Hyper-Vocal: Opinions Abound on Albright Ouster

Ex-Stribbers on Albright: The firing of Star Tribune editorial page editor Susan Albright has generated plenty of opinions from former Stribbers, many echoing Jim Boyd’s belief that management’s mandate for “hyperlocal” editorials — the sticking point that earned Albright her walking papers — will turn the page into a “boring” and “inconsequential” feature of the paper. Former editor and senior VP Tim McGuire questions Strib publisher Chris Harte’s sentiment that readers can go elsewhere to find opinions on national matters. “Most of what people will find in those ‘other places’ is radically polarizing opinion,” he writes. “[T]his trend of sending readers to ‘other places’ is not serving newspapers well. Soon those ‘other places’ are going to be more attractive than the daily newspaper.”

Former Strib Sunday magazine editor Leonard Witt says that there’s merit in having local people weigh in on global issues: “[H]aving lived in Minneapolis for 18 years, I can tell you there is a sensibility there that just doesn’t exist anywhere else… Instead of seeing those national and international events through the sensibilities of someone who has her pulse on Minnesota, local people’s opinions will be informed by someone else, somewhere else.”

Good old days: With Kate Parry leaving her reader’s rep job and the departures of many on the staff of the Strib’s editorial page, this Parry column from last August sparks nostalgia for  bygone days.

Strib launching political site: On Monday, the Strib launches Politically Connected, a new site that “aims to be a one-stop shop for all things political in Minnesota.” But it isn’t a response to former Strib publisher Joel Kramer’s MinnPost; this idea was hatched long before Kramer announced his plans, says a source close to the Strib newsroom. Focusing mainly on the 2008 elections, it will be led by Dennis McGrath, the political junkie who headed up the paper’s politics and government team. The launch may be interesting: McGrath, while widely known for his political smarts, gets low grades in one area — tech savvy.

Speliling Department: As the saying goes, some people have a “face for radio.” But what about a name? James Lileks over at Buzz.mn spells the name of a retiring jazz-radio great the way it sounds: Lake Hammond. After 67 years at the mic, you think we’d get your name right, Leigh Kamman!

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