Lacey v. Walker Smackdown
"Fight!" by Jenny-Keith Hughes.
In this week's Desperately Seeking the News, we give you the dish on the Scene's new editor (as of next Tuesday), Pete Kotz, with some reaction to this news of a Rust Belt import taking the reins.
For the column, I contacted a number of folks around town, most notably former Scene media critic Henry Walker, who emailed some comments. After the jump is his reaction to Village Voice Media's editor appointment, followed by VVM executive editor Michael Lacey's rebuttal. Spicy stuff and worth the click. If they'd been sitting across from one another, martinis would have flown. (To correct a factual error from Walker below, we send marketing interns to work those booths, not full-time employees.)
WALKER:
I doubt anything written by Liz, whose company loyalty has always been worn (or perhaps tattooed) on her attractive sleeves, will be of much use to readers wondering what will happen to the Scene under its new editor.Mr. Kotz is, no doubt, a fine fellow and—having five children—certainly needs a job. Having given up on Mr. Kotz's former paper, the corporate bosses at Village Voice Media have at least found the editor a new landing place. I doubt the other 50 or so soon-to-be-unemployed staffers of the Cleveland weekly are as fortunate. But one hopes they have fewer mouths to feed.
The idea of an alternative weekly paper importing an editor would have been almost unthinkable just a decade ago. After all, the whole point of being an "alternative" to the mainstream daily was to have the kind of grassroots feel that only a homegrown staff could provide. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. Just as Gannett led the major chains in homogenizing the daily papers, Village Voice Media (or New Times, as I still call it) has pioneered the adoption of a cookie-cutter news and design formula and the employment of fungible editors among the alternative weeklies. Once Liz announced her departure, many of us suspected that the owners would bring in an outsider, despite strong staff sentiment to promote from within. (Sorry Matt, but please don't leave.)
In the end, though, few outside the business still know or care who edits the Scene. To get the latest scoop, I stopped on Saturday to chat with two Scene employees (from sales, I'm sure) who were manning the paper's booth at a local food fair.
"Liz who?" asked one.
"Liz Garrigan, your paper's editor," I explained.
"You mean she's leaving?" asked the other who paused, then added, "And who are you, again?"
LACEY:
Henry Walker is, of all things, a lawyer who was fired for violating the minimal ethical constraints at this alternative newspaper. Apparently time and the practice of law have done little to improve the barrister's judgment. He now attacks the selection of Pete Kotz, an editor he has never met. In the process, Walker backhands Liz Garrigan. Of course he must cite her wardrobe. What a peach."The idea of an alternative weekly paper importing an editor would have been unthinkable just a decade ago..., "claims Walker. If I may be so bold, Walker does not know what he is talking about.
For nearly 40 years we, like most alternative newspaper owners, have selected editors, writers and columnists based upon their skill, not their birth certificate. Walker's simplistic comments reflect a parochial jingoism. Americans move, go away to school, fall in love with the local kid, put down roots, pick up and start over.
Despite the handicap of North Carolina bona fides, Liz Garrigan became a force of nature in Nashville.
Although he was not from Cleveland, Pete Kotz led that paper's staff to more than 100 national and state writing awards. His paper was repeatedly named the best non-daily in Ohio by both the Cleveland Press Club and the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists. In 2004 Kotz's paper was named the best newspaper in America in its circulation class.
Pete will have to learn Nashville. It won't be easy; it never is. But Kotz will not be crippled by the sorts of cliches that haunt Walker.
Comments
Time for the dwindling set of Scene employees who report from a locally knowledgable perspective to circle the wagons and defend their paychecks. Pink, you're riding shotgun.
Posted 06/25/2008 at 01:09:14 PMSo it's hard for me to defend Henry here when he takes a gratuitous and undeserved pot shot at Liz, who has been a terrific editor and one as good,if not much better than Walker's BFF, Bruce Dobie. And Walker's take on VVM is more predictable than a Dwight Lewis column. What does it say about Henry that I could have neatly guessed exactly what he was going to say about our company's decision to hire the out-of-town
Pete Kotz?
But I still think all of us should take Henry's cynicism about our new leader seriously. For 19 years now the Scene has had a cast of editors and
senior writers who knew more about the city than any of our rivals. And we openly bragged about that-- in print and over beers with sources--
and mocked The Tennessean for plucking Metro reporters from far-flung Gannett outposts who needed Mapquest to find the courthouse. Now we have an out-of-towner ourselves and he's sitting on top of the masthead. To our readers, the irony here is rich.
I think Pete will do a fine job-and, to be fair, is a better choice than I would have been--,but I don't think we do ourselves any favors when we blithely dismiss what Henry-and many others actually-have to say about this hire. Instead let's just show that Walker's dire take on our situation is dead wrong. Honestly, I have no doubt we will and six months from now, if I can loosen him up a bit over beers, he may just admit that.
Posted 06/25/2008 at 01:38:35 PMWell, Matt, I think it's not fair to yourself to say that he's going to be a better choice than you would have been. It's just different.
