-tad | Permalink
Posted by Campaign Outsider
November 10, 2016
Is there anything that is not for sale at the $tately local broadsheet?
The hardreading staff has chronicled many a money-making scheme at the Globe over the past several years, from double-dipping on the Prouty Garden dustup at Boston Children’s Hospital to Garden-variety promotion for Delaware North/Boston Properties real estate developments to the Globe’s Citgo sign conflict of interest.
Then there was this in yesterday’s Election Hangover edition of the paper.
Apparently, the Globe is willing to slap an advertiser’s logo on virtually any piece of editorial content. (See also how Suffolk University and Steward Health Care colonized the Globe’s Capital section a while back.)
But . . . Herb Chambers? On an electoral map? What – we’re supposed to drive across the border before president-elect Donald J. Trump gets a chance to wall us in?
Then again, don’t look for logic from the Globe nowadays. Just logos.
Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: $tately local broadsheet, Boston Globe, Boston Properties, Children in Danger, Citgo sign, Delaware North, Herb Chambers, Prouty Garden, Steward Health Care System, Suffolk University | Permalink
Posted by Campaign Outsider
April 14, 2016
Ever since the Margaret McKenna/George Regan rumpus at Suffolk University began several months ago, the Boston Herald – especially columnist Joe Battenfeld – has been out front on virtually every development in the serial dustup. But today’s Boston Globe beats the firsty local tabloid – twice – on the latest mishegoss at Day Hop U.
Start off with this Metro Page One report from Laura Krantz.
Suffolk beset by renewed tension
Storms swirl on accreditation, board of trustees, McKenna
Two months after Suffolk University trustees and president Margaret McKenna reached a truce that seemed to smooth their splintered relationship, a cloud of discord is still looming over the downtown college.
A series of recent events raises new questions about the future of the besieged school, and about how long McKenna will lead it.
The college’s board of trustees has hired two attorneys to address personal and professional allegations against McKenna by public relations executive George Regan, who has threatened to sue Suffolk after it canceled his firm’s contract.
In addition, the school faces renewed scrutiny from accreditors, and professors say morale has plummeted.
In other words, it’s a mess.
But Globe columnist Yvonne Abraham does her best to stick a smiley face on “the besieged school.”
A plea from Suffolk
You’ve been admitted to Suffolk University, in the heart of beautiful downtown Boston. You’re going to love it here, should you choose to join the class of 2020. And we sure hope you do, since we need your tuition payments to keep us alive.
We have super courses in psychology, political science, marketing, and law, to name a few. There are three libraries and a campus in Madrid. And sparkling new buildings, all steps from the famous Frog Pond.
Please, choose us! And please, pay no mind to the grown-ups acting like vindictive children here on Tremont Street. They just run the place. Nothing to worry about.
It just gets snarkier from there, especially about George Regan.
Oh, and here Regan is . . . this week in Commonwealth Magazine, pictured with his adorable dog, making the spurious claim that the board didn’t really want to hire McKenna, saying “that woman” — don’t worry, female freshmen, we’re so enlightened — “has no right being the leader.”
Ouch.
Crosstown at the Herald, meanwhile, all’s quiet on the Suffolk front today. We’re assuming that changes tomorrow.
Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: Andrew Meyer, board of trustees, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CommonWealth Magazine, Day Hop U, firsty local tabloid, George Regan, Jim Morris, Joe Battenfeld, John McDonnell, Laura Krantz, Margaret McKenna, Rasky Baerlein, Regan Communications Group, Regan-omics, Suffolk University, Yvonne Abraham | Permalink
Posted by Campaign Outsider
April 1, 2016
From time to time the hardreading staff issues credit reports on the stories the Boston dailies appropriate from one another. For example, yesterday we noted that Boston Globe reporter Joshua Miller’s Political Happy Hour gave a credit and a link to Herald columnist Joe Battenfeld’s scoop on the latest dustup between Suffolk University trustees and President Margaret McKenna.
We’re dismayed to report, however, that the frosty local tabloid declined to return the favor today in Donna Goodison’s piece about the redevelopment of the Seaport District’s Pier 4.
Pier 4’s peerless design
Tishman Speyer released new renderings for its Pier 4 project in the Seaport District that will include a nine-story, 100-unit luxury condo building and 13-story office building, both with ground-floor retail and restaurant space.
The New York company plans to demolish the former Anthony’s Pier 4 restaurant next week to make room for a one-acre park and half-acre public plaza as part of its development on the South Boston waterfront.
