Inside Opinion

If you have questions about how the Daily News makes editorial decisions, this blog has the answers. Editorial page editor Matt Zencey and writers Frank Gerjevic and Rosemary Shinohara will discuss what they're working on, answer questions and ask your perspective on issues facing Alaska.


Contributors

Matt Zencey

Matt Zencey joined the Daily News as an editorial writer in 1985 and was named editorial page editor in May 2007. He has won several. "Best editorial writing" awards from the Alaska Press Club and was a Nieman Fellow in Journalism at Harvard University. He lives on the west side of Anchorage, where he enjoys the best weather in town and easy access to the Coastal Trail. E-mail Matt at mzencey@adn.com

Frank Gerjevic

Frank Gerjevic has worked at the Daily News since 1978, where he's been sports editor, copy editor, reporter and columnist. He's been an editorial writer since 1998. He began his newspaper career with the Anchorage Times in 1975. E-mail Frank at fgerjevic@adn.com

Rosemary Shinohara

Rosemary Shinohara is an editorial writer who has lived most of her life in Alaska. She has spent most of her career as a reporter or editor at the Daily News. She covered construction of the Alaska oil pipeline, the Legislature, schools and urban affairs. She has also been an editor for NPR's All Things Considered, and has written for the Associated Press. E-mail Rosemary at rshinohara.com

Archive

A fond farewell to Howard Weaver - 12/4/2008 12:18 pm

Reaction to "Palin's Georgia pal" - 12/3/2008 6:09 pm

Alaska Notebook: Palin's Georgia pal - 11/28/2008 4:38 pm

How to produce oil from ANWR and preserve it too - 11/21/2008 11:35 am

Conservative pundits RE: Palin - 11/18/2008 3:52 pm

Whoops, that column was Bill Kristol, not Nick Kristoff - 11/18/2008 9:03 am

Interesting theory" Why McCain picked Palin - 11/17/2008 7:57 am

Where's Pete Dunlap-Shohl now? - 11/14/2008 5:00 pm

Bugged about the bailout? - 11/13/2008 9:59 am

More from Lower 48'ers about Palin - 11/12/2008 4:05 pm

Monegan's lawyer re: Petumenos Troopergate report - 11/11/2008 2:52 pm

Worth reading - 11/11/2008 1:38 pm

More on Elijah - 11/10/2008 2:03 pm

Reaction to Elijah's story - 11/6/2008 3:49 pm

Ask Joe Contraire...about TASERGATE! - 11/4/2008 3:29 pm

No, we didn't endorse Don Young, too - 11/3/2008 2:53 pm

Another zinger of a letter - 11/3/2008 12:27 pm

Hilarious comment on ADN endorsements - 11/3/2008 9:31 am

Ask Joe Contraire (He's baaaack!) - 10/31/2008 5:33 pm

Funny letter re Obama - 10/31/2008 1:03 pm

Thanks for talking sense - 10/30/2008 4:15 pm

Talk sense to Frank! - 10/24/2008 9:25 am

full archive »

Op-eds from political candidates

Posted by Matt Zencey, editorial page editor

Posted: June 17, 2008 - 1:31 pm

Since we're into campaign season now, guest commentaries from candidates and Alaska officeholders who are running for re-election are very unlikely to run, unless the piece is, in and of itself, newsworthy. (Examples might be IF Don Young called for the impeachment of Bush. If Ethan Berkowitz said he'll vote for McCain. IF Gabrielle LeDoux dropped out and threw her support to Diane Benson.)

Instead, if a candidate submits a commentary on an issue, we'll look at it and may include portions of it in a round up of comment from other candidates in the same race on the same issue.

If a candidate is complaining about mistreatment by ADN coverage or commentary, we will make appropriate space available.

Here’s the main reason for this approach: Absent some especially compelling reason to run the particular piece, fairness would generally require offering comparable space to the rest of the candidates in the race. Running that many self-promoting compasses from politicians is generally is more political rhetoric than our readers are interested in reading.

Let us know if you disagree and are dying to see a slew of “Ain’t I great” commentaries from this season’s political candidates.

Matt Zencey


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  2     July 17, 2008 - 8:38am | meeranch

treatment of Ted Stevens

Admit I'm behind the curve on knowing how to 'blog' but I've been a perpetual writer of letters to editor. I can't even get an acknowledgement from ADN when I submit my pro-Stevens letters. I've submitted two on two different subjects since end of April. Although I retired after working over 35 years for the man, I can't see why that's reason not to print or even acknowledge my views.
And it's not just the ADN, when Channel Two bid farewell to John Tracy, and ended it's program with Julie Hasquet standing in front of a Begich for Senate Sign, what more can we expect. Sad state of affairs
Barb Andrews-Mee 360-6655

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  1     June 17, 2008 - 6:04pm | akgen

It has got to be tough to wade through all those "ain't I great"

op-eds... however I've a tendancy to read them because it is a view into a candidate and how they project themselves.

Self-grandeur or listing of experience fit for the job...

I have to admit, it might get sickening, but it is a window to view into.

I disagree, I wanna see the attempts at "ain't I great". Notably some will better at it than others.
Thanks for asking.

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  June 19, 2008 - 11:08am | editorial_views

would you read them on line?

We're exploring ways that we might be able to post on our website all those "ain't I great" submissions from pols and candidates. Readers, if we don't kill trees to deliver them in hard copy on your doorstep, would you check out commentaries like that on line?
-- Matt Zencey, editorial page editor

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  June 20, 2008 - 10:11am | akgen

yes

and make it an event or opportunty to participate via on line. Call it just that "ain't I great" candidate blog. And dare I say it, but make it controlled.

Give the candidates an opportunty to write their "ain't I great" blog thread and provide for a specific amount of time to respond to questions.

Open it up on line. The usual monitoring for violations of the TOU need to happen, but it can't be any more of a burden than the monitoring already done.

Open it up for a specific amount of time and see what flies across the keyboards.

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