Shameless cheerleading / propaganda without disclosing conflicts of interest, by Greensboro’s News & Record Editorial Board?

Should an Editorial Board with a News Editor

who profited from a taxpayer funded Coliseum real estate deal,

and with a publisher who serves on committees

whose objective is to promote taxpayer indebtedness through public works projects

while enjoying "trade/barter" agreements with the Coliseum,

advocate for Matt Brown's priorities

while riddled with unmentioned conflicts of interest?

“The show will go on

…the City Council allowed a stalled amphitheater project on the coliseum grounds to move forward and approved a new VIP lounge, both paid for almost entirely with private money.

Who’s going to pay to clean it?

Who’s going to pay the heating and air bills?

Who’s going to pay to repaint it?

Who's going to pay if it creates operating losses?

…even after [Matt Brown] made a good case for the amphitheater as a low-cost, low-maintenance revenue source paid for mostly with private funds, the council still had said no before reconsidering Tuesday night.

Who’s going to pay when something breaks?

…Brown prefers moving quickly to stay competitive in the cutthroat arena business.

...is there something wrong with swapping advertizing,
editorial support and an overemphasis on journalistic publicity,
like what many considered to be a propaganda campaign
before Tuesday’s coordinated Perkins/Brown spectacle,
and the inevitably forthcoming positively spun rectum kiss
by the Greensboro News & Record’s editorial board
without disclosing the specifics of the tickets for advertizing agreements?

George Hartzman
Wednesday, July 21, 2010

A separate governing board for the coliseum — a coliseum authority such as the one in Charlotte — would help. The Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority has its own revenue stream from a prepared-foods and beverages tax.

Did the Greensboro News and Record Editorial Board just float a Coliseum power grab

funded by more taxes?

.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

…the council should accept the reality that…the coliseum…will require periodic investments and expansions to stay competitive.

So the top brass at the News & Record

can enjoy more "bartered" entertainment at taxpayer expense without telling anybody?

The council also should at least acknowledge Brown’s creativity and resourcefulness.

The Greensboro Coliseum Complex has the following advertising trade agreements

in place for the 2010-11 Fiscal Year:

$90,000 with News & Record in exchange for Club Seats,

[and] Triad Best of Broadway season tickets...

City of Greensboro response to a Triad Watch information request

Both the VIP lounge and the amphitheater will be built primarily without tax money.

Could “grants” from privately held vendors to a publicly owned entertainment venue

be considered by some to be a backdoor bribe,

locking in future profit at the expense of local non-taxpayer supported businesses?

…Meanwhile, ongoing construction at the coliseum also includes the new Aquatics Center and the ACC Hall of Champions (Brown’s brainchild), attractions that not only should enhance the coliseum but add new vitality to the struggling High Point Road area.

City to buy Canada Dry

The Canada Dry property is owned by Susan Robinson,

the wife of News & Record Editor John Robinson, and her brothers...

Amanda Lehmert

Greensboro News & Record, September 19, 2008

Even council members who may personally dislike Brown shouldn’t let it affect their responsible stewardship of the facility.”

The Greensboro News and Record Editorial Board
Friday, July 23, 2010

If the Greensboro News & Record's Publisher, Robin Saul, serves on the taxpayer funded

Downtown Area Consolidated Plan Committee Advisory Team,

and the Greensboro Partnership Board...?

"The [Downtown Area Consolidated Plan Committees]
will also serve to lead advocacy efforts to implement projects…

The [Downtown Area Consolidated Plan Committees] Advisory Team
will be…charged with communicating and engaging residents
from throughout the entire community about the planning effort. "

Downtown Area Consolidated Plan Committees

Should Greensboro News and Record employees

who can influence “unbiased” news reporting

serve on committees that advocate for increased taxpayer indebtedness

with registered lobbyists?

"The Greensboro Partnership works closely with business leaders
...to create a legislative agenda focused on key policy issues
directly affecting Greensboro, Guilford County and the Triad.

The Governmental Affairs department
advocates for these initiatives through direct staff lobbying
and by engaging every member of the Greensboro Partnership
and its affiliates as advocates.

Should the news industry be involved in lobbying?

Governmental Affairs staff members
are registered lobbyists with the State in compliance with Ethics law."

The Greensboro Partnership Legislative Agenda

Don't Steal From My Kids.

George Hartzman