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| James “Kimo” Rosen is a retired professional photographer living in Kapa'a with his best friend Obama Da Dog, Rosen also blogs as a hobby... |
The enclosed blog is an opinion article I recently sent to the local newspaper, (The Garden Island News) aka (TGI)
Kimo's world #47
Breaking News, Monk Seals and Humans
Dear Editor,
I enjoy reading your paper daily and am thrilled that you brought back the Saturday print edition.
With that said,I do not understand why TGI on Sunday December 7,2014 would publish as the lead story on the front page of the print edition yet another article on the death of a female Monk seal?
http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/and-growing/article_4882bed4-7dd9-11e4-9364-8bc683a92d0e.html ($25,000 — and growing)
There have already been 4 front page articles including Sunday's and a few editorials in the last week on this female endangered monk seal. Wednesday featured the story, Thursday, Friday and Sunday featured reward money and the repetitive story.
http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/monk-seal-pup-killed/article_bbcc4a22-7ab4-11e4-9a3a-6b420e7c03a3.html (Monk seal pup killed)
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/editorial/monk-seal-pup-killer-a-coward/article_7a9c6518-7b82-11e4-88c3-b3e7585ee963.html (Monk seal pup killer a coward)
http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/tgi-offers-reward-for-seal-killer/article_de9d7bc8-7c1e-11e4-83c1-a3e0545584f3.html (TGI offers $10,000 reward for seal killer)
There was a breaking news story from the previous day Saturday December 6,2014 of a major traffic fatality that took the life of a man and closed Kaumualli highway for approximately 3 hours. Causing many hardships, missed appointments, missed air flights , doctors appointments, the list goes on.
Nowhere on the front page of the print edition was there even a box ad at the bottom of the page giving readers a lead of where to go to find this story, instead it was buried inside on page A-6.
I understand the death of an endangered species monk seal is major news in Hawai'i, however when a fellow human dies in traffic fatality that should trump a repetitive story of a dead monk seal as the front page headline.
I freelanced for many years as a photojournalist and kept a police scanner in my portrait studio. Whenever I would call any editor advising them I photographed an accident and asked if they were interested in the photos, the first thing they would ask, "were there any fatalities?" If I said no, they were not interested, if i said yes, I had the front page.
Oh, how journalism has changed.
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| This meme was use on Facebook to promote this blog! |
P.S.
This is great, Jimmy Kimmel asked people what is Gluten? Everyone wants Gluten free, but what is it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdJFE1sp4Fw
Hana Hou, (Encore) shared from Facebook...
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7 comments:
Once again I'm shown that TGI has it's favorites. Fern R. the self proclaimed environmental scientist has studied Monk Seals and called out the Mayor on a veto. She is nothing but a political hack writing diversionary comments to a hack paper. Now lets here from the rest of the clowns coming out of the clown car.
I'm with you Kimo..... When are we going to see some quality journalism. Something that would be fair and balanced for the community. Just how many got effected by this tragedy? Does your letter ever reach the editorial section, we'll see? Is it placed into the dark files because it holds a truth and is TGI / OPI "MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL."
I'd say it has a good chance of being published. They recently published a letter correcting one of their own writers articles. What I would like to see is a count, counterpoint, my view and then they publish their view. After-all as my mother used to say, "there are 3 sides to every story, your mine, and the truth!" However mine is the truth!
That would be excellent to see. So good journalism would place this in the "Opinion Section" and they could respond. I would be really interested about a open dialogue. Maybe it would show me where their head is at, good or bad.
The beauty of America is we all have the right to pour opinions, for the most part.
I also have opinions when I pour...
First of all, I have very little respect for TGI as a noteworthy newspaper.
Secondly, I agree, Kimo...a locally killed human being deserves a much bigger concern and response than a locally killed animal of any kind.
Thirdly, as much as I favor defending our beautiful wildlife, I can't help but cringe over the excessive clamor this 'apparently bludgeoned' seal is getting, including the news-grabbing, over-the-top reward ($25,000 and rising) that some nobly incensed humans are offering as some kind of humane vengeance against a human on behalf of a dead animal.
Lastly, to make this dead seal matter even more questionable, I remember a few years ago when this island and it's newspaper rose up in arms against some other horrific seal killings...and the local evil-doer was finally caught!...and fined $25.
Hmmm, perhaps TGI is a perfect reflection of the people who live here after all.
Enjoyed Rogers comment. I see this connection with "MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL" Just who needs to look into that mirror?
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