OUR MISSION
Robust, honest and frank media criticism is essential in a thriving democracy. Journal Watch is a forum designed to critically examine the journalistic practices of the Albuquerque Journal, New Mexico’s largest daily newspaper. The forum welcomes feedback, comment and opinions specifically related to a critical examination of the Albuquerque Journal’s separation of news reporting and editorial (opinion) content. Journal Watch is a project of the Center for Civic Policy and is hosted by ClearlyNewMexico.com.
Arthur Alpert reported for newspapers including the N.Y. World-Telegram & Sun before entering TV news. Arthur first produced, wrote and assigned stories for local stations. Later, he produced and wrote documentaries and special events coverage at ABC-TV News. Arthur has written for magazines like the New Republic and Washington Monthly and taught journalism at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In New Mexico, he was news director at KGGM-TV/13 (1979-81), edited Prime Time monthly (1991-2001) and wrote columns for the Albuquerque Tribune.
Tracy Dingmann is a former reporter who spent 20 years writing for daily newspapers, including 18 years covering government, education, arts and culture at the Albuquerque Journal. Tracy is currently the New Media Director for the Center for Civic Policy and a correspondent for the public affairs program “In Focus” on KNME-TV in Albuquerque.
Denise Tessier’s byline appeared in the Albuquerque Journal continuously for three decades, from 1974 to 2005, as both a staff member (20 years) and freelancer. While on staff, she was a daily news reporter, photographer, columnist, editor, editorial writer and editorial page editor for two of the Journal’s zoned editions. She has also been a contributor and correspondent for regional and national publications, including The New York Times. In April of 2008, she was among the original group of journalists who helped launch the online New Mexico Independent.
Thank you Tracy, Arthur, and Denise. I have only recently discovered your blog, and now read it every day. You are a relief to the daily aggravation I experience reading that horrible, biased, misogynistic newspaper.
Perhaps I missed it, but I wonder why the Journal has not called attention to the bills nearing final approval in the Arizona legislature that would allow local law officers to seek out and detain undocumented immigrants. As I understand it, the bills (two slightly different, but equally disturbing versions have passed the House and Senate, respectively). At least one of the bills also would ban solicitation of day labor. We have our flaws in New Mexico, but at least we can say we are not Arizona. I can think of no reason why the Journal deliberately would suppress this story. I’m just curious. And, as I say, I might have missed it. The bills were given impetus by the recent murder of a rancher along the Arizona-Mexico-New Mexico border, a story the Journal has covered in some detail.
Thanks John…I have not seen any word of this in the Journal…and I agree that they probably should have at least mentioned it. We linked to this story on Clearly’s Facebook site earlier this week: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/apr/14/arizona-tough-immigration-laws.
Tracy