[NEohioPAL]Akron Beacon Journal Threatens Drastic Cuts to Arts Coverage

[Pantsios, Anastasia]

And since more people patronize the arts each year than sports, I assume =
they are also planning to cut out their sports section, right? Right????

> ----------
> From: 	neohiopal-admin at lists.fredsternfeld.com on behalf of Effie =
Tsengas
> Sent: 	Tuesday, August 29, 2006 9:58 AM
> To: 	neohiopal at lists.fredsternfeld.com
> Subject: 	[NEohioPAL]Akron Beacon Journal Threatens Drastic Cuts to =
Arts Coverage
>=20
> <<File: image001.jpg>>=20
>=20
> Dear Friends:
>=20
> It has just come to my attention that the Akron Beacon Journal is =
planning major reorganizations within their newsroom which will have =
sickeningly ill-effects on the coverage of all of Northeast Ohio's arts =
community.  Major cuts in ABJ's arts coverage are currently being =
seriously considered > ->  actually they are very close to be decided on =
> ->  and we need everyone's help in preventing what would be a =
disastrous blow to the future of  information flow for all artistic =
disciplines in Northeast Ohio.
>=20
> =20
>=20
> Kerry Clawson, our loyal and supportive theatre critic, is having her =
position threatened by possibly being reassigned to a new beat, one that =
might involve no art whatsoever.  After serving as theatre critic for =
six years, Kerry has built a strong following of readers who respect her =
theatre expertise and have come to depend on her to guide and inform =
them of Northeast Ohio's performing arts happenings.  Kerry has done a =
fine job in covering events in our communities.  She has enabled =
hundreds of thousands of people to become acquainted with venues and to =
be informed about events that perhaps our meager marketing budgets might =
not have allowed us to otherwise reach.=20
>=20
> =20
>=20
> In addition, ABJ editors are concurring that a new "No Reviews" policy =
be implemented for everything from musical performance, dance concerts, =
art openings and exhibits as well as theatre productions in the upcoming =
weeks.  The absurdity of a daily paper in a Metropolitan area to not =
provide reviews of events is difficult to process.  For an area so rich =
in the arts, how could the Akron Beacon Journal's Editors and higher ups =
even consider instilling such a policy > ->  especially since they =
themselves live within our communities?  Do they not realize that their =
decisions will take their paper and possibly our patronage two giant =
steps backwards instead of forwards?
>=20
> =20
>=20
> Please everyone, we need to inundate these people with letters asking =
- no, pleading - that they reconsider their destruction to their arts =
coverage. =20
>=20
> =20
>=20
> Send this letter to more people.  I've included contact information =
for the VERY PEOPLE who are making these decisions.  Send your letter to =
them AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  Time is of the essence.=20
>=20
> =20
>=20
> Thank you,
>=20
> Effie Tsengas
>=20
> =20
>=20
> For more information  on budget cuts at the ABJ, visit this story:
>=20
> http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/business/15339068.htm
>=20
> Please send correspondence to ALL of the following people at the Akron =
Beacon Journal in response to the following:
>=20
> 1)       MAJOR cuts in their coverage of arts and cultural events.=20
>=20
> 2)       The possible reassignment of theatre reviewer Kerry Clawson =
to an entirely new beat=20
>=20
> 3)       A new "no reviews" policy which would limit coverage of all =
arts events to preview articles only.=20
>=20
> Akron Beacon Journal
> 44 East Exchange Street
> P.O. Box 640
> Akron, OH 44309-0640
>=20
> Publisher, Edward Moss
> 330-996-3483
> emoss at thebeaconjournal.com
>=20
> Editor, Debra Adams Simmons
> 330-996-3501
> dasimmons at thebeaconjournal.com
>=20
> Managing Editor, Mizell Stewart
> 330-996-3507
> mstewart at thebeaconjournal.com
>=20
> Features Editor, Mitch McKenney
> (Coverage of features/entertainment)
> 330-996-3543
> mmckenney at thebeaconjournal.com
>=20
> =20
>=20
> =20
>=20
> Effie A. Tsengas
>=20
> PR/Marketing Director
>=20
> Porthouse Theatre & KSU School of Theatre & Dance
>=20
> 330-672-4102 Direct Line
>=20
> 330-672-3884 Porthouse Box Office
>=20
> 330-672-2889 Fax
>=20
> www.porthousetheatre.com
>=20
> =20
>=20
>=20