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FORMER MUSIC CRITIC ASSESSES PD TREATMENT OF ROSENBERGSubmitted by Roldo on Wed, 12/17/2008 - 12:37.
Below is a message that has been sent to Steve Esrati, a former Plain Dealer copy editor. Esrati distributes comments, gripes and memories of former Plain Dealer editorial people to others. The following is an honest appraisal, in my opinion, of the demotion of Rosenberg from his position of music critic at the PD, with the help of PD editor Susan Goldberg and the management of the Cleveland orchestra. The writer, Bob Finn, is retired and the highly respected former music critic of the Plain Dealer. What he says about the culture of the PD living up to its reputation of silencing its own reporters under the pressure of Cleveland’s cultural and corporate elite hits the mark. It’s happened so often that it has become ingrained and even when editors are brought from afar, as in Goldberg’s case, they catch the fever. Or, as I suspect, newspaper in all cities bow down to the civic and business elite. Only here, the bow goes lower. Here are Finn’s remarks: Steve: With all due respect to Bob Daniels and Professor Friedman (whose It is almost a moral issue. Both the PD and the Cleveland Orchestra Don Rosenberg was simply doing his job. Whether you or I agree with What self-respecting critic (of music or anything else in the arts) Arts criticism is of course a highly subjective thing. Two trained Maybe there should be a clause in the Guild contract guaranteeing Robert Finn
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What did Rosenberg really expect...?
Shalom Roldo,
I see this as a manifestation of the one-newspaper town. The PD doesn't pay for several critics to cover the orchestra and Clevelanders don't have access to alternative reviews from other sources.
Reporters have always enjoyed free expression as long as it didn't put a dent in profits.
What happened to Rosenberg is a reality in a media world where sales trump editorial every time.
B'shalom,
Jeff Hess
http://www.havecoffeewillwrite.com
what happens in a world where we censor critics?
I wasn't always happy with what Wilma Salisbury had to say in print about my efforts in the art world, but boy was I curious when she retired (took the buyout deal) as to what dance criticism would look like at the PD. Dance has been a shrinking canary in Cleveland's coal mine for years (all of them as far as I know), but music remains a strong suit in our region. There is adequate other good music for Rosenberg to review, but it is ludicrous for a seemingly political manuever like this to be foisted upon a well respected critic. It seems so obviously the MAA trying to force the handout of free cheerleading space in column inches that it smacks of the very cronyism that infects Cleveland in even more serious ways.
I applaud Rosenberg for engaging in the lawsuit for Cleveland and for critics worldwide. He has shone a light on Cleveland, exposing an aspect of what may be one of the reasons Cleveland continues to fail. Locals may grouse and disagree about the orchestra, its conductor and its critic, but now they are doing so in front of a broader audience. Hell, even oboists are weighing in.
That the PD did not expect this sort of response seems a reflection on possibly the provincial and insular nature of our "one newhousepaper".
Has anyone else asked themselves, "who else is being subtly censored at the PD?"
No answers
For me, the newspaper has become all questions and no answers. It has no vested interest in making Cleveland and "greater" Cleveland--one community--which ultimately predicts the paper's own demise.