Michigan Paper Draws Ire, Gets Put on the Block

By: Mark Fitzgerald First, a longtime critic of the Traverse City (Mich.) Record-Eagle tapped old political friends on the board of Dow Jones & Co. to complain to Chairman Peter R. Kann. The former Grand Traverse County executive, K. Ross Childs, gave Kann a 385-page report on the Record-Eagle's alleged journalistic shortcomings, and a petition signed by some 850 locals demanding changes at the paper. A few days later, the Dow Jones board announced that the Record-Eagle was one of six Ottaway papers being put up for sale.

The criticism of the Record-Eagle in turn sparked a pro-newspaper petition drive by an eclectic group that included environmentalists and a former mayor. They gathered 1,300 signatures that were sent off to Ottaway's headquarters. Readers have flooded the paper with letters and Op-Eds. Editor Bill Thomas says, "In my view, this is clearly improper use ? and improper political use ? of a corporate board to muzzle a newspaper."

One thing everyone agrees upon is that the Record- Eagle has changed dramatically in recent years. What had been known as a go-along, get-along newspaper began to devote itself to investigative reporting ? and found plenty of local targets. There was the $8 million sewage processing building that fell down 30 days after its ribbon-cutting, and alleged improprieties at a community college where Childs is a trustee ? in fact, often as not, proteg?s of Childs turned up at the center of the stories.

But Childs says the Record-Eagle investigations are often inaccurate or simply piling on: "'Vindictive' is the word that I would use." Top executives are turning down recruiting efforts by Traverse City businesses for fear of the paper's unfairness, Childs charges. While he says he's not looking to get anyone fired, Childs denounces the editor's "arrogance" and "bias." A Dow Jones spokesman says it's not appropriate to respond to Childs' complaints, since the paper is up for sale.

Thomas says four possible owners have already come around to kick the tires. Meanwhile, he adds, the aggressive reporting continues full-steam: "We have not stopped one iota in terms of our coverage in this area, and we're not going to stop."