And, yes, it is weird for an alternative newspaper to bring in someone who's never even really been here, but, on the other hand? So what? A lot of people who live in Nashville aren't from Nashville. That doesn't mean we don't care about the city.
And it might be a useful exercise to have someone who doesn't know how things work here questioning why it is that things work the way they do.
It's a weird choice, but I don't think it's unworkable.
As a side note, it's strange to bring up the amount of children a man has as if that should have anything to do with how he'll do his job and it's weird to bring up Garrigan's attractiveness. It's comments like that that make me think there's some strain of journalist who's not much more than a well-regarded blogger, at least in terms of attitude.
Posted 06/25/2008 at 02:51:06 PMThanks for the thoughtful reply, Matt, concerning a topic that deserves more serious comment than Lacy's rant. Just for the record, though, I do not believe that I took a "pot shot" at our friend Liz (or "Lizard" as I enjoy calling her). The first remark was a bit of teasing about her often demonstrated willingness to suck up to the bosses at VVM and the last bit was nothing more than a humorous comment on the fleeting nature of fame, both hers and mine. Sometimes you young people (you, not Liz) take things so seriously. :-) Henry
Posted 06/25/2008 at 03:21:30 PM(ps. And you--or Jeff Woods--would have been a better choice.)
A better choice than you, MP? Very gracious, but yikes, the guy is probably a Vikings fan. Go Big Blue.
Posted 06/25/2008 at 03:38:43 PMOK, Henry, time to remember your manners. I assume you will offer to host a party at your fine manse to welcome our newcomer? The group can take turns explaining essential Nashville knowledge, like who Bob Clement is, what a meat-and-three is, and what people mean when they say "bless his heart."
Posted 06/25/2008 at 04:54:29 PMhey walker,
Posted 06/25/2008 at 04:56:13 PMwhat does this mean "(from sales, I'm sure)"? our sales staff is hip to the editorial product, and surely aware of our beloved lame duck's exit. I'm guessing you were speaking to interns. I'd be offended if I were a scene salesperson, wink wink.
It's unfortunate that Matt cannot give Liz her well-deserved props without feeling the need to disparge her predecessor. As flattered as she must be at the compliment from her second, I would suspect that someone as classy as she is would cringe a bit at the needless swipe at the founding editor of this paper, one whose shoulders anyone who has ever had the good fortune of writing for the Scene in those early days---and since---has stood upon, Matt included. He is certainly entitled to his opinion, but what was the point? It wasn't enough to say she was a terrific editor? Liz's many accomplishments and admirable tenure helming the Scene stand well enough on their own. I have no doubt that Scene writers will continue their good work.
Posted 06/25/2008 at 05:08:37 PMHey Kay, missed you at Liz's party.
I wasn't taking a swipe at Bruce, but merely putting Liz's tenure in perspective. Dobie was my editor for six years and I loved writing for him. So did everybody. Obviously, he put the Scene on the map. But what gets lost is that toward the end of Dobie's tenure, the paper lost its edge. Liz reversed that, which is a difficult thing to do, and as a result her successor has an easier job than she had when she took over.
Posted 06/25/2008 at 07:32:34 PMYes, I think we should all take seriously the cynicism about the new editor from out-of-town.
On the other hand, I think he will do a fine job.
But let's not dismiss the criticism about his hiring.
But yet I believe six months from now, that criticism will be proven wrong.
I mean, this makes us little better than the pathetic Tennessean (to many readers, that is. Not to me, of course.)
Nevertheless, I think Pete will be terrific!
But let's not do ourselves any favors and blithely dismiss what MANY others have to say about this hire when someone local could have been chosen, and I think you know who.
But whatever. Looking forward to working with you, Pete!
Posted 06/25/2008 at 07:50:14 PMAs someone who wrote the headline story for the first issue of "founding editor" Bruce Dobie's NASHVILLE SCENE and who "sort of wrote" for Liz Garrigan on another occasion (You'll have to ask Liz about that), I believe I have quite a bit of insight, as both a writer and reader, into the past, present, and probable future direction of the SCENE.
To correct a previous poster, arguably the REAL founding SCENE editor was Bruce Honick. Honick published my news stories (I remember one in particular on the state film commission, as it was then known) and interviews (with such local notables as Vicki Yates and Les Jameson).
I was a casualty in an internecine struggle for editorial supremacy between Dobie and Brian Mansfield as was, as it turned out, Mansfield.
Having had more journalistic experience than either gentleman (I was- and am- an editor as well as a writer several years their senior), I knew something even then that was lost on the guilty party: The best editors are often those who do the least editing. They know not to change copy when such revision will result in factual error and they know they'd better add a byline when they tell a writer of plans to add a sidebar that, inexplicably, becomes not a sidebar but a part of the article with statements so twisted that they make the writer look ignorant.
Failing all of this, when advised of the error, they don't wait for the writer to request a retraction. But, if it comes to that, they put their egos aside and publish the retraction.
Since Michael Lacey indicates VVM selects "editors, writers and columnists based upon their skill, not their birth certificate," I am hopeful.
