Barbara Giasone Delivers Gut-Punch to Obesity, But Misses The Bigger Picture
Orange County Register reporter Barbara Giasone finally sunk her teeth into a red meat issue with her surprising interviews of high school kids that appeared in the April 30 issue of the Fullerton News tribune. Surprising you ask? How so? Because it might actually smack of criticism of Fullerton City Council and its staff who are promoting a six million dollar pay out to the largest fast-food corporation in the history of mankind in order to move a McDonalds 200 feet closer to a bottomless supply of junk food junkies – high school students at Fullerton High School.
We find it interesting that Barbara followed up on her usual fluff piece of April 23 with her theme of the 30th: she got the idea from us! Although we got no credit from Babs, a professional courtesy we can forgo since neither of us are professionals, we are encouraged that she is reading our blog and is willing to follow our lead. Heretofore she has been regurgitating City hall press releases; if she is willing to use FFFF as a source of her journalistic inspiration we can only envisage good things for Fullerton.
Our only suggestion to Barbara at this point is to get the rest of the story: the subsidy to a vast corporation; the crappy McSpanish architecture; the use of the “save the Fox” movement by city staff to leverage a titanic McBoondoggle.
Barbara: how did the Fox preservation project morph into the endomorphic mess it has become?
Does she get paid to write for the Register or does she just do it for the perks?
Give Barabara the credit she deserves. This is a real news story with many different angles.
Instead of harpooning her, work with her on this and future stories. For many, it still isn’t news unless it’s in print and in the paper–the paper edition, that is.
Well, I think you’re taking way too much credit. The original idea was in the LA Times. The photo they ran on page one (of the MacDonald’s by FUHS) was there, then later picked up by this blog.
In addition, the OCRegister has editorial meetings where they decide what stories are going to be worked on. Then they have more meetings to decide what’s timely and is going to be published. They might have had this in the works shortly after (or even during) the LA Times story broke.
I think instead of lampooning her constantly, you might draw back and figure out if there are ways you can work with her. You want your voice out there –then use all avenues available. Blog, email, phone, existing newspapers. It’s all out there. It’ll just take some finesse.
K-bird, I’m not taking any credit. Admin wrote the original post and linked to the Times story. Admin then put the obesity into the context of the McDonald’s move – an original idea. Giasone just picked up on that. I agree that Barbara is subject to editorial emascualtion by her editor at the Fullerton News Tribuune. But c’mon. over ten years and not a single piece of real investigative journalism? I gave up on her a long, long time ago. If she wants to prove her journalistic mettle, then good for her. I’m not holding my breath. A lot of damage has been done to Fullerton over the yearswhile she sat there in the front row taking notes.
BTW, we do not lampoon her constantly. We’ve done one other post so far as I can remember.
Norby: see first comment, above. You work with her. And good luck getting quoted correctly.
I’d like to point out that this site isn’t the only place where people complain about Giasone’s reporting.
If you pop open her latest story on the OC Register at http://www.ocregister.com/articles/fares-bae-police-2391017-crimes-freeway
… you’ll see at least three comments complaining about her missing critical details in a very basic report.
It’s easy to compain about reporters. The Right blasts the Liberal Media, the Left blasts the Corporate Media.
But they’re a dying breed in a fading industry, and need our help, not our disdain.
A dying breed in fading industry?
Too funny, Norby. Does Barbara Giasone remind you of an old time crusading reporter – doing things like digging up stories and getting at the truth? Me, neither.
Doesn’t the free market dictate that we let fading industries fade? They’re fading because they can’t compete. And with the Barbara Giasone types on the beat it’s no wonder they’re fading. Now I know you’re not the real Norby. He would never cough up anything so irrational or mawkish.
It’s easy to complain about reporters when they just rehash city hall press releases. Politics isn’t the issue. Competency and diligence are.
BTW, what kind of “help” did you have in mind for the fading industry? Hopefully not a Redevelopment subsidy for the News Tribune.
At least I print my REAL name!
Instead of picking on reporters, why not find allies where you can?
