A day in the life of a #BadMedia organization

At times of late, the Houston Chronicle has surprised us with a surprise story or two (the HPD non-investigation stories, which (strangely) the Chron has all but hidden on their website, was an example of this). Then there is the rest of the time, when the Chron reminds us that they are the undisputed leader in the #BadMedia Sweepstakes.

For Example:

Their slideshows - This slideshow focuses on the "best" and "worst" World Cup uniforms as seemingly decided by an unpaid intern who knows very little about the WC or fashion.  For example, England's home and away kits are deemed the "worst" due to them being simple, as England's kits have always been since the beginning of time.  In the same slide-show however the author praises the Netherlands and Ivory Coast who are wearing kits that look exactly the same, except in their traditional colors and with different patches. 

Also, if you think the US Men's National Team home kits, the ones that look like the US bought them off the French second hand, look good then there's not much I can do for you.

Their quizzes - I can almost see this one being formed in an editorial meeting.  Hey! Houston is diverse! So let's give a 20-something-year-old unpaid intern the task of coming up with a quiz that tells people in Houston where they should live!  Of course, the kid is clearly Caucasian, the questions being filled with stuff white people like (Your favorite band choices are classical, the Black Keys, Iggy Azalea and Jimmy Buffett!) and the answer choices are so limited (your favorite type of blue jean? [J.Crew, slim cut, cuffed skinnies, custom tailored and distressed]) as to exclude any neighborhood where someone say, north of 25 would want to live. What if you prefer Mariachi music? (The new urbanist nitwits that the Chron-kiddies share drinks with are busy trying to drive poor and minority families out of Houston so there's that) How about loose fit jeans from Levis?  What if you don't drive a Vespa, a "sleek new Audi", walk or ride the danger train even?  Is there no place in Houston that you can live?

Sadly, we'll just never know.

Finally, their front page.

I mean, c'mon folks.  This from a publication with a staff blogger who recently chastised Maureen Dowd's editors (giggle) Clearly the Chron is in no position to crack on ANYONE for their editing.

Take a gander at today's headline: Ethics panels details Stockman Allegations.  I'm willing to bet they think that Newspapers reports on this as well?  Or that peoples is interested?

My subscription (Wed-Sunday useful if only for the coupons) is coming up soon and I'm starting to wonder if it's even worth renewing.  My thought is I can contribute more to the local economy by giving $1.75 to the homeless out peddling Sunday's paper in medians at all of the intersections.  Maybe then I'll be helping to eradicate that income gap Mrs. White and her 1% cohorts are always going on about.