Dallas News Harvey Hit Pieces (Houston, Corpus Christi: hotel, homes, live in)

[Mr. Clutch]

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/harv...sands-flooding

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/harv...s-away-houston

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/harv...p-rain-rescues

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/harv...es-pain-harvey

https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/c...rvey-get-worse


So let me start by saying in general, I think that the people in North Texas have been tremendous in the face of this hurricane. Taking in so many evacuees and opening their homes and wallets to support us has not been lost on me. Thank you to North Texans (and everyone else) that have helped with the storm relief effort - it's definitely appreciated.

With that said, I've been dismayed about the hit pieces that the DMN has been coming out with over the last 10 days or so. My opinion is that a good proportion of the coverage coming from this paper is of the "kick us while we're down" variety. There is never an opportunity missed to mention how people could have a fresh start in North Texas, or how corporations should think about moving non-energy essential corporations inland, or how the hotel market is apparently the worst in the U.S. (as if that matters to the fact that it will face pain due to this hurricane).

My perspective is that the paper is (as always, as readers of the DMN know) being a tremendous booster for the region at the expense of Houston. This isn't new, and it's part of their function. I think nothing of it in normal times - it's competition and there's nothing wrong with that. But right now, all of this seemingly inspired speculation of our impending decline in business competitiveness that will benefit them specifically comes across to me as classless and petty. The Statesman (which I also read regularly) has done none of this. I don't read the SA newspaper much as unlike the other cities, I have never lived there, but I haven't seen much of this from them either. I wonder if the powers that be at the DMN think its really a good look to keep beating this horse.

Thoughts?

[Dopo]

I don't see it as hit pieces
Instead, I think the Houston media doesn't talk enough about what the first two articles talk about

I love the positivity that the Houston media has had during Harvey
but we also need to find out how to prepare the city better and not just ignore it because "We don't want to be negative"

If we can reduce the number of people affected in 1/2, we can do a better job helping people next time.

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by Dopo

I don't see it as hit pieces
Instead, I think the Houston media doesn't talk enough about what the first two articles talk about

I love the positivity that the Houston media has had during Harvey
but we also need to find out how to prepare the city better and not just ignore it because "We don't want to be negative"

If we can reduce the number of people affected in 1/2, we can do a better job helping people next time.

It's hard to call any one of these articles "Hit pieces" however I do wonder how many articles were posted in the DMN concerning Corpus Christi's struggles to cope with the effects of a Category 4 hurricane that hit just north of them, or with Beaumont/Port Arthurs tribulations, or what will be happening in Florida ? Maybe they have IDK..


With that said we do live in a competitive world and its hard to imagine this will not be a point of contention they use when they court businesses they know are considering a possible move to Houston or Southeast Texas. We need to keep this in mind when we look to the future path of Greater Houston.

[SanJac]

I subscribe to the DMN because frankly I think it is a better newspaper than the Chronicle (the Sports section is not even close), and yes there is a definite anti-Houston bias from that newspaper. In general they will paint Houston in the worst possible light. Sometimes I see horrific stories about Houston that I wasn't even aware of... and I live in Houston and also subscribe to the Chronicle.

I didn't go through all of the articles you posted but there was a recent article that mentioned the "sewage" problem we have in Houston when it floods, which apparently is well known and hasn't been addressed... who knew? Such exaggeration...

The coverage from DMN started out well but has since taken a negative turn. The Chronicle coverage has focused on the human side of the story and what the citizens have had to deal with. I actually think the Houston news media over-did it with all the coverage showing people being rescued... I think it would have been more useful to show some coverage on what those of us that did not flood could have been doing to help out the city. Just my opinion.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by SanJac

I actually think the Houston news media over-did it with all the coverage showing people being rescued... I think it would have been more useful to show some coverage on what those of us that did not flood could have been doing to help out the city. Just my opinion.

I'm just glad that Houston news media didn't do the typical BS of finding an idiot that stole something and talk about "All the looting going on" for hours.

[SpringBrancher]

The chron is just a cheerleader for the mayor. The Dallas pieces have no qualms about printing reality based journalism which the chron doesn't like to do unless it's the most recent foot in mouth comment by Trump.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by SpringBrancher

The chron is just a cheerleader for the mayor. The Dallas pieces have no qualms about printing reality based journalism which the chron doesn't like to do unless it's the most recent foot in mouth comment by Trump.

You are talking about the paper that had a section in their online page called
"Rick Perry 2012 Campaign for president"
Rick Perry 2012 Campaign for President

And you are going to tell me that the Houston Chronicle is liberal?

[SpringBrancher]

Um, Dopo, those articles aren't painting Rick Perry in a very flattering light. Perry is an idiot though so that isn't really an indicator of whether the paper is liberal or conservative, though I think un-biased observations would suggest the chron tilts left. However, more to my point, the chron seems to favor this particular mayor over other democrats even. Chris Bell and Adrian Garcia got tough coverage and this mayor got a pass on the scandal that sank him last time. The chron doesn't even ask basic questions about who he is. For example, who is his life partner? Don't we deserve to know when he is handing out hundreds of millions in contracts? This isn't 1980 where being gay is a disqualifier. Our last mayor was openly gay but we know who her partner is so we can spot conflicts (spoiler alert: there are)

[usc619]

Originally Posted by SanJac

I subscribe to the DMN because frankly I think it is a better newspaper than the Chronicle (the Sports section is not even close)

That's an understatment lol

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by SpringBrancher

The chron doesn't even ask basic questions about who he is. For example, who is his life partner? ...... This isn't 1980 where being gay is a disqualifier. Our last mayor was openly gay but we know who her partner is so we can spot conflicts (spoiler alert: there are)

Amazing
I bet you see no issue with all the President's conflict of interest