Not that it should be a surprise to anyone but the Tucson Citizen endorsed  Sharon Bronson over Barney Brenner. I went through a similar dance with the Citizen. As if their endorsement weren’t enough they used the article as an  opportunity to blast out as many negatives on Barney as they could find. 

Emerine ways in HERE and newspaper endorsments.

The bad news is, based on the editors glowing endorsements in this race and many others,  it appears that the editorial board doesn’t read their own reporters stories.  The good news is that newspapers are taking a smaller role in the political arena and circulation are dropping faster than the stock market. 

Read more about the  Republic’s circulation downturn is HERE and the Citizen/Star’s bad news HERE.

Diminishing Influence

Candidates are starting to boycot the newspapers. This election cycle Frank Antenori declined an invite to interview with the Citizen editorial board after they chose not to endorse him in the primary. From Antenori’s web site:

I have already participated in a primary election endorsement interview for the Tucson Citizen.  The Citizen, while endorsing the two candidates who lost in the primary, inadvertently paid me the highest compliment by calling me a “fervent small government advocate.”  Their disdain for smaller government is at odds with the state’s fiscal reality and is not in line with the sentiments of the voters in District 30.

 

Meanwhile, the Arizona Daily Star has been on record editorially as opposing guns in the hands of “testosterone poisoned males,” a published statement that is not only patently sexist, but anti-Second Amendment and in line with neither my views nor the views of the voters of the 30th District.

 

In summary, both newspapers have had several opportunities to assess, for endorsement, my position on dozens of issues, head to head with the other candidates.  I have provided two specific examples of editorial biases displayed by these publications.  Therefore I will not seek, nor do I want an endorsement from either paper.

Antenori received the Citizen endorsement in absenscia!

Do we have a trend brewing? Arpaio and Thomas not seeking Arizona Republic endorsement:

Then again, the New York Times didn’t endorse Mayor Giuliani despite his success cleaning up New York City either. The New York Times was out of touch. The Arizona Republic editorial board is out of touch.

The newspapers credibility is declining, their advertisers are jumping ship and circulation is dropping. In our rapid 24 hour news cycle, reprinting AP News articles throughout the daily papers just isn’t cutting it.  People are turning to the internet and online media outlets and local blogs for more detailed coverage. 

Hats off to The Tucson Weekly and their  Scramblewatch blog for really covering local races. The little old Tucson Weekly  figured out that print and online blogging can be a powerful combo.