Chron editor is too busy for customers : Lone Star Times

Chron editor is too busy for customers

by Matt Bramanti · 10/31/2005 2:22 pm

As I’ve been reporting over the past couple months, Chron editor Jeff Cohen has been dodging questions from his customers. When I asked Chron reader representative James T. Campbell about it, he had this to say:

Well, since agreeing to do it, we’ve had two hurricanes and a World Series. I know he was close to finishing the questions I submitted to him but he got sidetracked by work.

I’ve got news for you, James: Keeping up good, honest relations with the people who keep you in business is work. It’s certainly part of your job, and Cohen ought to consider it a big part of his job, too. It’s not incredibly convincing to say "Gee, news got in the way."

It’s just bad business to promise something to your customers and fail to deliver. Besides, it’s not like the questions were all that hard. Here’s a smattering of the readers’ inquiries:

Why doesn’t the Chronicle have an on staff convervative columnist to balance liberal Casey?
why is it that the water level of the main river is never posted? Rio Grande River!!
Why is it that the majority of business stories are AP/syndicated and not about Houston or written by Chronicle writers?
Why don’t you have someone in Iraq covering the war? Seems like a pretty Big Story.

See, those aren’t too tough. Not a single math question in there.

CORRECTION: The original headline misidentified Cohen as the Chron’s publisher. Cohen is actually the editor and executive vice president. The real big enchilada is publisher Jack Sweeney. Sorry ’bout that, and thanks to Evil D. for setting me straight.

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Comments

5 Responses to “Chron editor is too busy for customers”

jeffd on October 31st, 2005 at 2:33 pm

When I moved to Houston and asked about the local newspaper from collegues. All I ever got were negative comments about the sole newspaper left in Hosuton.

I thought nah it couldn’t really be that bad, after all it is the sole newspaper left….

After reading a few issues(?) is that what they’re called I now can conclude that this paper IS the laughing stock of Journalism, and all those people were right.

When they telemarket me to buy this trash rag oh the immature fun I have with the poor hapless souls who pitch this birdcage fodder.

How can in a city of 4 million plus minus a few dayworkers or two can this be the best of Journalism this city can produce? Does a single college here offer Journalism? If so, where do they flee to when they graduate? What can we do to keep them here? And why I ahve I wrote this much about birdcage fodder.
Anne Linehan on October 31st, 2005 at 2:49 pm

Houston really has been short-changed by the Chron’s current leadership. =)
Matt Bramanti on October 31st, 2005 at 3:04 pm

I agree, Anne. Cohen should really step up and be big about this. Houston’s news consumers are tired of getting the short shrift.
SC on October 31st, 2005 at 3:26 pm

The real truth is that they do not care about their own either. My father worked for them for many years. The way he was treated when he got sick not too long before retirement is at least digusting if not criminal.
gregg on October 31st, 2005 at 5:32 pm

Give the Barn a break. They at least give the bums something to do at the intersections. They are so busy holding the papers down they cant panhandle.