It's All Relative

The Windsor Star is pathetic. I am so glad that I cancelled my newspaper subscription.

You have to read this non-answer from the Star's Publisher on the Star's website on "Municipal strike Q&A." I can understand why he is embarrassed. For all the years after the appointment was made, the Star has never disclosed the relationship in a Star story to its readers. Even now the Publisher has difficulty setting out the facts and someone "Tim" has to ask question to get the answer that readers of this BLOG have known for a long time.

• "John Coleman is The Star's editorial page editor and his wife is Norma Coleman, who is chief of staff in the mayor's office."

Take a look at how this disclosure was made. It is a story in itself

10:34 [Comment From Chris] WINDSOR STAR is against the STRIKERS. I guess it helps that the MAYOR has ties to the WIndsor Star. YOu people are suppose to REPORT the facts. NOT EDDIE's version of these facts!

11:24 [Comment From Rob] I keep hearing about a connection between the editor of the Windsor Star and the mayor's office. (Someone's wife works directly with the mayor?) If this connection exists when was the last time, or first time, that this connection has been aknowledged by the editorial board to the public? I think that such a possible conflict of interest should be disclosed.

11:51 The Windsor Star: Someone asked about Star editorial page editor John Coleman's connection with the mayor's office and here's a response from Star publisher Jim Venney.

11:51 The Windsor Star: The Windsor Star editorial opinions are developed and finalized in the Publisher's Office. They are developed in a group setting by a group usually composed of Publisher Jim Venney, Editor-in-Chief Marty Beneteau, Editorial Page Editor John Coleman and Karen Hall. We believe that even if one member of our group has a bias or conflict, the remainder of the group is in a position to offset that bias. We also believe this method in an organization setting actually results in opinion formation that is far less open to conflict of interest that is more possible in the world of say - individual blogs. In this case the potential for conflict for one member of the group is not a conflict for the overall group. Members of the group are able to adjust (or not adjust) as they see fit given their knowledge of the situation and the people involved.

12:33 The Windsor Star: Subsequent to closing, Tim at 11:53 asked, "So does John Coleman have a connection to the mayor's office? Yes or no?" The answer to the question is yes. John Coleman is The Star's editorial page editor and his wife is Norma Coleman, who is chief of staff in the mayor's office. Please read The Windsor Star comment above to understand how editorial opinions are formulated. "

A good reporter would never have allowed a non-answer like the Publisher's to be given without a followup.

Why did the Star have the need to mention Tim's question "subsequent to closing?" Did someone get mad internally, if anyone? Who was called for an opinion? Who made the decision? I wonder what happened between 11:53 and 12:33 before the next answer came out.

The matter was first raised at 10:34, then at 11:24 with the first answer being given at 11:51.

I wonder if there were Editorial Board meetings to come up with the answers at 11:51 and 12:33 since it took so long to answer. The answer on editorials was very similar to that given in a recent Star Editorial wasn't it but with much more elaboration. I wonder why that was done too:

• "Windsor Star editorial opinions are too close to the mayor's opinions:
  
  All Windsor Star editorial opinions are developed and finalized through the Publisher's Office, not the Mayor's Office."

Chris and Doug had the good sense to let the Publisher bury himself with his non-response.

While they are not comparable situations, here is how the Ontario Municipal Conflict of Interest Act suggests that conflicts be handled just as a matter of interest:

• When present at meeting at which matter considered
  
  5. (1) Where a member, either on his or her own behalf or while acting for, by, with or through another, has any pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, in any matter and is present at a meeting of the council or local board at which the matter is the subject of consideration, the member..,.
  
  (b) shall not take part in the discussion of, or vote on any question in respect of the matter; and
  
  (c) shall not attempt in any way whether before, during or after the meeting to influence the voting on any such question.
  
  Where member to leave closed meeting
  
  (2) Where the meeting referred to in subsection (1) is not open to the public, in addition to complying with the requirements of that subsection, the member shall forthwith leave the meeting or the part of the meeting during which the matter is under consideration.

In passing, there was a poll during the Q&A time period asking people if the City should agree to binding arbitration. My recollection is that people were heavily opposed at first but at 11:07, 53% were in favour. Was that the final number? If so, why didn't the Star show that result?

Take a look at what I BLOGGED before about what Marty Beneteau said about John Coleman on Face-to-Face and you decide if there is a change at the Star:

• As you know my issue with the Star is their failure to report on the fact that one of its Editors, John Coleman, is married to the Mayor of Windsor's Chief of Staff, Norma Coleman. We learned that not only is Beneteau aware of the possible conflict but so is the Star's publisher, and right from the start.
  
  Beneteau tried to deflect the issue by saying that John is a man of the highest integrity. Who has doubted that? That's not the issue and it should not be personalized that way at all.
  
  The issues are the Star's failure to report something that its subscribers should have known about a long time ago, not just a week before the election and its hypocrisy in running the story "Politicians' roles in media decried." The Star had the chance to talk about its situation as it discussed that of others but it chose not to do so.
  
  The explanation given by Beneteau was very enlightening. You decide for yourself its significance:
  
  --he gave no reason why the relationship was never reported
  --he gave no explanation why Norma's appointment was made as it was
  --we learned that John Coleman is Gord Henderson's editor, that they work collaboratively together and that they hash out ideas together
  --we also learned that John Coleman does not take part in any discussions when it comes to the Mayor's office and recuses himself from the debate (but what about issues that impact the political position of the Mayor such as the border or the arena or Police Board or the coroner's inquest demand---is John involved?)
  --we learned that Beneteau's Publisher helps him in navigating this
  --we never did learn what John actually is allowed to do in his job and what he cannot do compare what the Star did with that done by the other papers mentioned.

In the past

• "John Coleman does not take part in any discussions when it comes to the Mayor's office and recuses himself from the debate."

We now learn that:

• "The Windsor Star editorial opinions are developed and finalized in the Publisher's Office. They are developed in a group setting by a group usually composed of Publisher Jim Venney, Editor-in-Chief Marty Beneteau, Editorial Page Editor John Coleman and Karen Hall. We believe that even if one member of our group has a bias or conflict, the remainder of the group is in a position to offset that bias."

There is no point huffing and puffing over it. The Star decided early on at the highest levels within the Paper what position it was going to take. They did not feel the need to make the disclosure. Its readers did not have to know.

Silly Ontario Press Council. This means nothing:

• "In the interest of credibility, a column should disclose any possible conflict of interest on the part of the writer. "

You might want to re-read this BLOG I wrote some time ago

• "The Media Is The Government" October 11, 2005 http://windsorcityon.blogspot.com/2005/10/media-is-government.html

Now I understand this Beneteau comment much better:

• "We did things that newspapers can do to bring about change, positive change."

Shame on the Star! I finally cancelled my Star subscription to show my disgust and am glad I did.

I am sure that now you can really appreciate the work done by the BLOGGERs in this town!