Simonson: What Gives?

[Conan71]

Even before Michael Bates' somewhat scathing comments about Terry Simonson in the latest UTW (Aug. 9-15), I was wondering a couple of weeks ago why a county official was being given carte blanche with an op-ed in the local media.  Turns out it wasn't just a one shot either.

As much as it sounds like I'm about to twist completely off on the UTW editorial staff, at least they do have the balance of Bates' op-ed leaning in the other direction on the river tax, though the latest installment of Bates' editorial takes a slightly tepid approach (i.e. more or less telling the power-broker pros not to keep the anti's from their forums but not telling people to vote against it).

I do have to question the journalistic integrity of allowing someone with a vested interest (what else can you make of it, since essentially, Simonson works for Randi Miller the biggest cheerleader for this new tax?) to have so many column inches to make his point, in several issues of the publication.  I have worked in print media, I know that column inches are to inform, but primarily, they are to make money.  It's one thing to publish a letter to the editor, but an out-right, by-lined op-ed from a beaurocrat has almost got to be a Tulsa print media first.

I guess it's an improvement in honesty over the daily paper which couches political op-ed into "reported stories" using selected quotes.

I also have to call into question Terry Simonson's integrity for having been such an adamant opponent of the grand plan in 1997, yet being such a strong supporter of a plan which appears to still have far more questions than answers.  I guess if you bring a potential pain in the donkey into the fold and onto the payroll, you can neutralize that problem.

I realize Simonson was a columnist in the past for UTW, more along the lines of Davey defeated by the Goliath Tulsa estabishment.  He brought somewhat of an objective look at the inner-workings of Tulsa, though there was always some subjectivity you could read between the lines.

Was this PR connection a part of what he brought to the table when the AG's office said Randi Miller the County Commission "had to hire a deputy concilor"?  What is it with our tendency to recycle former elected, and nearly-elected officials into un-elected beaurocracy?  I found the timing of his hiring and sudden re-appearance on the journalism scene just far too coincidental.

I'm sure there are a few friends of Simonson who are going to rip me, but I really don't care.  There is something that really stinks about this river tax that I just cannot put my finger on as of yet, other than I sense that Bob Dick's legacy lives on through Randi Miller and her minion(s).

[rwarn17588]

I've read dozens of newspapers in my travels across the country, and "guest" op-eds are commonplace. As long as there's some identification of the writer (which the op-ed did), I don't see it as a problem.

It is an op-ed. It's an opinion. Biases in such things are required. Who's ever heard of a letter to the editor without an opinion, or at least a viewpoint?

[Aa5drvr]

I went to WalMart and to Walgreens today and found Home Pregnancy Tests.....but....

Can someone tell me on what aisle the Smell Tests are located?

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by rwarn17588

I've read dozens of newspapers in my travels across the country, and "guest" op-eds are commonplace. As long as there's some identification of the writer (which the op-ed did), I don't see it as a problem.

It is an op-ed. It's an opinion. Biases in such things are required. Who's ever heard of a letter to the editor without an opinion, or at least a viewpoint?

I've seen many guest op-eds as well, that's not so unusual.  Allowing a beaurocrat to write an on-going saga in a publication is what is rare, and odd.

I don't have my copies with me, looking through the UTW archives, Simonson is not identified as the District 2 deputy commissioner in his July 11th and July 18th installments- about a month after he was appointed to his new job.  He also was given column space in July 25 and Aug. 1.  A tag on those two columns properly identified him.

Okay, I'll bite.  Innovative idea to let word come from an insider on the county project.  However, I question his sudden sincerity in defending a new tax when he's railed about raising taxes in the past like for the "Tulsa Project".

The UTW op-ed archives go back as far as Oct. 10th of 2006 and ironically, those earlier entries are about the channels.  Nowhere prior to July 11 do I find any contribution from Simonson.  He was eerily silent on the river prior to becoming a hired gun.  I believe he was brought in because Randi Miller has started to become a little too caustic for many people's tastes, and Simonson has had a lot of credibility with Tulsans in the past.

Maybe they can change the tag on Simonson's next installment to:  Terry Simonson is Randi Miller's sock puppet.

[RecycleMichael]

Terry Simonson has written columns for the past four weeks. Here they are...

River Redo July 11, 2007
http://www.urbantulsa.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A17594

Tulsa's Time July 18, 2007
http://www.urbantulsa.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A17635

Embrace the River July 25, 2007
http://www.urbantulsa.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A17676

Goldmine in the River August 1, 2007
http://www.urbantulsa.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A17677

Individually, each of these makes a slightly different case to support the river improvement tax.

Together, they make a nice riverdance.

[MichaelBates]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

I don't have my copies with me, looking through the UTW archives, Simonson is not identified as the District 2 deputy commissioner in his July 11th and July 18th installments- about a month after he was appointed to his new job.  He also was given column space in July 25 and Aug. 1.  A tag on those two columns properly identified him.

He was correctly identified in the print edition, but for some reason the tag was left off of the online version for the first couple of weeks. Perhaps because of the process for assembling the print and online editions, sometimes late changes to the print version of a story aren't reflected in the online version.

