First, you rant about how Zack Stalberg, former Editor of the Philadelphia Daily News, is a tricky man for his sudden attacks on Philadelphia City Council. Next, you try to back Stalberg, who is also the president of the Committee of Seventy, in a corner and hold him there for punishment because he is also seeking to abruptly end four elective city row offices. Did I mention that Zack is going for the kill of no less than seven Philadelphia Council offices? Well then, so far my Thoughts Of Black Men (TBM) City Chapter President’s swift move to figure out why Stalberg is rushing to get his call for cutting Phila. Council and murdering the Philly four row offices on a election ballot is keeping him from relaxing like he is used to relax. A reliable report to me is that Stalberg is having some trouble continuing with his suggestions that Philadelphia Council should be cut. He needs new friends to support him. And here’s why...
Elizabeth Williams, TBM Brooklyn
Chapter President
It seems that Zack really doesn't know jack about the work that must be handled by Philadelphia City Council. But what he does know is that most recent Philadelphia City Council has been super at its game of ethics reform. Philadelphia Council’s Committee on Law and Government has been peering into the operations of its advertising in newspapers with paid circulation in the city for quite some time. And, one of the newspapers that could be in danger of losing lots of money if Council is allowed by city charter to advertise with any newspaper it choose, even if that newspaper is a blog on online or hard copy serving readers for free, like say, the SCOOP newspaper, is the Philadelphia Daily News.
Linda Smith, TBM Hill AFB
Chapter President
So, Philadelphia Council might have an opinion of its own, and a good one too, about how it might not be fair that three newspapers control how people make their living by communicating with thousands of people at a time. Council understood a long time ago that working constituents ask for assistance all the time and some of their jobs are in the field of communications called mass media. Council has been outstanding in studying all the ways by which people get information, such as TV, magazines, books, movies, radio, the Internet, and newspapers. And so, for quite some time, constituents have complained how certain newspapers that have a citywide circulation in the numbers of say, 200,000 and up, were controlling how people make their living in elected office. Philadelphia Council is aware that what Philadelphians and Delcoians learn through the media can influence how they think and what they vote for.
Well now, I told my readers that it wouldn’t take me long to uncover what this whole "Seventy" outcry about how Philadelphia City Council is not honest was all about. The full Council will soon consider whether to ask voters in May’s primary election if the city charter should be changed. Should the city charter give Council and the city the empowerment to advertise information in a paid newspaper and the local legal paper at will? It seems that several Philadelphia Council members want Philly mega newspapers to share their success in the information business. Independent newspaper contractors, free newsweekly publishers, and online blog reporters, like me, have to watch big papers make money.
Diane White, TBM, Harrisburg
Chapter President, and Online Black
News Publisher, Dlighten...At Your Service
But, some councilpersons do not agree that editors control each section of the newspaper. Nevertheless, Council does understand that an editor will share, or pitch, a story idea to find out if the other editors think it will make a good story. Good stories sell newspapers.
What won’t be a good story for Stalberg to read is if two-thirds of Philadelphia Council agrees to pass legislation that would allow council to advertise information regardless if a major city newspaper should strike or file for bankruptcy. If several council positions are eliminated all together, every time legislation is introduced to make changes that will directly effect news corporate people, support required from 12 of Council’s 17 members won’t come. It appears then that Stalberg is going after Council to keep his experience with the power of communications fresh. But, the TBM City Chapter Presidents are not so sure if all of Zack’s communications are correct.
