WACD and WATK are still advertising for a “Radio Account
Executive” in the Antigo Daily Journal’s help-wanted ad section.
In fact, that ad usually IS the help-wanted section. They’ve been
looking to fill this job for… how long? Seems like two or three years
now. I nominate whomever writes the police bulletin and local
feature stories for the ADJ for the job. Here’s a couple of examples
to put on the job application:
Oct 24, “Crews begin work on new KFC>…”
See http://www.antigodailyjournal.com/full.php?id=9448 to read this gem for yourself.
“Doug Smith, a Merrill businessman, has a crew setting the
footings to construct a new Kentucky Fried Chicken and Taco Bell
franchise at North Avenue and Neva Road, the site of a chicken
restaurant until the structure was raised earlier this year.”
While the correct expression would be “the structure was razed”,
even that fix would not save the breathless run-on construction of
this unfocused alleged sentence.
The story ends with a set of “and-spliced” sentences, of course.
That’s a requirement listed in the ADJ Style Manual, I believe.
Oct 26, “Deer ’shiners’ may be in trouble, had gun”
“Reports compiled by the Langlade County Sheriff’s Department
indicated that the pair had been shining for deer and when stopped
for questioning, a firearm was found in the vehicle.”
Another “and-splice”, compounded by a disjointed participial
phrase hooked to an ambiguous reference in passive voice, for our
confused readership. A firearm was stopped for questioning?
Maybe it’s wrong to criticize ADJ’s hilarious writing gaffes. It could
be that the ADJ is in fact a long-running satirical publication,
actually intended to be a humorous jab at small-town newspaper
shortcomings. At least, that could explain Fred’s space-devouring
“Bits and Pieces” thing, you know.
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This Antigo Daily Journal sounds like beginners of reporting. I have been all over the United States and this paper takes the award of poor reporting and publishing cut up stories and or stopped in the middle of writing. Also have notice there has been a lot repeats of your articles and Very Late reporting of items out of state and/or country.
The paper needs more interesting articles with better information. There are times too of events happening reported after it had happened. No wonder why our residents do not show up at certain events, because they not informed in a proper matter.
I rest my case.
ADJ’s announcements and notices typically offer the helpful news that the event will happen at something like “7:00pm this evening”…. This is not very useful for mail subscribers.
I noticed that over the last couple of days the long-long running “Radio Account Executive” ad has disappeared. Interestingly, so have any other “help wanted” ads. Antigo must be fully recovered from the recession, if no one needs to hire, anymore.
I completely agree. I read the ADJ for entertainment rather than for actual news items. The grammar and sentence construction is so poor! I think Mr. Berndt writes most of the “feature” articles, and the guy needs serious lessons in sentence structure, not to mention lessons on what synonyms and homonyms are!
When I worked for the ADJ a few years ago, the gal that did the proofreading, had worked there for 20+ years and was making $7 hour.
What they pays their employees is a dirty shame. As for be unbiased as a NEWSPAPER should….they about as unbiased as FOXNEWS…what a joke !
Apparently there is some strong validity to old saw that “You get what you pay for”. The copy editor must work for free, and police and local news writer probably pays Fred for the privilege of getting into print.
What really bugs me is that all the “Society” of Antigo are the ones who get mentioned all the time. The McKenna’s along with pictures are mentioned everytime they burp.”They are visiting family in China, they biked across Ireland, their father was a great ol’ family doctor & on & on & on”. And not just the McKenna’s. Pay attention to all of Fred’s friend who make the paper on a regular basis. There are 3 categories of people who get a lot of press from the ADJ. Rich people, his friends & rich friends.
I also can’t figure out the replication of all the obituaries. Some people die 3 times in the ADJ! Why would they put it in the paper more than once? Do they not have a proofreader? Is his staff afraid to speak up when they see a screw-up??
I would have to agree with that. You see it with traffic tickets too. You never see any of the “Society” names in that section. I have seen them getting tickets though.
Not sure if there is any truth to this or not, but I heard at one time (more than a few years ago) that you can pay Fred not to put your name in the paper if you get a ticket. Again, I am not accusing anyone of anything, just stating something that I had heard at one time.
Granted, the McKenna’s have donated alot of $ to our city. But did you know that the taxpayers are now footing the bill for the upkeep & daily maintenance of the McKenna Aquatic Center? Fact.
Instead of swimming centers & green houses & Listle Field & Elleson Courts & Sheldon Fieldhouse & Volm Theatre & Schofield Stadium,the new Walking Path, the new playground & shelter at 6th & Field, which are virtually ALL playgrounds, why not put a few bucks towards God’s creatures & build this community a new Animal Shelter that we desperately need?
It’s a matter of taking the side of the weak against the strong….something the best of people have always done.
-Harriet Beecher Stowe
I was on the walking path the other day. Why did they not put solar power lights? Now we will have to also pay an electric bill. Maybe it will be a small bill, but it is residual. We will have to pay it as long as the lights are there. Also, I was at the new park recently. Last time I was there, there were porta-pottys there. Now there is a “warming house”. It has two latrines, and the doors are locked. There are cameras to catch someone breaking in though. Now we have to take the kids to a gas station to just go home to use the restroom. What is that all about? As far as building a new animal shelter, I would love to see that. Unfortunately, the names in the previous post do not feel the same way. Or do they? Let’s see if anything happens now.
Antigo Needs a new Animal shelter.. I will agree with that.
Antigo Government has always made poor business decisions. How is the Wireless internet business working out? How did the dump work out? How does your water bill look? What about the condemned buildings around Peaceful Valley? It was my understanding the city condemned the buildings and then used Imminent domain to take them.. They are eyesores, dangerous, sit there too rot. Go behind BB Jacks and take a look at that mess.
what I am trying to say instead of taking the properties.. The owners of those buildings should have been offered some sort of no interest or low interest loan to fix up. That way the could be collecting property taxes on those buildings, and possibly more if they would be fixed up…. Take the buildings, collect NOTHING in Property taxes for years and years.. then leave the buildings in a business district on main street to rot… infested by rats, mice, and other rodents..
Wow! I can’t remember the last time I saw so much whining and finger pointing in one place.
I can agree that we need a new animal shelter, but as an Antigo resident, I think the aquatic center, ball fields, tennis courts, etc. are as or more important. I am an animal lover, but I think the residents of our community…children especially, deserve and need the things you are saying should come second to a new animal shelter.
You are entitled to your opinion, as I am to mine. My only advice to you is…if you are unhappy with the way things are done, get involved and try to advocate for some of the changes you want to see take place. If you are not willing to do that, then perhaps you should think twice before complaining. If you are taking the steps to bring about change you see as important kudos to you for your involvement.