The problem with reporters like Stephen Tait is that they're able to produce fair and compelling articles even when the principal subject of the piece--in this case Stephen Karp--won't talk to them.
Where's some good ole' media bias when you need it?
Seriously, Stephen did an excellent job on the first day's installments. I'm anxious to see tomorrow's paper.
A few quick thoughts on today's pieces.
If I were a retail shop owners downtown I certainly wouldn't enjoy reading "Karp's shadow looms over Nantucket." But I'm not. I'm a reporter who once wrote about our downtown so instead I felt a bit of nostalgia.
See, I could have written a nearly identical story a decade ago. The subject wouldn't have been Steve Karp but rather Chuck and Ann Lagasse who by that time had accumulated most of their downtown holdings.
It's funny. People tend to romanticize about the past a bit when a new perceived problem arises. With Karp in the picture, people long for the day when the buck stopped with Chuck and Ann.
But 10 or 12 years ago, business owners downtown complained off the record about the Lagasses' rising rents that forced out store owners downtown.
The also muttered about the Lagasses managing the downtown as if it were as shopping mall, asking business owners to open their books and share in their profits.
I don't remember if the complaints ranged to the Lagasses' dictating hours. (It would be interesting to hear if any property owners in the downtown do that.) But evening hours always were a sore spot downtown. I once received a hand written thank you from one notable downtown merchant because I'd noted in a column that the arrival of Starbucks meant one thing for the downtown--at least one business would be open past 5 p.m.
I'm not saying Karp's reported approach right or wrong nor am I suggesting the Chuck and Ann Lagasse did wrong by their tenants. I'm just noting the similarities. Now, it's quite possible that Karp will take this concept a lot further than Chuck and Ann supposedly did so Stephen's article is important.
Would such a structure be good for Newburyport? I don't know. If I were a business owner I certainly would want the ability to determine my own hours, but a little uniformity would be nice. But seven 10-hour days seems quite extreme. Seems like there's room for compromise.
As for Nantucket catering to the "superwealthy," this may be the Revere Boy in me talking but I never really saw the island as a blue collar vacationland. Again, Stephen did an excellent job telling the tales of those folks who feel left behind, and I can empathize.
But let's not pretend that Nantucket was Nantasket Beach. I guess I have a hard time telling the wealthy and the superwealthy apart.
I recognize that sounds a bit glib. But I just think there are larger societal forces at here than just Steve Karp. Our society is creating more wealthy people. Are they going to Nantucket because he caters to them? Or is he catering to them because they go to Nantucket?
Maybe a little bit of both.
2 comments:
Maybe I missed it, but did the paper state that they sent Mr. Tait to Nantucket? The paper paid his air/boat fare and lodging? I didn't think the NDN had that income to spend. Wouldn't it have been cheaper, and potentially more biased, by contracting with a local Nantucket freelancer?
According to John Macone's column they sent Stephen down.
I suspect he arrived by boat. I also doubt Stephen stayed in any of Mr. Karp's properties. I'm guessing Motel 6 left the light on for him.
I'm not sure I get the freelancer comment. First, I don't know if you're suggesting there was a bias. I thought it was a very fair piece.
Second, I wouldn't have left such an article to a freelancer.
It's too important a piece. Plus, good freelancers cost money so you probably wouldn't end up saving all that much. I also don't think it would have been fair to Stephen who's been covering the story for over a year.
I say the News got its money's worth.
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