McGuire on Media

Category Archives: Uncategorized

A fond memory, a man who offered a hand up, and modern-day bullying

May 14, 2012 – 12:02 pm

I wrote this piece for my hometown newspaper, The Mt Pleasant Morning Sun. It appeared Sunday, May 13. I reprint it here for my regular followers. Read this to understand the controversy to which I refer.   I have followed the recent controversy at my alma mater, Sacred Heart Academy, with keen interest. I have [...]

By admin | Also posted in Newspapers, Reflection, Spirituality, Storytelling | Comments (2)

The Schumpeterian moment in newspapers will require one litmus test—quality

January 11, 2012 – 1:48 pm

I am back. This is my first blog post since Aug 31, 2011 when I posted a speech  I presented to the convention of the Society of Features Editors, Saturday, Aug. 27, in Tucson, Az. Later that night of the speech, close to midnight, my plane landed in Minneapolis. Within minutes I had fallen and [...]

By admin | Also posted in Business of journalism, Future of journalism, Leadership and Management, Media ethics, Newspapers | Comments (2)

"Russell Wiley is Out to Lunch" is a must read for newspaper refugees and corporate survivors

January 23, 2011 – 9:00 pm

Technorati Tags: Russell Wiley is Out to Lunch,Richard Hine,newspapers,satire,Cronkite School,books,newspaper books My first reaction to Russell Wiley is Out to Lunch would have been an outline that looked like this:. A Great first forty pages on the troubles plaguing newspapers B Angst C More angst D An abrupt literary climax E A denouement featuring social [...]

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My medical sojourn maddened me and strengthened me

November 3, 2010 – 5:17 pm

This is not going to be a typical  blog post for me.  It just seems too odd to return to these posts without explaining why I haven’t posted since Sept.23 when I wrote about the Homer Hanky. I am a transparent person by nature. My wife has always said “Tim will tell his deepest, darkest [...]

By admin | Also posted in Reflection, Spirituality | Comments (16)

Remembering the Homer Hanky, the Twins and the Star Tribune

September 23, 2010 – 5:46 pm

It was a simple little notice that the 2010 Homer Hanky has gone on sale now that the Minnesota Twins have clinched the American League Central Division title the other day. In a sobering week where several events (this one among them) have made me reflect on my mortality, the thought of the Homer Hanky [...]

By admin | Also posted in Business of journalism, Leadership and Management, Newspapers, Sports journalism | Comments (4)

Newsonomics is the Business and Future of Journalism textbook I sought

April 20, 2010 – 6:20 pm

When I started teaching the Business and Future of Journalism course at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism in the fall of 2006 I was out there on an island without any decent textbooks. It was clear I was inventing the class without a net. There were classic newspaper management texts, and there were newspaper [...]

By admin | Also posted in Business of journalism, Future of journalism, Journalism education, Leadership and Management, Newspapers, Online journalism | Comments (0)

Sarah Palin and the media need to chill out about Down syndrome

February 24, 2010 – 5:05 pm

Some might argue this isn’t my standard media blog fare, but the media and Sarah Palin need to chill out. Media commentators should help Palin find reasonable ground on her Down Syndrome son. Palin is now firing shots at the Family Guy TV show for mocking her Down syndrome toddler Tryg. To set this up, [...]

By admin | Also posted in Media Criticism, Media ethics, News decisions | Comments (23)

Ethics students face a tough set of choices as they move forward

January 13, 2010 – 2:42 pm

Journalism is marked by tough choices and a complicated set of responsibilities. There are few right and wrong answers, but there are responsible ways to think about those answers. When making ethical decisions we must get beyond “gut instinct” and use accepted decision-making processes and formulas. The media ethics landscape has been seriously complicated in [...]

By admin | Also posted in Future of journalism, Journalism education, Media Criticism, Media ethics | Comments (0)

My tortured journey to becoming Deborah Howell’s friend

January 2, 2010 – 3:33 pm

At 9:09 p.m. (MST) Friday night Jim Romenesko tweeted this: MPR reports Ex-Newhouse News, Pioneer Press editor Deborah Howell was killed in a road accident in NZ. http://is.gd/5Jftr I stared at my phone for at least 30 seconds before I moved. All relationships are complicated. Mine with Deborah Howell set indoor records for topsy-turvy emotions [...]

By admin | Also posted in Leadership and Management, Media ethics, Newspapers | Comments (12)

Let’s not let Medill Innocence Project be another Hazelwood

October 27, 2009 – 5:52 pm

I cannot remember anything about the day in 1988 that the Supreme Court issued its decision on Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier. I cannot remember if my newspaper made a very big deal out of it, but the decision embarrasses the heck out me 20 years later. The Supreme Court ruled in Hazelwood that high [...]

By admin | Also posted in Investigative Journalism, Journalism education, Media ethics, Newspaper legal issues | Comments (2)