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4A – Daily News – Friday, September 24, 2010 Opinion D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Had a spirited discussion this week with the promoter of an event about the difference between news and promotion — something every editor in the country could probably say on any given week. Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer’s home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 The distinction is clear as a bell here in the newsroom, but for those responsible for plug- ging events of all sizes it can be a difficult one to grasp. After all, their primary objective is to get the word out and drive tick- et sales and attendance. Who can blame them? From the tiny church yard sale to national touring acts, promoters want the best expo- sure they can get. Often this means a request to run an announcement multiple times leading up to the event or expecting a longer story to run on a specific date or in a specif- ic edition. That’s the point, though, when the item becomes promo- tion rather than news. Once an item has been pub- lished, it’s no longer news by definition. So multiple publica- tions of the same information or story are out, with the excep- tion of multiple appearances on Two different animals Page 3A’s local calendar. Same goes for requests to publish an item in a specific edition. Sometimes we can accommodate these requests, most often with last minute submissions, but not always. We also need to run news items when they make the most sense for readers, typically in the week leading up to an event. But running a big feature about a major event a month before the event would help promoters sell tickets, right? Exactly why such an item falls into the category of promotion rather than news — the primary objective being to sell tickets. From a reader’s standpoint, it’s more useful to read about an event that’s imminent — when it’s news. Herein lies the beauty of print media. We offer news and promotion in equal parts. If a promoter buys an ad, he can run it as many times as he wants and it can, within reason, say anything he wants in any way he wants — it is promotion after all. The promoter I spoke with this week, though, had expect- ed free promotion from the newspaper several weeks before the event. At the time we spoke, the promoter has placed no promo- tional ads in the Daily News. I’m shocked, you may be thinking. Am I saying I won’t write about his event because he didn’t buy ads in my paper? Absolutely not. We will cover the event just as we do every other, with a preview the week before and coverage of the event when it happens. That’s news and that’s what the newsroom does. As for promotion, that’s the other side of the building and we have to be careful to keep the two separate for the sake our credibility in the eyes of our readers. *** The Minch is back. Sorry for stating the obvious, as he’s right here on the same page, but just a note of explanation. A regular reader started a conversation recently in light of columnist Pat Gleason taking a sabbatical. The reader, I’ll call him L. Brown in def- erence to Mr. Minch, suggested this left an opportunity to wel- come Robert Minch back to his former Friday spot. Chip Thompson 545 Diamond Ave. The three of us met for iced tea, had a delightful conver- sation and left the cafe excited about the prospect. I look forward to reading Robert’s writings moving for- ward and am glad to have finally met such an interesting fixture here in Red Bluff. *** It’s fair week and, at the risk of promoting, I hope to see good crowds at the best entertainment $7 can buy this weekend. Come out to see the best of your community on display. Chip Thompson can be reached at 527-2151, Ext. 112, or by e-mail at editor@redbluffdailynews.com. Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 4164 P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento 94249; (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319- 2102 STATE SENATOR — Sam Aanestad (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 2054, Sacramen- to, CA 95814. (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Settling back in to my Friday spot Commentary If Gene Autry were still with us, we could do a duet of “Back in the Saddle Again…” Yes; it is indeed good to be back…and on Friday yet! Thanks to popular teacher Pat Gleason retiring from column writing, this slot opened up…and here we go again. I will be bracketed, column- wise, by the reticent Don Polson on Monday and the astute educator Joe Harrop on Saturday. The timing is perfect because, in the past, one of my favorite subjects was “Palace Intrigue”, and we certainly have a mess kit full of it at the moment as evidenced by the performance of the Red Bluff City Council, the City Manager and other lesser lights. The council is manned by those in bed with the manager…and those who are not. In fact, the grouping is three to two in his favor which means the finance director may take the fall for underestimating the budget by a mere one million bucks. However, in that majority may highlight the inability of the council to come to a reasonable consensus. Sources say this has been the case for some time, and the coming elections may cause some of those joined at the hip to retire, while new faces begin to look out for our interest. One such prospect is Joe Durrer. He is a splendid chap and will do a good job. Although he may call me “Uncle Bob” from time to time, he is not really my nephew. He is the grandson of my Uncle Stanley. What does that make him? I hope it makes him a new council member. In the meantime, the present councilmen who think the manager is worth defending, should check into his previous employment in other cities to see if there is a pattern of not minding the store… or perhaps he is just a victim of poor bookkeeping and road weary trips to and fro his home in Paradise. This show may prove entertaining in the weeks to come. * * * A sure sign of maturity is not to engage in excessive brooding after dropping three sets of tennis doubles play. After 3 or 4 hours I was able to regain my composure and look ahead to the next match in which partner H. Warwick and I will undoubtedly prevail and the team of J. Franseth and B. Forcier will not beat us like a gong. Tsk, tsk. * * * Public Service Announcement: The ceil- ing of the clock tower rotunda in the Cone & Kimball Plaza, is covered with spider webs. This is a job for either Superman or the hoses of our esteemed fire department. What say you, men in yellow? * * * Whereas some Indian gambling…pardon me, gaming casinos struck deals with other counties for a per- centage of the take, apparently Tehama County did not. Sources say State Assem- blyman Vic Fazio changed the wording in a directive to the county regarding land for the Rolling Hills Casino in Corning, by saying the county “shall” deed the land to the Department of the Interior Indian Trust, rather than “may," thereby shutting the door on the county bargaining for part of the action. The casino has been benevolent in buying cars for the Sheriff’s Department and so forth, but just out of the goodness of their heart, as opposed to paying the county on an annual basis in lieu of assessment taxes. * * * Our peripatetic former DN writer/reporter C. Larimer will have mixed emotions when learning I am once again in this newspaper. He did not go happy into the night when he departed here, eventually ending up in frigid Bowman, ND. A dustup at the Bowman paper, followed by a stroke and slow recovery, now finds him, and wife Betsy, in dusty Texas. Not the denouement his fans had anticipated for the talented fel- low. * * * Robert Minch I Say Last week’s tentative resumption of The Quiz seemed to have been met by indifference. However, matchmaker L. Brown and frequent responder S. Orner now report that they were just stumped for answers so did not even check in. Expecting a greater response from DN subscribers, we shall resume and monitor results. This week’s quiz: What is the preferred pronuncia- tion of forte? Name Chip Thompson’s predecessor as editor of the DN. Who conceptualized and developed Surrey Village? And what’s wrong with the title of the Hemingway novel “The Sun Also Rises?” * * * Three guys were fishing on a lake when Jesus walked across the water and joined them. Recovering from their shock, the first guy said, “Jesus, I’ve suffered from back pain for years, can you help me?” Jesus nodded, touched the man’s back and he was free from pain. The second fisherman said, “I’m nearly deaf...can you make me hear again?” Jesus touched the man’s ears and the man could hear perfectly. Jesus then turned to the third man who backed away saying, “If it’s all the same to you, Lord...I think I’ll pass. I’m on disability, you know.” Robert Minch is a lifelong resident of Red Bluff and former columnist for the Corning Daily Observer and Meat Industry magzine. He can be reached at rminchandmurray@hotmail.com.