There’s an old Elk toast–“Their faults we write in sand, their virtues we chisel in the highest peaks”
Yes, the market does dictate fading industries. So be it. Drive-ins faded, too, but I can still mourn for them.
Mawkish? What a wordsmith!
Norby you’re entitled to the fond recollections of your youth – like drive-ins and the print media. I think Harpoon’s point is that Giasone isn’t a reporter – she even missed the real story here by addressing obesity – a fairly personal choice if ever there was one, thus tking a “real” news story as you put it, and trivializing it into some of her typical human interest fluff.
I also agree that she has done nothing to address any real issues that have done harm to Fullerton.
And speaking of the Elks, how come they demolished that way-cool building of theirs and replaced it with that stucco box “chiseled in the highest peak” above Brea Blvd?
Jack, you are essentially correct. Barbara Giasone has done so much harm to Fullerton through her sins of omission that it’s very difficult to look the other way when she does it again.
Who wants a completely undependable ally? Or dependable for being subservient, lazy, obsequious, doing the wrong thing, etc. Not me.
Anyway nobody has ever called me a wordsmith before so I should be gratified about that little pleasantry.
BTW, “Norby” I’m glad to see that you have gone from wanting to help The News Tribune to mourning its passing.
When it finally does go I’ll be sure to send flowers.
“Were it left for me to have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate to prefer the latter”
–Jefferson
PS.: Hey, everybody has past failings. But if the Cubs were ever to win the pennant, their fans would forgive decades of mediocrity. Barbara may not be a Cub reporter, but she’s on to a story that has legs–let’s encourage her!
PPS: My sources on the FUHSD Board say their Supe wrote a letter opposing the McDonald’s move, because of traffic concerns on Pomna Ave., among other things.
Great quote.
By the way, Norby. You’re talking to Harpoon, the kid who ran with scissors in the second grade. Still does, only now he drives a car with Pepe LePew riding shotgun.
Cheers!
Yes I run with scissors. I try to make sure they’re pointed in the right direction.
Pepe is riding shotgun, alright, and the back seat is full of other happy Warner Bros. characters…
Jefferson probably wasn’t thinking of Barbara Giasone when he made the comment.
Norby, “My sources on the FUHSD Board say their Supe wrote a letter opposing the McDonald’s move, because of traffic concerns on Pomona Ave., among other things”
I checked the city’s staff report and the George Giokaris letter is not in the Staff report and it should be! Maybe Rob Ferrier can help or does he just read?
http://cityoffullerton.com/weblink7/PDF/xs2grvqsadovmhi23sthxaqn/9/11%20Prop.%20Conveyance%20%26%20Relocation%20Agrmt.%20with%20McDonalds%20%26%20Scott%20Frisbie%20for%20Prop.%20at%20119%20E.%20Chapman.pdf
Admin, a staff report wouldn’t include a letter if it came in after the deadline; but in either case the letter should have been included as an attachment. Was it?
admin, I think this link should work:
http://cityoffullerton.com/weblink7/DocView.aspx?id=309863&dbid=1
I spoke with ex-FUHSD Supt’d Escalante today.
He confirmed that “about 8 years ago” he told then-City Mgr. Jim Armstrong of the District’s strong objection to a McDonald’s at that corner.
There were/are traffic concerns about drive-thru access onto Pomona Ave, very narrow, busy and impacted by on-street parking.
Armstrong told him the plan was a city issue, not the school’s concern.
Unfortunately, District concerns were not communicated up to the council then or now. Too bad. With a shaky 3-2 majority, FUHSD opposition could have stopped this–and saved all of us $5 million. Not to mention the home destroyed by the deal.
Maybe if Board Members like Dutton or Singer (both echoed these concerns today) speak up, either Quirk or Keller (both FHS alums) would still change their vote.
Thanks Travis!
That would mean someone would have to admit they made a mistake, I hope that for the sake of Fullerton’s future that our elected are good enough to admit error, Pam/Sharon? We all make mistakes, so don’t feel bad, come clean, it will make you a better person!