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SIAP: Why does the Gazette dislike Kirk so much?

Gazette did a poor job in initial article. Reaching out to one member whose opinion differed from the rest. Poor headline and use of words to describe the future of the committee. All to be the “first” or get clicks. Meanwhile some of few respected Iowa journalist like dochterman exposed their shoddy journalism with his well written non biased story in the athletic.

worst part is they doubled down immediately after. Multiple gazette writers going on Twitter trying to defend it after letter to the parents and emails surfaced. Even the lady who wrote it somehow thought publishing an email would help with her case and did they exact opposite causing her and others like harty and Howe defending her on social media to get roasted. Now they come out with this editorial piece. Best decision would be to let the subject matter die and stop writing about it because they keep shooting them selves in the foot when they do. It’s almost as if Gary barta took control of the gazette considering how poorly they’ve handled it.
Did the email to the parents come before or after the committee was dissolved?
 
Did the email to the parents come before or after the committee was dissolved?
To this day Porter is the only one on the committee or involved with Iowa football be it player, coach, parent or staff who has made the claim that the committee was ever dissolved. Be it he misinterpreted or bitter because he got the boot from it after his failed attempt to get the coach and AD fired.
 
So, fun fact -- I spent 20 years as a newspaper editor (not in Iowa), so perhaps I have a perspective that might be valuable.

My take on the editorial is that this is basically the editorial team standing by its reporters. Circling the wagons, so to speak. John Steppe seems like a pretty young guy (only been on the Hawkeye beat since September, I think), and I doubt they want to throw him under the bus. You also get a sense that they feel like they have a role to play in holding Ferentz and the football program accountable. Fair enough, but it does come across as kind of obtuse.

I am much more critical of the original story, which felt rushed and quick to condemn. Use of words like "abruptly" and "contentious" in the headline created an aggressive tone from the beginning. The story also misrepresented the purpose of the committee and made no effort to identify other members of the committee (which other reporters in the state were able to get.)

It was lazy reporting. I know because I've been there. This reminds me of a story my paper did once upon a time, only with us, it wasn't a football program, but a major local employer. The company had been accused of racial discrimination in a lawsuit, and they were ultimately ordered to pay a fine. We had the information from the lawsuit, so we had most of the facts. Our reporter made a passing attempt to reach the company for comment, but without success. This was pretty common; our local companies (heavy industry) were notoriously known to ignore local media. So we ran the story without their comment. And the fallout was not good, especially since the local company was well-connected to the local power structure. Our mistake was not trying harder to get in touch with someone from the company. This resulted in a one-sided story. Yes, the company's response would likely have mostly been "spin," but they deserved an opportunity to tell their side. We got in too big a hurry to get the story out. But that's the mentality in the daily news business -- get the story, get the facts, and get it out -- you generally don't have time to go through multiple drafts and revisions, like you're writing a term paper for rhetoric class. The beast must be fed. This is a flaw in journalism. The reality is that holding a story for a day usually is just fine -- especially with sensitive stories that have the potential to damage local entities.

Full disclosure: In the days following our gaffe, I defended our decision, much like the Gazette has done. I thought it was important to stand by my reporter. After all, for the most part, the story was accurate. But now, years later, I can stand back and acknowledge that we could have done better. In the heat of battle, I am sure this will be hard for the Gazette writers and editors to do; but with time, their perspective might change, as mine did.

I only write all this to say that while there are indeed many cases of bad journalism -- and I believe the Gazette's coverage is a good example -- there's no reason to call out all journalists with blanket condemnation. Gathering news and reporting information is not easy. The majority of those doing it -- especially at the local level -- have good intentions. Yes, sometimes they lose their way, and they deserve criticism. But know that most of them are committed to the noble task of keeping their communities informed.
Thank you for an honest and insightful take ...you however get a huge part wrong and fortunately it is one of the most powerful things about social media. Journalists do have access and a platform to create action as Vanessa so poorly communicated on Twitter. She believes her role is to create action not to report truth. This wasn't a rush to get a story out it was a hatchet job for whatever motivated her and her bosses. They were using the story itself to force a narrative to benefit themselves not the public or their readers. It wasn't the truth and that was by design. Yes we should condemn reporters because that has become the norm and that was the part you got wrong. Who is watching the watchers? They are whining about Kirk while behaving worse than anyone they are reporting about. Journalists in this story are the ones circling the wagons and have a true lack of transparency. Kirk in this case had a great deal of transparency.

Social media had actually had the positive affect of giving the public a platform to hold journalists responsible for their words and that is what is happening here. Like a child though the journalists sure can dish it out but can't take it. The arrogance of them is stunning and pathetic. How dare you question us approach never comes across well especially as they whine about a lack of transparency from someone they are trying to deliberately damage.

Vanessa is a disgusting person. She is a hack and bad at her job but if you truly read her stuff underneath it is a person that is vindictive and looking to harm people. She isn't a good person and is not trustworthy to tell the truth or to have access to anything sensitive. Her platform is a powerful tool and she is using it cause people harm whole screaming about accountability.