It's been a long time since I sat by the phone, but, for Mr. Lacey, I'll make an exception.
In the meantime, I hope Mr. Kotz will return "Desperately..." to the ranks of a weekly (hard copy) feature. I can't tell you how many weeks in "Desperately...'s" absence, the letters section has been the only SCENE content of interest to this old fogey.
Stacy Harris
Posted 06/25/2008 at 08:52:32 PMPublisher/Managing Editor
Stacy's Music Row Report
http://www.geocities.com/stacy.harris/
mini Matt, you're kinda daft. It's perfectly logical to think that a) people have a right to have a wait and see attitude about the new editor and b) think personally that he will do a fine job. I didn't exactly express a complex thought; in fact, I rarely do. But I'll try to keep things even simpler next time so I don't lose you.
Posted 06/25/2008 at 09:42:30 PMI knew something even then that was lost on the guilty party: The best editors are often those who do the least editing.
I don't think that's a lesson either Bruce or Brian needed to learn. In my experience, they both had a light hand as editors, and they both respect writers' voices.
Posted 06/25/2008 at 11:08:02 PMHenry reminds me of lil' bobby clement who argued that only a hometown boy should be mayor. Look where that argument got him! Liz may have put the "edge" back in the Scene but its an edge lacking in heft. Liz's sarcasm just doesn't cut it for me. Reading Pete's comments in Desperately I can only hope that Pete does what he says he'll do and not try to make the Scene a reflection of his "own tastes and interests". This not so humble reader is glad the job went to an outsider and not to Pulle.
Posted 06/26/2008 at 07:34:31 AMWell dang Matt, I guess my invite got lost in the mail. But thanks for leting me know. Would have loved to have shared in the send-off.
Posted 06/26/2008 at 09:05:25 AMThat's all right, Kay, my invitation didn't make it either. But I would be happy to host a party for the new editor (if someone will send him directions to Woodland-in-Waverly) and assure you that all current and former scene staffers (other than those smartasses from sales) will be welcomed.
Posted 06/26/2008 at 10:50:13 AMKay was invited, Henry, but apparently her email address got mangled and therefore the invite didn't arrive. You, however, were not invited bacause you're a gigantic misogynistic ass.
Posted 06/26/2008 at 12:43:35 PM"Smartasses from Sales" - i resemble that remark.
Posted 06/26/2008 at 01:27:00 PMAs someone who has worked with Pete for 7 years, I can honestly say that Nashville will be lucky to have him. Liz's article. If I was leaving a position and a skilled predecessor was relieving me, I would be professional enough to rally the troops around'em. Instead, one last bitter bite before running for the hills. What a shame.
Well, rest assured Nashville, an editorial stud is on his way to town, so be ready to shine
Posted 06/26/2008 at 02:41:01 PMIt appears that Henry is in no danger of being introduced by Mr. Lacey at a Scene party as "my nigga."
You are so Nashville if the only locally owned newspaper is published by Albie del Favaro.
Posted 06/26/2008 at 02:45:40 PMLiz had a going-away party? Were there drinks? Damn!
I'll come to Henry's party only if I don't have to pass anything I've been smoking to a state congressman, again.
Posted 06/26/2008 at 03:57:15 PM"Employee," maybe all the turmoil in Cleveland has messed with your cognition. I supported Matt Pulle for the job without knowing who else VVM was considering, not that I'm going to apologize for championing one of the best journalists I've ever met. Once Kotz was named editor, I told the staff how talented he is and predicted they'd like him a lot. Pete knows too that if I can be helpful to him in any way, I stand at the ready.
I also wrote the following, which was posted on Romenesko and is hardly a "bitter bite."
I know Pete from editors' meetings and conventions and can say unequivocally that he's a wonderful guy, a talented journalist and a good soul, if not the "dangerously handsome man" he claims to be. He has five kids, loves to "bust a phrase," holds dear the value of a great story, and prefers to chase his whiskey with beer. He's a rabble-rouser of the best sort whose wardrobe is even worse than Jeff Woods'. He will no doubt complement the incredibly talented editorial staff here, all of whom know their beats and craft better than any in the city.
Posted 06/26/2008 at 04:12:45 PMI too wrote for the Scene under both Bruce Honick and Bruce Dobie, and like Stacy, my departure was not without some controversy. Still, I have kept reading the paper from Florida every week and contributing an occasional letter. I was sorry to see the Village Voice buy the Scene and I am sorry to see Liz go. I have known her for years. I have also known Matt for years and wish he had become the new editor. The new guy may be great--but Henry's essential point (he has also been a friend for years) I think is true. Once the Scene was acquired by outside ownership it ceased being a local paper. This is just another step in that direction. While I would never be so vicious as to compare the VV ownership with Gannett (which has now taken to buying up college newspapers, for God's sake), the fact is that the ultimate responsibility of the Scene is and has been for years to the company and not the community. And I think that is a loss.
Posted 06/27/2008 at 08:10:35 AMAny truth to the rumor that the Cleveland Publisher is coming to Nashville too?
Posted 06/27/2008 at 12:54:36 PM