The content of the daily newspaper is becoming less important in local civic life but a recent guest column commits outright deception against readers.
Here's the offending headline:
Kansas City Star: Sprint/T-Mobile merger shows promise for the Kansas City region
The author, Tracey Osborne Oltjen, president and CEO of the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce, is paid to promote biz in her part of town so she really can't be faulted for her hopelessly naive support.
Here's the premise:
"The merger builds upon Sprint’s footprint in the region and promises positive impacts for economic growth, job creation and telecommunication leadership. As our region’s sixth-largest private sector employer, Sprint plays an integral role in supporting the community and its people. Beyond Sprint’s economic impact as an employer are its hallmarks of civic leadership and philanthropy. The company has made significant capital investment in projects such as the Sprint Center. Perhaps most importantly, you’ll find Sprint team members engaged throughout the region and the country, leading civic and philanthropic organizations to improve our quality of life.
"As it aspired to continued innovation and growth in the rapidly-changing world of wireless communication and connectivity, we’ve recognized that change could come for Sprint. This merger provides opportunities, as the new combined company promises positive impacts focusing both on people and investment . . . "
Reality . . .
THIS GARBAGE CONTENT IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT ENCOURAGES READERS TO BELIEVE CORPORATE HYPE WHICH SIMPLY DENIES REALITY!!!
Most of the media has been kowtowing to corporate rulers in this respect - It's not a "merger" it's an acquisition and jobs are DEFINITELY facing cuts.
A quick rundown . . .
Whatever Sprint has promised isn't worth the paper it's written on and mostly just an empty reassurance. THIS IS A JOB MASSACRE about to happen. Massive layoffs are on the way if/when the deal is approved.
It's clear why locals want to downplay the bloodletting. This is a huge metro employer about to disappear and the local impact will be devastating for families and biz throughout the region.
Does anybody really believe the leaders of two international telcoms are going to even take time out of their day to calm the nerves of some small town biz lady? The pressers touting these dubious claims are glorious but bland works of fiction that don't even have the fun of a blog post.
Still . . .
Corporations are bound to deceive the public in the name of profit. What's worse is that a local "news" organization would run this kind of propaganda unchecked and allow their readers to believe anything but reality - A job cutting nightmare at Sprint is coming up and no amount of "assurances" or hype will save workers from its impact.
Developing . . .
Never fear!
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be a-okay for all of the workers who can move to KC and buy one of those "affordable" 1800 a month apartments!
"Corporations are bound to deceive the public in the name of profit. What's worse is that a local "news" organization would run this kind of propaganda unchecked and allow their readers to believe anything but reality - A job cutting nightmare at Sprint is coming up and no amount of "assurances" or hype will save workers from its impact."
ReplyDeleteDead on the money. The KC Star's "muscle memory" at this point, after decades of spinning Progressive lies into solipsistic truth for those in the Socialist, confirmation bias silo, couldn't see objective reality, even if they had a desire to see objective reality. The only 'workout' that this publication is capable of now, is Progressive Push Ups. The atrophy affecting out local 'paper of record' is on display here.
The Star reports the 25 million tourists trash, the streetcar ridership nonsense, the "smart city" lies, the new hotel crap, the downtown renaissance fantasies, and pretty much anything else that some spinner wants to share with them in a press release.
ReplyDeleteSo this shouldn't be a surprise.
When you combine a rah rah agenda with an ever-shrinking staff of "reporters", most of who are fresh out of J-school, are from out-of-town, and have no real knowledge or background of what they're supposed to report about, the drivel and baloney each day from the Star is what passes for a local newspaper.
Sad to see and not at all what the public needs to try to stay informed.
I needed tech support from T-Mobile last week, and the gal said "We are the new Ks/Mo Tech Support Group--40 of us, all in our building in Springfield MO!!" they were efficient and cheerful, they all speak English...(well, with an Ozark twang)...and they're not moving to the Sprint campus.