If these so called journalists we're actually looking to share truth through responsible reporting they would have gone the foia route on communications between the coaching staff and the committee. They didn't for what reason? They would also have years ago dug into the real finances of the athletic department...and yet no story there. Know why? That takes real work.
 
While I don't disagree with you point about the Gazette, becoming more transparent and forthcoming could only help his program. Perception can become the reality if it goes unchecked. I don't think KF is racist, nor do I think he runs an racist program. Historically he's had a very positive reputation.

But every time his name appears in a headline along with race, diversity, bullying, etc., rival schools make hay with it.
Did that work with Xavier Nwampka or must we ignore that?
 
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I wasn't trying to ruffle any Hawk feathers, Herk. There is no perfect PR formula for times like this. I just never heard of a major D1 program get criticized for being too transparent and overly forthcoming.
and I have never heard of a top 20 recruit openly join, as proclaimed by isu fans, a “racist” program. I have also never hear of a “racist program” having 4 of 10 coaches be coaches of color, but again we must ignore anything that clown fans insist isn’t the “reality” they espouse to.

Now the last thing I would like isu fan to explain to us is if KF is the “racist” you all insist he is why did a Judge dismiss the allegations of racism and discrimination against him? Yep after looking at the evidence the plaintiffs presented the Judge deems it not credible and instead of wasting the courts time dismissed KF from the case. Are we to believe that clown fans and clown fans alone know what really is and has gone on?

I have a feeling that clown fans will refuse to answer any of my simpleton questions and instead run away and hide.

Anything that shows isu fans as being delusional is automatically ignored or they spin on to some other delusional thought or question.
 
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Thank you for an honest and insightful take ...you however get a huge part wrong and fortunately it is one of the most powerful things about social media. Journalists do have access and a platform to create action as Vanessa so poorly communicated on Twitter. She believes her role is to create action not to report truth. This wasn't a rush to get a story out it was a hatchet job for whatever motivated her and her bosses. They were using the story itself to force a narrative to benefit themselves not the public or their readers. It wasn't the truth and that was by design. Yes we should condemn reporters because that has become the norm and that was the part you got wrong. Who is watching the watchers? They are whining about Kirk while behaving worse than anyone they are reporting about. Journalists in this story are the ones circling the wagons and have a true lack of transparency. Kirk in this case had a great deal of transparency.

Social media had actually had the positive affect of giving the public a platform to hold journalists responsible for their words and that is what is happening here. Like a child though the journalists sure can dish it out but can't take it. The arrogance of them is stunning and pathetic. How dare you question us approach never comes across well especially as they whine about a lack of transparency from someone they are trying to deliberately damage.

Vanessa is a disgusting person. She is a hack and bad at her job but if you truly read her stuff underneath it is a person that is vindictive and looking to harm people. She isn't a good person and is not trustworthy to tell the truth or to have access to anything sensitive. Her platform is a powerful tool and she is using it cause people harm whole screaming about accountability.

If these so called journalists we're actually looking to share truth through responsible reporting they would have gone the foia route on communications between the coaching staff and the committee. They didn't for what reason? They would also have years ago dug into the real finances of the athletic department...and yet no story there. Know why? That takes real work.
The viciousness of your words says a lot more about you than about a reporter, whether or not you agree with that reporter’s work.

without journalists doing their work, there is no hope for transparency, accountability, or even democracy. This country has already fallen off the lists of functioning democracies, and we are considered an “anocracy” btw. Why? Because of people who try to defend authoritarianism and established hierarchies. Because of rabid sheeple voting against their economic interests.

If you like brownshirts and no press freedom, or just sycophantic propaganda, move to Germany in the 1930s, or move to China today.
 
and I have never heard of a top 20 recruit openly join, as proclaimed by isu fans, a “racist” program. I have also never hear of a “racist program” having 4 of 10 coaches be coaches of color, but again we must ignore anything that clown fans insist isn’t the “reality” they espouse to.

Now the last thing I would like isu fan to explain to us is if KF is the “racist” you all insist he is why did a Judge dismiss the allegations of racism and discrimination against him? Yep after looking at the evidence the plaintiffs presented the Judge deems it not credible and instead of wasting the courts time dismissed KF from the case. Are we to believe that clown fans and clown fans alone know what really is and has gone on?

I have a feeling that clown fans will refuse to answer any of my simpleton questions and instead run away and hide.

Anything that shows isu fans as being delusional is automatically ignored or they spin on to some other delusional thought or question.
Dude, chill.

I'm not throwing shade at KF. I've never said he's a racist, in fact, show me where I have.

Not sure what court case you're referring to, but it doesn't matter. If you have to rely on a judge in a court of law to rule on someone being racist, you've lost the battle as it relates to public opinion.

All I'm saying is, this program could benefit by being more transparent. That means easy to perceive or detect.
 
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Dude, chill.

I'm not throwing shade at KF. I've never said he's a racist, in fact, show me where I have.

Not sure what court case you're referring to, but it doesn't matter. If you have to rely on a judge in a court of law to rule on someone being racist, you've lost the battle as it relates to public opinion.

