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5.29.11 This is an Archival Site There is now a new Rogovoy Report home  5.18.11 Weekend Preview May 19-24 Bob Dylan tributes, Deborah Voigt, Tom Paxton, Bill Kirchen, John Kirk and Trish Miller 5.18.11 Celebrating Bob Dylan's 70th Birthday in Style Paying tribute to the greatest rock songwriter ever 5.17.11 FILM REVIEW: In a Better World and Of Gods and Men Review by Seth Rogovoy 5.17.11 'LIKE' The Rogovoy Report on Facebook Click 'LIKE' to Receive Facebook feeds from The Rogovoy Report 5.12.11 Deborah Voigt Headlines Mahaiwe Gala Opera star to sing arias, show tunes on Saturday, May 21 5.15.11 Famed Spiritual Teacher to Speak on Nonviolence Mother Maya in free talk at Sruti Yoga in Great Barrington, Mass., on Friday May 20 at 7pm 5.12.11 Special Effects Wizard to Be Honored by Film Festival Doug Trumbull to be Feted by BIFF 5.11.11 Weekend Preview May 12-16 Cultural Highlights of the Berkshire Weekend 6.4.09 Talk about a small world Elaine and I grew up together, but only just recently met.... 5.8.11 Berkshire Living to Cease Publication A Farewell from Publisher Michael Zivyak 5.8.11 twiGs Branches Out Lenox boutique launches new e-tail site 5.8.11 [MUSIC REVIEW] Avalon Quartet in Close Encounters at Mahaiwe Review by Seth Rogovoy 5.8.11 [MUSIC REVIEW] Avalon Quartet in Close Encounters at Mahaiwe Review by Seth Rogovoy 5.7.11 [FILM REVIEW] Bill Cunningham New York Review by Seth Rogovoy 5.7.11 [FILM REVIEW] Bill Cunningham New York Review by Seth Rogovoy
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6/1/05 We have no desire to get into a pissing match with a skunk. But given how few Berkshire media outlets are NOT owned by Dean Singleton, we find ourselves in the unenviable position of being the repository of criticism of the Berkshire Eagle and its various affiliates (The Transcript, The Williamstown Advocate, etc.). We think the Eagle is still a great small-town newspaper, but obviously there are some changes afoot at 75 South Church Street that are controversial and that, perhaps time will tell, are ultimately damaging to the paper itself. It's telling that the Eagle is pretty rapidly hemorrhaging some major talent, but on the other hand, new blood can always revitalize an institution. Then again, there is the serious threat of loss of institutional memory, especially at a paper like the Eagle, which for better or worse is the paper of record for the Berkshires. Being new to the position of editor myself, I know how one can quickly become a lightning rod for everyone's dissatisfactions or petty complaints, so Tim Farkas has my sincerest sympathies. His is not an easy task, as he was obviously brought in from the outside to shake things up at the Eagle. And in doing so he will inevitably alienate some longtime readers and staffers, as is apparent from this Email from a longtime, senior contributor to the paper (who cannot be named for obvious reasons): "Dean Singleton owns nearly every print outlet in the Berkshires now. You are independent. How about doing a tough, thoughtful story on how Singleton is destroying a Berkshire treasure, the Eagle? .... How about it? Farkas is getting away with murder and nobody is saying a damn thing in public." Those are tough words from someone who still writes for the Eagle, and from someone whom I believe -- I know -- has the best interests of the paper at heart. dlm 6/1/2005  I find it difficult to read the Eagle these days, and it diminishes the community. But the most egregious news I have heard (from the publisher of the Valley Advocate herself)regarding the media in the Berkshires was a "cease and desist" letter that was sent by the new publisher of the Advocate Weekly (Martin Langeveld), newly bought by the Berkshire Eagle's parent company, to the Valley Advocate out of Easthampton, a lively alternative weekly that can by no means be mistaken for the Advocate, despite the letter's claim. Unfortunately the Valley Advocate has decided to comply with the letter and withdraw all distribution in the Berkshires rather than risk a lawsuit from a big company. One less competitor. No word in the local media on this yet. Another loss here. 6/1/2005 | |||||
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