Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Media Czech: July-Column on Self-Censorship Censored by Nougat Magazine?

(Repost--so much for our local "alternative" magazine--from Media Czech. Addition to this post: Media Czech would like to make clear that he is "NOT talking about Jennie [the editor], who has been quite awesome througout this whole thing and has apparently left over this." The person instituting the changes to Nougat and acting as a militant censor is Miki, the ad salesperson for the publication.)

And if you care to indulge me, let me get something off of my chest about that column and Nougat Magazine (Lexington's supposed "indy-alt-arts magazine", if you don't know that)

As of the time of my writing this tonight, there is a good chance that my editor is going to censor my entire column because of its content. Yes, that would be self-censorship of a column about self-censorship.

Let me go back a bit to explain the context.

About a week and a half ago, I pitched an idea to one of my editors about writing a review about my little visit to the Crazy-Ass Creation Museum.

My editor wrote me back saying that Nougat will no longer make any reference to "controversial" subjects, so they could not do any story on the museum. In fact, she specifically said that Nougat will now refuse to run any article that talks about "religion, gays or abortion".

I replied, "so you're an alternative independent magazine, yet you refuse to even mention women's reproductive freedom, attacks on science and human reason, and the denial of civil rights for an entire class of citizens? ........ Interesting."

She responded by saying that they've tried that "edgy" stuff before, but they're now going to cover safe topics so they can get more advertising dollars. Additionally, she said that since they're starting to mail to one Lexington zip code, they could be sued by someone for "corrupting their children".

I shit you not. wtf???

An additional inside source told me that advertisers will now pay to have fluff pieces written about them in the magazine. So they are basically seeking to become an advertising flyer.

Anyway, at this time I was finishing up my Media Czech column about the 100% false myth that gets repeated over and over again as fact in the media without challenge-- that Saddam wouldn't let weapons inspectors in and that's why we had to invade.

So I scrapped that column. I decided to write the one on self-censorship in the media instead (linked earlier). I considered it a subtle but firm FUCK YOU to my editor.

Anyway, the latest word is that the editor with the most clout is going to refuse to run it, which is just wonderful irony, don't you think? One person within there is going to fight for it, but we'll see how it works out very very soon.

Regardless of how this turns out, how fucking pathetic is it that Lexington has no alt-indy magzine worth a shit anymore? (Shit, we can't count Ace, can we?) And how are we going to fucking fix this problem in Lexington? And keep the Main/Limestone/Vine/Upper block from getting leveled so they can build a fucking hotel??

If you're interested, let's brainstorm, eh?

-MC

The column can be read here:

Media Czech: The (Sort of) Free Press

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Your stuff just keeps on getting stronger. Some of us are listening. Please keep it up. One little sign of hope. Much appreciated.

Anonymous said...

The "editor" you refer to is Nougat's ad designer who has usurped the role of editor from the real editor who has about 10-12 years of experience in the newspaper business.

Anonymous said...

NO alternative pub?? Good grief. You'd have to be slogging through this life under blinders to make such a statement. If the publications coming out of Smiley Pete Publishing --Business Lexington and W, in particular-- are not alternatives to the mainstream in this town, then what IS?
Maybe start helping them reach that coveted "edge," instead of railing blindly and offering no solutions?

Anonymous said...

Well, it IS a crazy-assed creationism museum, isn't it?

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah..one more observation. The contents of Nougat are the least of parental concerns in the '02 or any other zip code in Lex. Those poor little vulnerable angels the Nougat word-cop is "protecting" are inside those homes surfing the net!

Michael said...

To the anonymous Lexingtonian, I would hardly call Smiley Pete Publishing an alternative publication... it may be independent in a sense, but it publishes Business Lexington and the Chevy Chaser (the publication of the wealthy, privileged neighborhood that Nougat is courting)... come on--alternative, pleeeassssseee, lets get a grip here ...

I do like W and read it, because of the music news...