Simonson was a fairly regular columnist for a while, years ago. He was still on the masthead as a contributing writer when I started writing for the paper, although he wasn't writing very often. I think the door has always been open for him to submit articles whenever he felt like doing so. It is interesting that his muse suddenly returned when his new boss had a project to promote.

In general, the door at UTW is open to anyone with something substantive to say and the ability to express it in writing.

[tim huntzinger]

So Simonson was a contributor without contributing anything? That is odd.  Wonder what he was contributing.

[Conan71]

I think it's kind of like Jarrod Gollihare who has been affiliated with UTW either as a designer or writer as far back as '93 or so.

I just found it interesting that Simonson had been absent from UTW for so long then suddenly showed up with a four-week long "promotional tour" for the tax and plan.

I still stand by my assertion of it being a strategic move bringing him in as Miller's deputy to neutralized a potential PITA, and to bring some needed creds to her office.

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by tim huntzinger

So Simonson was a contributor without contributing anything? That is odd.  Wonder what he was contributing.

Terry Simonson's conversion to the Dark Side is due to either of two possible reasons:

1)  He decided after years of jousting at windmills, that "If You Can't Beat 'Em', then Join 'Em".

2)  He's really a deep-cover informant for the FBI, inserted to document the vast, felonious actions of the Tulsa County Ring.

Only Time Will Tell.........

P.S. Has the Statute of Limitations expired on former Commissioners Dirty Bob Dick, or Dilbert Collins?

P.S.S.  Bob Dick, Dilbert Collins, Randi Miller, Jim Orbison, Bill Bacon, Bob Parmele, Steve Alter, Gary Cox, and Terry Young, John Pearcey invites you to his mansion this weekend for a SHREDDING PARTY.  

Dress down, and expect to get DIRTIER THAN NORMAL.

Refreshments will definitely be served.

[:O]

[USRufnex]

quote:Originally posted by Friendly Bear

quote:Originally posted by tim huntzinger

So Simonson was a contributor without contributing anything? That is odd.  Wonder what he was contributing.

Terry Simonson's conversion to the Dark Side is due to either of two possible reasons:

1)  He decided after years of jousting at windmills, that "If You Can't Beat 'Em', then Join 'Em".

2)  He's really a deep-cover informant for the FBI, inserted to document the vast, felonious actions of the Tulsa County Ring.

Only Time Will Tell.........

P.S. Has the Statute of Limitations expired on former Commissioners Dirty Bob Dick, or Dilbert Collins?

P.S.S.  Bob Dick, Dilbert Collins, Randi Miller, Jim Orbison, Bill Bacon, Bob Parmele, Steve Alter, Gary Cox, and Terry Young, John Pearcey invites you to his mansion this weekend for a SHREDDING PARTY.  

Dress down, and expect to get DIRTIER THAN NORMAL.

Refreshments will definitely be served.

[:O]

Yawn.

So, who killed Jack Ruby and where is Jimmy Hoffa?

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by USRufnex

quote:Originally posted by Friendly Bear

quote:Originally posted by tim huntzinger

So Simonson was a contributor without contributing anything? That is odd.  Wonder what he was contributing.

Terry Simonson's conversion to the Dark Side is due to either of two possible reasons:

1)  He decided after years of jousting at windmills, that "If You Can't Beat 'Em', then Join 'Em".

2)  He's really a deep-cover informant for the FBI, inserted to document the vast, felonious actions of the Tulsa County Ring.

Only Time Will Tell.........

P.S. Has the Statute of Limitations expired on former Commissioners Dirty Bob Dick, or Dilbert Collins?

P.S.S.  Bob Dick, Dilbert Collins, Randi Miller, Jim Orbison, Bill Bacon, Bob Parmele, Steve Alter, Gary Cox, and Terry Young, John Pearcey invites you to his mansion this weekend for a SHREDDING PARTY.  

Dress down, and expect to get DIRTIER THAN NORMAL.

Refreshments will definitely be served.

[:O]

Yawn.

So, who killed Jack Ruby and where is Jimmy Hoffa?

Cancer, and La Cosa Nostra knows, respectively.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by MichaelBates

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

I don't have my copies with me, looking through the UTW archives, Simonson is not identified as the District 2 deputy commissioner in his July 11th and July 18th installments- about a month after he was appointed to his new job.  He also was given column space in July 25 and Aug. 1.  A tag on those two columns properly identified him.

He was correctly identified in the print edition, but for some reason the tag was left off of the online version for the first couple of weeks. Perhaps because of the process for assembling the print and online editions, sometimes late changes to the print version of a story aren't reflected in the online version.

Simonson was a fairly regular columnist for a while, years ago. He was still on the masthead as a contributing writer when I started writing for the paper, although he wasn't writing very often. I think the door has always been open for him to submit articles whenever he felt like doing so. It is interesting that his muse suddenly returned when his new boss had a project to promote.

In general, the door at UTW is open to anyone with something substantive to say and the ability to express it in writing.

They failed to mention his position on this last week's "letter to the editor".