All I'm saying is, this program could benefit by being more transparent. That means easy to perceive or detect.
Dude clown fans are saying KF is a racist and Iowa is a racist program. I am showing the “reality” of how bogus your fan base is spewing that crap. If you don’t like “reality” coming back at you then take your clown fan bs back to a isu fan site where ignoring “reality” is a ticket for admission.
 
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Dude clown fans are saying KF is a racist and Iowa is a racist program. I am showing the “reality” of how bogus your fan base is spewing that crap. If you don’t like “reality” coming back at you then take your clown fan bs back to a isu fan site where ignoring “reality” is a ticket for admission.
Ouch. Sick burn.
 
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The other thing I find interesting about isu fans is how easily not only do they throw rocks at KF but then want to completely ignore their WBB coach being sued for being a “racist”. isu writes a check and clown fans say nothing to see never bring it up it didn’t happen.

But tell us how it really is. You won’t come off like hypocrites really you won’t.
 
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The other thing I find interesting about isu fans is how easily not only do they throw rocks at KF but then want to completely ignore their WBB coach being sued for being a “racist”. isu writes a check and clown fans say nothing to see never bring it up it didn’t happen.

But tell us how it really is. You won’t come off like hypocrites really you won’t.
Here's a link. It didn't get the national attention because it wasn't on the heels of George Floyd and the massive attention race issue have gotten since. Also, Iowa fans aren't obsessed with ISU like they are with us, so we don't spend every waking minute (starting earlier than 5:30 am apparently) trying to blow it up further.
 
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Here's a link. It didn't get the national attention because it wasn't on the heels of George Floyd and the massive attention race issue have gotten since. Also, Iowa fans aren't obsessed with ISU like they are with us, so we don't spend every waking minute (starting earlier than 5:30 am apparently) trying to blow it up further.
Yeah, definitely would have been interesting to see the response if it came out in 2020.
 
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The viciousness of your words says a lot more about you than about a reporter, whether or not you agree with that reporter’s work.

without journalists doing their work, there is no hope for transparency, accountability, or even democracy. This country has already fallen off the lists of functioning democracies, and we are considered an “anocracy” btw. Why? Because of people who try to defend authoritarianism and established hierarchies. Because of rabid sheeple voting against their economic interests.

If you like brownshirts and no press freedom, or just sycophantic propaganda, move to Germany in the 1930s, or move to China today.
We are not an anocracy. Saying stuff like that makes you as guilty of hyperbole as he is
 
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Newspaper reporters consider themselves to be journalists and in order fit in with their friends they have to constantly prove how woke they really are.
 
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Hard not to feel sorry for a loser like that. It's really just gotten sad at this point.
It also shows what the isu 5 star culture is all about. I do have to hand it to them though, their ability to consistently drive home just how obsessed they are with big bro Iowa is un-matched.

Keep up the great work 5:30am clown fan. You leave isu feeling “so proud”.
 
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Trump might actually own CNN this time next year. The new Times Warner/Disney management claims they are going to try and restore credibility to stop the ratings collapse and keep the CNN portfolio. Same new management has also said if the changes don't work they'll sell CNN before it hits the penny stage. New news president, firing a lot of big names from their prime-time line up claiming that they will be "impartial". If that doesn't work, CNNs a fire sale. Oh, the irony that would be.

**** those gloomy doctors-I'm planning to make it through at least the 2024 election and bowl season. It will take more than a bad respiratory system and a declining immune system to kill me. I want to live long enough to see Joey Labas carried on his team's shoulders as we win the Rose Bowl or a playoff game.
 
par·a·noi·a
/ˌperəˈnoiə/
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noun
  1. a mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, typically elaborated into an organized system. It may be an aspect of chronic personality disorder, of drug abuse, or of a serious condition such as schizophrenia in which the person loses touch with reality.
 
Ferentz’s defenders point out ad nauseam that his salary is funded by sports revenue and not by taxes, but that distinction is meaningless. The university is a government entity with special privileges private actors aren’t entitled to, so all of its departments have special obligations to be transparent and accessible.

We don’t give free passes to professors whose positions are supported by outside foundations or to police programs funded by forfeiture. From any reasonable perspective, UI athletics programs ought to be accountable to the public.


Well, I'm not entirely sure I agree with this. No one at the U holds an elected position.
While the Gazette (35k-ish est circulation and consistently falling) continues to operate under ever decreasing standard of Journalism and shoddy reporting, they continue to claim they are "the" appointee of the "4th Estate" for Eastern Iowa that the University absolutely must answer too, as the representative of the "public interest". Whats wrong with this picture...low standards and low quality reporting, while demanding the respect and transparency from the University of Iowa.

This most recent report of cloaked authorship (Editorial staff? Lets just say, reviewed and blessed by "Zack Kucharski"), who believes they are the people's voice, while ignoring "the people"s feed back, dismissing requests of its readers to stop its attack on the University as "nitpicking", as if they are patting "the public" on the head, telling us that we do not deserve a seat at the table with the big boys and girls.

Cancel your subscription to this rag, do not click or read its online articles!!!
 
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