ReplyDeleteFor sale: 3,700 McMansions in the Blue Valley School District. Like NOW before school starts Aug. 15. Cuttin' deals while we're cuttin' cords...your former Sprint team.
Ozark twang customer service. I'll take that over Indian non-native speakers. I'd take Cajuns from south Louisiana or New Jersey housewives or Gullahs from South Carolina low country over non-native speakers halfway across the world.
ReplyDeleteThe Sprint campus will make an ideal section 8 diversity housing project. Help keep the cops and merchandise control technicians awake in an other wise sleepy rich part of town.
ReplyDelete"A job cutting nightmare at Sprint"
ReplyDelete....brought to you, courtesy of the job cutting nightmare known as The Kansas City Star.
What I'm most curious about, is what will happen to my spring stock. Languishing around $5/share, TMUS is $57/. Is this converted at a 1:1 ratio? Serious question for anybody in that line. If so, time to buy in.
ReplyDeleteTry the math at a 15:1 ratio - T-Mobil has plenty of cash to wait for Sprint to drop into the $2-$3 range.
ReplyDeleteFace it, you backed a loser and didn't bail out in time.
Bet all the Ex-Sprint Executives scattered all over the Metro in other jobs got out without any losses.
The Star management and upper tier editors are all apart of the corporate class. While yes, they're mostly liberal, they're still corporate class members. They bow to corporation propaganda esp when it's local companies. They are completely uncritical about it. Why? Well, for starters, I'm sure KC Star management and Sprint management (and other corporate leaders) live in the same neighborhoods, kids go to same schools, attend same fundraisers, events, etc. They don't have the courage to question, put pressure on Sprint talking points. It's embarrassing and it only hurts the regular KC populace.
ReplyDeleteHaving been involved in a ton of telecommunications acquisitions i can tell you sprint campus will become a ghost town in 3-5 years. Just look at Atlanta since AT&T bought Bell South. Synergies are obtained by reducing head count.
ReplyDeleteGolly wow Tony maybe you should write a guest column and actually back it up with some facts and not a bunch of cliches strung together.
ReplyDeleteWhen Slie hears this he will be pushing Jackson County to move the jail to the Sprint campus. Thus KCMO blight moved out to the fringes of downtown.
ReplyDeleteGlad I got out of there in April. I havent missed it, not once.
ReplyDeleteSure Tracy, another mindless rant from the Queen of Shawnee who has no clue what she is talking about. Stop down talking those who live in a better house than you only because they made something of themselves while you didn't. Sorry your city gig means nothing, any fool could get elected to office in that loser of a city. You and Walt did something? Wow bet that wouldn't even get you a free coffee at 7/11. Sprint could shut down tomorrow and housing in Kansas City wouldn't notice it at all. Sell your empty-minded rants on your own blog (which nobody reads) and leave the rest of us alone.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Seattle, lived there for 44 years. Been in KC for over 10. KC is a much more liviabile city. Better traffic, weather and access to the rest of the country. Verizon is figure that out sooner or later, there real is no comparisons for quality of life.
ReplyDelete@9:11, man, if you think bailing on two shares of Sprint is in anyway important or life changing, you gotta get a new job. One free share, one paid share, about $5.26 invested really isn't that crazy. Much less than I spent in bars back in the day. While I don't disagree with your overall take of Exec's getting out ahead, your attempt at trolling didn't have a hook.
ReplyDelete12:07. I agree to a point. I'm originally from here, then lived away for 23 years, in Chicago, Los Angeles and Dallas, moved back 6 years ago, and there's no doubt Kansas City has a good reputation for quality of life; great (and easy!) place to raise a family. Very affordable housing, etc. But I also know a lot of people, esp those from the coasts who the second the kids are grown, or they have a chance to leave KC, hop to it. They like it on one level but confide that it can't match LA, Seattle, San Fran, NY, etc., in arts, culture, everyday qualities.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow. We'll see what happens.