Tomorrow marks the debut of a new look for the New Albany Tribune.
Our best guess is that the differences will be strictly cosmetic and that there will be no serious effort to upgrade the newspaper's content.
These long-anticipated "reforms" began with yesterday’s final Monday edition, which is to be replaced by a Saturday issue.
On Sunday, Managing Editor Chris Morris verified our friend Joe Emerson’s prediction by tying the new Tribune publication schedule primarily to the lofty ideals of high school sports.
Both Chris and Publisher Carl Esposito have referred to various other aspects of life on Earth as conceivable reasons for a revamped ‘Bune, but as Joe correctly noted, basketball remains the prime mover in New Albany (and America).
Unfortunately, Chris’s Sunday morning explanation, complete with too many assurances that quality is job one, put to rest any forlorn hope that the Tribune might decide to broaden its vision and become involved in local issues that range beyond sweat and short pants.
Perhaps higher common denominators have been banned by ordinance, although in light of the city's budget crisis, an ordinance enforcement officer has yet to be hired.
Given the Wichita serial killer situation, this might not be a bad thing.
NA Confidential apologizes for its inability to offer direct quotes from Morris and Esposito. The Sunday Tribune was not delivered, the newspaper’s phone wasn’t answered on Sunday morning, a special delivery of the Sunday paper was promised us on Monday, and like stopped clockwork, it didn’t show up today, either. We read the Sunday paper over coffee at mom's.
It has been suggested that the Tribune and the Evening News will share more content as a result of the changes, and if this means that long-suffering ‘Bune readers find themselves with a larger chunk of the superior news writing available on a daily basis in the Evening News, then it will all be worthwhile.
Meanwhile, the Tribune remains a source of surreal wonderment. Its management claims to care most about sports and education, and in these areas, both athletes and students excel by training diligently and working hard to improve their performance.
If he’s reading, Carl Esposito is cordially invited to answer the following question:
Why do these qualities not apply to the newspaper itself?
Not unexpectedly, as the Tribune attempts to merge onto the information superhighway with a rickety donkey cart, Publisher Esposito has no listed e-mail address. I found one on the web and forwarded this story to it, but unsurprisingly, it bounced back.
ReplyDeleteThe new Tribune IS different, but I do lament their choice to conform to the layout familiar from The Evening News. You'll find the editorial pages moved to the back of the front section and the jumps scattered within the paper as the News has done.
ReplyDeleteI'll miss the page 2 jumps, despite the space limitations that imposed, and the page 3 opinions page. And I must admit I find The Evening News font and layout package to be dated in comparison to The Tribune's old style.
I'm sure we'll grow accustomed to it and in time will have forgotten what The Tribune looked like before this change.
Clete Boyer lives in New Albany and I have a new allie on this board being a St. Louis Cardinals fan.
ReplyDeleteOh, the things you learn at NA Confidential. I didn't know Clete Boyer lived here. My brief flirtation with the Cards peaked with the Lou Brock/Mike Shannon/Tim McCarver birds, but I always liked the Boyers...all of them.
ReplyDeleteWhile the host blogger has a disposition to prefer a lesser concentration on sports, don't you think it's about time the Trib once again reminded us of Clete's accomplishments and views of the game today?
Ed, best set the Volunteer Hoosier straight ...
ReplyDeleteExcusee it was my mistake, Ken Boyer played 3rd base for the Cardinals from 1955 to 1965. Emerson Lives was the reference I was directing the Boyer thing at.
ReplyDeleteJust having a little fun, that's all.
Ed, I know you were funnin' with Joe, but I couldn't let that pass. For others who may be looking in, Ken Boyer was an all-timer with the Cards, and later managed the club before a very untimely death from lung cancer in '82, while brother Clete starred for the Yankees in the American League (with a couple decent years playing out the string with Atlanta). Clete's still alive, but I know not where.
ReplyDeleteI WAS wracking my brain trying to figure out when CLETE Boyer played for the Cardinals....I thought that must have been before I started following Ken and the boys.
ReplyDelete