Furious that a front page story in The Hartford Courant about Bristol's top ranking in Money Magazine's survey of most livable cities poked fun at the Mum City, city leaders vowed Tuesday to cancel subscriptions.
Mayor Art Ward said he was "very, very, very dismayed" by the tone of the story. He said it was "very disparaging" to the city when it should have been positive.
The mayor said the paper has paid little attention to Bristol for years and when it does, it has become increasingly tabloidish.
"I've become less than satisfied with The Hartford Courant's coverage of anything that the city does," Ward said during last night's City Council meeting.
City Councilor Ken Cockayne also lashed out at the paper.
Cockayne said the reporter, Mara Lee, and her editor on the story about Bristol's ranking "should be ashamed" at allowing such a one-sided attack on the city to find its way into print.
He said the Courant made no effort to talk to municipal or community leaders. It just found a few malcontents ready to trash their hometown, officials said.
Cockayne said that he canceled his Courant subscription months ago.
"It's become more of a slanderous paper than one that gives news," Cockayne said.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
27 comments:
The story was true though Artie and you know it..
Steve stop hating on the Courant.
The Courant recently did a piece on Bristol 225th. Also its sister paper the Advocate did as well. Dont blame the media for bad press. It starts with the city and its leaders. Make a difference, that what you all were elected for!
I don't hate the Courant. I read it daily and remain a loyal subscriber. But I am disappointed at the way it has declined so sharply in recent years.
Art, you are upset because the Courant doen't suck up to you like Steve does.
You are lucky that they are not even objective.
The Courant lost much of its credibility years ago. This is just another example of how truly pathetic they've become.
Bristol is just one town of of 169 or so towns the Courant covers...Why is Bristol so important ?
FOXer --
I'm disappointed by the lack of coverage in Bristol, for sure, but the reality is that the Courant has gone from in-depth reporting on the state and its towns to something more like Fox 61 might do: a very surface treatment, with an occasional piece that reminds us all of what we used to have.
The Courant is a a statewide paper. Its owned by Tribune. Locally they own The Hartford Advoacate, FOX61, WTXX, the Courant and ValuMail.
How is it possible to cover every town Steve. Thats your job as a small town reporter!!
I don't really give a damn if the Courant covers Bristol. Bristol has a newspaper. But lots of towns have nothing but the Courant and that has come to mean that they have nothing.
More serious to me, though, is that the Courant no longer covers anywhere near the range of issues and entities that it did even five years ago, let alone 15 years back. It gave up on its most fundamental job.
And then, worst of all, it shrunk its Sunday comics. That's just unspeakably awful.
Most of the article was made up of comments from Bristol citizens.
Is that what Ward is upset about?
Ward is lucky that neither paper does any good investigative reporting.
Betcha Cockayne cancelled his press too!
Cockayne, what a hypocrite...he calls the courant (undercover of course) when he wants a story published. Now, he is attacking the paper like nobody have an idea of what he has been up to all this time...appalling!!
He must think that Bristol is full of ignorant people. He is just a sad story.
Steve, how can you look at yourself in the mirror after making those statements. In my opinion, the only thing you do is to pick and choose what is a good gossip in this town regardless of whom you hurt. If you (and your wife Jackie) stick on reporting the good the bad and the ogly just as it is, you may earn the respect from the people in this City. We don't want to know what you think, We want to know the facts!
I can look in the mirror just fine, thanks. I have no idea what you're talking about.
Steve, stick to the stories. Then, you would not have to give us your excuses or explanations. That simple.
We know when you say or publish something just to generate comments for your personal gain. We say what we think nevertheless. But, you are not fooling anyone.
HELLO!!!
I still have no idea what you're talking about. But perhaps you should stop reading this blog and just read the news stories in the Press.
i agree .
the courant is a joke .
i mean , it's front section has like no news (compared it to the Globe for example)
u mean people still pay for that rag ?
I was infuriated by the poorly researched article by the Courant. I spoke to Mara Lee and voiced my concern. She thought her coverage "fair and balanced". Yah. An unwed mother, a motorcycle repairman, a Hispanic gentleman and a woman who moved. Balanced??? What about a new Rt. 72, a new library, a new streetscape, a $100MM new school program, ESPN....Mara seemed unaware of anything other than what her interviewees said. Good journalism?? I think not.
I have a call into Business Editor Haar but he's not returning my calls. I called the Website to get the story taken down but could only leave voicemail. No return calls. Bad Jounalism? I think so.
This is about BAD JOURNALISM!!!!
Tom Cosgrove, BDDC
I am disappointed at the way it has declined so sharply in recent years.
July 14, 2010 9:37 AM
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Same can be said for the bristol press .
I like the more honest reporting in the Courant. The Press is more biased.
I guess these are the ways that change the same old trashers ways . And that is pick on Steve Collins. But we all know it's the same old unhappy rhetorical critics. Boring (still.)
Gotta say something negative I guess. It's you !
Be polite, please. Be aware, too, that your words will mean more if you identify yourself. If you see a comment that should be killed, please tell me about it, including where I can find it in order to remove it. Do yourself a favor and remember that somebody can sue you, subpoena records from Google and find out who you are. So don't say something you wouldn't want to defend in court.
"ask and ye shall receive"
Artie, wake up and smell the roses! Bristol stinks and all your objecting can't change that! Guess we should have elected someone who could take action to bring Bristol back to its former glory. Artie hasn't and obviously can't. Go ahead Ken, cancel your Courant subscription, that’ll really help Bristol! lol.
BRISTOL IS A JOKE . Who paid for the reviews ESPN.
11:32 AM and 2:22 PM: The only thing stinky around here is your attitude and the fact that Bristol has been chosen as one of the top cities to live in proves that the real joke is you!
Tom Cosgrove,
What you are missing, and it is vital, especially in your role as BDDC Commissioner, is this is what SOME of the people are thinking, feeling.
To them it is real, this is their world, which obviously is different from yours.
As city official, it is imperative that you listen to everyone and then work to address what people think is wrong.
We DO have problems, some people are not aware of the good things because the City and the Chamber have not publicized, have not marketed them.
Neither has the BDDC
The Courant didn't make up the interviews: what has the city done to present a more realistic picture?
Where is the Mayor????
Where are the politicians?
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