COMMUNITY ACTIVISM

Meeting with the San Jose Mercury News

Eleanor Traeg, Chairman of the Media Committee

San Jose Mercury News Meeting
August 9, 2006

On this return visit, four of the media committee members, Richard Geno, Jack Mallory, Nancy Deussen and Eleanor Traeg met with the assistant news editor, Bert Robinson, his underlings, Marc Brown and Mike Dorgan. Susan Goldberg, the editor was not available to meet with us.

Perhaps because the previous meeting had a more in-depth introduction to their operations, we simply sat down and began talking this time. Bert Robinson granted that they perceive their news as “insiders” and welcome getting some insight on how “outsiders” perceive what they print. We discovered that their sources were NY Times News Service, the LA Times and Washington Post News Services, mentioned in that order.

Richard did the introductions, described who the Conservative Forum is, and showed some ways in which we feel that much of the news is slanted with opinion and analysis. Jack proceeded with some examples of how the topic of illegal immigration is handled, and how Hispanic columnists have free rein to present their view without contrasting views. One interesting point Mr. Robinson came back with was that the Hispanic community had already met with them and convinced them to drop the word “illegals”. It is only used as an adjective now, not a noun.

Nancy Deussen had accumulated headlines over a period of time and pointed out the bias, not only of topics chosen, but omissions of opposing views. Their “lame excuse”, as Nancy put it, was that they didn’t present both sides of the news stories because “there was not enough room” to print all of it.

Eleanor presented how even picture choices were biased. Many more pictures and much more space (size-wise) was allotted to the Lebanese rather than the Israeli suffering in the recent Hezbollah/Israeli conflict. Topics of the pictures showed bias by insinuating Israel was the culprit with no depiction of Hezbollah’s role.

Richard felt we made some good points; Bert admitted two of the stories we cited could have had another side presented. (The coverage of Mexican elections and debate on illegal immigration by Mexican-American writer).

Did we convince them to have a more balanced newspaper? Not likely, but not for lack of trying. They are probably not in the position to break from the status quo. Richard wrote a nicely worded letter to the three gentlemen after the meeting expressing once again the Conservative Forum’s willingness to be a resource for an alternative view of the news since we feel that much of the news is opinion and analysis due to the sources they use. He also invited them to come to our Star Parker event, and urged them to consider an interview and/or coverage of a newsworthy person in the conservative realm.

Our next meeting, which has not been set up yet, will be with the editorial editor, Steve Wright. His department covers the opinion page and letters to the editor. Perhaps we can have more influence there.

August 24, 2006

September 5, 2006

The San Jose Mercury News did send a reporter to cover the Star Parker event and an article was printed in the newspaper the very next day!