That piece comes in the wake of Tim Logan’s far superior one that appeared in Wednesday’s Globe.
No mention of the Globe’s piece in today’s stingy local tabloid, though.
C’mon, Heraldniks: Be a mensch, eh?
P.S. Boston Magazine’s Kyle Scott Clauss also picked up on the story today, but – to his credit – he did give credit to the Globe.
1 Comment | Uncategorized | Tagged: Andrew Meyer, Anthony's Pier 4, board of trustees, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Boston magazine, Donna Goodison, firsty local tabloid, George Regan, Jim Morris, Joe Battenfeld, John McDonnell, Joshua Miller, Kyle Scott Clauss, Laura Krantz, like Brown on Williamson, Marty Walsh, Monica Barrett, Pier 4, Political Happy Hour, Rasky Baerlein, Regan Communications Group, Regan-omics, Seaport District, stingy local tabloid, Suffolk University, Tim Logan, Tishman Speyer | Permalink
Posted by Campaign Outsider
March 31, 2016
As the hardreading staff has duly noted, Boston Herald communist Joe Battenfeld has been on Suffolk University’s slow-motion defenestration of President Margaret McKenna like Brown on Williamson.
Exhibit Umpteen: Battenfeld’s piece today on the newest salvo in the McKenna rumpus.
New Suffolk offensive
In a new escalation of the nasty war over control of Suffolk University, the school’s trustees are launching an independent probe into allegations of misspending by 
President Margaret McKenna after she balked at cooperating with an internal investigation, sources told the Herald.
The trustees’ decision to investigate came after another attorney engaged by the board concluded the school had to “thoroughly investigate” charges of fiscal impropriety against McKenna brought by public relations maven George Regan after she terminated his longtime contract with Suffolk.
Yeah – those lessons in Regan-omics will get you every time. Turns out in this case, McKenna is collateral damage in the PR poobah’s gold rush.
[Board of Trustees Chair Andrew] Meyer told trustees last week that the school’s executive committee sought an outside opinion from a New York attorney, Monica Barrett, on how to respond to Regan’s charges and his demand for compensation for being fired.
Barrett’s advice to conduct a serious investigation prompted trustees to approach McKenna, sources said, but she didn’t immediately give them access to her expense records. But sources close to McKenna strongly deny she’s refusing to cooperate.
Crosstown, the Boston Globe had nothing on the story in today’s print edition, but reporter Joshua Miller picked up on it in his Political Happy Hour blog post this afternoon:
UNENDING SUFFOLK U BOARD DRAMA, by Joe Battenfeld on page 3 of today’s Boston Herald: “In a new escalation of the nasty war over control of Suffolk University, the school’s trustees are launching an independent probe into allegations of misspending by President Margaret McKenna after she balked at cooperating with an internal investigation, sources told the Herald. …” http://bit.ly/21UJqyL
Hey – a credit and a link?
They must be pretty happy at the firsty local tabloid, eh?
1 Comment | Uncategorized | Tagged: Andrew Meyer, board of trustees, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, firsty local tabloid, George Regan, Jim Morris, Joe Battenfeld, John McDonnell, Joshua Miller, Laura Krantz, like Brown on Williamson, Marty Walsh, Monica Barrett, Political Happy Hour, Rasky Baerlein, Regan Communications Group, Regan-omics, Suffolk University | Permalink
Posted by Campaign Outsider
March 5, 2016
The slapfight at Suffolk University between president Margaret McKenna and the school’s board of trustees continues apace, as Laura Krantz reports in today’s Boston Globe.
PR firm is hired at Suffolk to help repair trustees’ image
Suffolk University trustees have hired public relations firm Rasky Baerlein to help repair their image after a three-week standoff between the board and President Margaret McKenna, a board member said Friday.
The firm will work exclusively for the board and will be paid by the university, according to trustee Jim Morris. He said the goal is to repair the board’s image and make sure the trustees’ side of the story is told. He said he did not know the cost of the arrangement.
Morris also told the Globe, “It’s not to declare war against her or anything like that. Everybody wants to calm this thing down. I think we’re on the verge of detente.”
No detente between the local dailies, though. Nowhere in the piece does it mention that Boston Herald columnist Joe Battenfeld had the story yesterday.
C’mon, Globeniks – credit where credit’s due, yeah?
Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: Andrew Meyer, board of trustees, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, George Regan, Jim Morris, Joe Battenfeld, John McDonnell, Laura Krantz, Marty Walsh, Rasky Baerlein, Regan Communications Group, Suffolk University | Permalink
Posted by Campaign Outsider
February 11, 2016
After Suffolk University tore the sheets with local PR poobah George (Orange You Glad to See Me?) Regan, you just knew he would not go gentle into that “good night.”
Exhibit A: Joe Battenfeld’s column in today’s Boston Herald.
More PR Woes for Suffolk
Regan firm mulls fight over termination
A powerful public relations firm fired by Suffolk University President Margaret McKenna claims it has a contract with the school and may fight the decision, triggering another potentially nasty public war.
Suffolk fired Regan Communications on Tuesday in a curt, unsigned memorandum, saying the school “no longer requires the ongoing services” of the well-known PR firm headed by longtime Boston power broker George Regan, according to a copy of the memo obtained by the Herald.
The memorandum, from “Suffolk University” but not signed by McKenna or the school’s board of trustees, came with a check for $31,623.90 for services through Feb. 9.
That, presumably, is on top of the roughly $300,000 the PR firm made from Suffolk in the past year.
Our favorite part: The pillow fight between Suffolk spokesman Greg Gatlin, who says Regan’s contract expired a year and a half ago, and Regan spokesman Scott MacKenzie, who says Regan Communications has a contract with Suffolk through the end of this year. MacKenzie added, “Greg Gatlin forgets a lot of things like where he got his start in public relations” – namely, Regan Communications.
Meow.
Postscript
Once again, the Herald is out front on the Suffolk rumpus. From today’s piece:
Suffolk’s board of trustees, which had been planning to oust McKenna and replace her with former Attorney General Martha Coakley until the Herald reported on the power struggle, plans to meet tomorrow; Regan’s firing is expected to be discussed.
The firsty local tabloid had the original story January 28. The Boston Globe had it January 29.
Check the lately local broadsheet tomorrow for further developments.
Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: Boston Globe, Boston Herald, firsty local tabloid, George Regan, Greg Gatlin, Joe Battenfeld, Margaret McKenna, Martha Coakley, Regan Communications, Scott MacKenzie, Suffolk University | Permalink
Posted by Campaign Outsider
January 29, 2016
First in what we think might be a long-running series
Did the Boston Globe just reprint a Delaware North/Boston Properties press release?
From yesterday’s mately local broadsheet:
Close-up of the un-bylined piece:
Text from the “Globe Staff”:
Boston Properties and Delaware North Wednesday officially launched construction of a massive new complex on Causeway Street in front of TD Garden and North Station. Dubbed, “The Hub on Causeway,” the first phase of the complex underway will include a new grocery store from Star Market, a 15-screen movie theater from ArcLight Cinema, office space, and underground parking.
The first phase is to open in late 2018.
Additional phases would bring a 38-story residential tower, and two shorter towers for offices and a hotel.
The developers are also building a new entrance to North Station as well as an underground connection between the train and subway stations.
Sure sounds like a press release to us.
That reminded the hardstashing staff of a post we uncharacteristically held off publishing several weeks ago:
When its home delivery isn’t going Chernobyl, the Boston Globe has been all about advertising partnerships lately. So you’ll excuse us if we wonder about this piece in [the January 3rd] Address section of the $tately local broadsheet.
Up close:
The hardcounting staff tallies the plugs (and potential advertisers) thusly:
Heidi Pribell/Pribell Interiors: 5
Medusa Studio: 1
Visual Comfort: 1
Osborne and Little: 1
Oly: 1
Global Views: 1
Bernhardt: 1
Ballard Designs: 1
Maybe nothing will come of this. Maybe something will. We’ll keep an eye out.
[Full disclosure: In truth, we’ve been less than vigilant in tracking the potential advertisers above. We’ll try to do better in the future.]
But Delaware North/Boston Properties?
That’s a done deal.
1 Comment | Uncategorized | Tagged: $tately local broadsheet, Address, Ballard Designs, Bernhardt, Boston Globe, Boston Properties, Delaware North, Global Views, hardstashing staff, Heidi Pribell, mately local broadsheet, Medusa Studio, Oly, Osborne and Little, Pribell Interiors, Rockland Trust, Suffolk University, UMass, Visual Comfort | Permalink
Posted by Campaign Outsider
It's Good to Live in a Two-Daily Town 