My sentiments exactly. The Big O is getting worser and worser. I even e mailed Steve Duin about 4/5/ column.." A slow day in the newsroom?" I queried. Once, a weak-minded moment for me, I admit, I thought of buying a car and went through the Big O's ads. What a futile exercise that was. Any Auto dealer advertising on-line in the Big O is throwing money away. The Legislature in session, but reading The Big O one hasn't the foggiest of what is going on.

I agree as well. I've taken to contacting the advertisers to tell them their audio ads make it less likely I'll consider using them in the future.

Just a point of clarification: oregonlive is not run by the Oregonian, it is a free-standing effort (I suppose sort of like the editorial pages and the news pages are separate, oh wait, maybe that's not a good example). Complaints to the advertisers are a good idea, but bitching at the Oregonian itself won't help.

why thank you Bog Man!
Lars

I couldn't agree with you more. Except on the Lars comment. Keep telling it like it is Lars! I do have to share my O story. I get the paper delivered including Sunday for FREE. Been doing this for a few years now. They call and ask if I want the paper and after a resounding no they offer it for free, except Sunday, for a year, no obligation. Again NO. They throw in Sunday free. We have a deal. I read the sports, the front page and metro. Keep the TV click for the week and recycle the rest. I must confess I do occasionally burn the editorial page. Mostly on Sunday.

Keep telling it like it is Lars!

I suppose that depends on what the definition of "is" is.

How about their intrusive zip code/age/sex system that you're required to fill out? Now they want to use annoying advertising as well? Excuse me?

it is a free-standing effort

Not really. They're owned by the same parent company, the paper has an online editor, and the editorial board recently informed the reporters that they're all to be keenly interested in what happens on line.

why thank you Bog Man!

Lars, love the show, but the ad breaks are too long. By the time you come back on the air my sleep number has long since become relevant.

They're owned by the same parent company...

This is true, but there really isn't a single chain of command in all of this. The newspaper branch has been stuck with what the online branch gives them.

I suspect this is partly why Theo's photography has started going up on Flickr instead of anything to do with OregonLive -- at htis stage, they may be doing some end-runs around the O'Live nonsense.

"I suppose that depends on what the definition of "is" is."

Well b!Xy,
Consider this. In this enclave of rampant dishonesty and incompetence by public officials where else "is" one to get the criticism it deserves on the air?

Thom Hartman? Now that "is" funny!

The newspaper branch has been stuck with what the online branch gives them.

Actually, both "branches" take orders from the same place -- New Jersey.

"I suppose that depends on what the definition of "is" is."

Truthiness

It's what we all know intuitively to be right, without regard of actual facts.

In this enclave of rampant dishonesty and incompetence by public officials where else "is" one to get the criticism it deserves on the air?

There's a difference between criticism and distortion/demagoguery.

There's a difference between criticism and distortion/demagoguery.

Aww...is that a tinge of green envy I see there? Wait - nope, adjusted the monitor and the green tinge is still there.

Is there a book in the offing? Maybe something like "Lars Larson Is A Big Fat Idiot"? oh wait - Franken did that one on Rush.

One nice thing about the Left is that they never distort anything. You can always count on them to be ... um ... what they are. Which, in Nancy Pelosi's case, may be a felon. At least, that's what I was seeing in the Wall Street Journal today.

Oh, but they're probably in cahoots with Larson...that explains everything.

One nice thing about the right is that they distract from the issue.

I never asserted that the left never distorts anything. The fact that the left might distort something isn't a response to the fact that Lars is a demagogue.

It's like responding to "man that Republican has ugly pants" with a sarcastic "one nice thing about Democrats is they never wear ugly pants".

The nice thing about the non-retort is that is doesn't actually deny or refute that Lars is a demagogue.

The Oregonian sucks. It is the worst newspaper of any City I have lived in. The only cities I have lived in, prior to Portland, were Phoenix and Salt Lake City - enough said.

I can't understand why liberals trash the O so much. It carries the liberal water every day. Is it just not far enough off the left deep end?

Oh b!xy come on,, do you listen to Hartman? He's demogogue central.
I listen to him and it's amzing how he uses demagogue depictions and characterizations for all things Republican and Bush. I laugh out loud at times as he mixes in his sweeping genralizations and misinformed take with his demagoguery.
I mean, really, what was your read on Randy Leonard when he was a radio host?
Some fair minded, factual based pontificator?
Or how about one of your liberal staples like Steve Novick. Now there'a demagogue.
Geeze, liberals sure do pretend they are nothing like they what call the other side. Funny people they are.

I too canceled my subscription to the O. There was too much condo/developer hype. Most of us just want affordable housing. I went to their site today to find a business article and it's very clunky.

There is a lot of "cancel the O" going around. I dumped mine effective 29 January.

I'm 62 yoa and have subscribed since moving here in 1977.

I sent a 3 page letter to Fred Stickel, with copies to Rowe and Bhatia explaining why, and pointing out the demographics issues. Its my generatin that grew up with newspapers and which habitually reads (well, make that read) them. The twenty somethings don't subscribe. Nary a response.

The folks getting hurt in this are not Stickel and Rowe and Bhatia -- but the local distributors, who are retailing editorial content which seems designed to drive away the customer base.

The folks at Oregonian distributorship # 51 were always great. I don't think they ever missed more than 2 deliveries in 30 years, in spite of some reallb hilly ice covered SW roads in winter.

AIUI, the O's circulation is down close to 25% from its peak in the early '90s.

I wonder when the "Going Out of Business Sale" is scheduled?

Yesterday's Times (which we still do get delivered daily) reported that the values of newspaper stocks are down 33% over the last few years. The only way they'll make any money is on the web -- and that remains to be seen.

Forcing blaring radio ads on the online audience is a really dumb move.

It can happen, it'll just be a slow painful process for most newspapers. The ad dollars will never be quite as lucrative, but it's a safe bet that as the online ad targeting becomes more effective, news sites that get big traffic will capitalize.

It's not like Theo's overlords don't *now* have good models of building out a compelling news site...cmon.

Jack, here's a hint. Turn off your speakers.

Good idea!