Ted Kennedy: Not dead yet

By adamg on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 8:28am

With just a handful of online comments on the Chappaquiddick article, the Outraged Liberal wonders: Is anyone reading the Globe series on Ted Kennedy?

... I have not read every word of every segment, although I've tried. I usually get bogged in in the second to last column on the second inside page.

So that's still a lot of words read -- and I am searching for even a nugget of news to justify such a massive expenditure of staff time and space. ...

Topics:

Media

Free tagging:

Boston Globe

Ted Kennedy

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Comments

Yeah...

By The Missus on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 8:36am.

I was thinking the same thing when I first saw the series appear the other day... "He's not dead yet!"

They really should have waited till he passed to publish it.

And...

By neilv on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 9:00am.

I assumed the series is now because they've learned he's about to retire from public service, and people wanted to fete him while he was still able to appreciate it.

Conceivably, the sympathetic attention from the series might also give a boost to any final legislative goals of Kennedy.

I haven't read the series yet, but I intend to. I suspect it will become one of those "SPECIAL REPORTS" icons that sits on the right of their home page til long past regular readers are sick of seeing these teasers for things they've already read cluttering the page as they look for things they *haven't* read. :)

Here's hoping Ted Kennedy is well and with us for quite a while more.

Wrong metric

By Cynic on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 9:03am.

The readers who are (presumably) enjoying the series are the Globe's core audience - mostly older, long-time locals who grew up along with the Kennedys. They're not looking for earth-shattering scoops or ground-breaking reporting. They've always been fascinated by the Kennedys, and it'd be virtually impossible to sate their appetites. They just want to indulge in nostalgia in relive Ted's life. These are the least likely folks to respond to an article by turning on their computers and posting comments. I'd be shocked, though, if the Globe's newsstand sales hadn't seen a nice spike over the past week.

As for the timing, isn't it obvious? The Globe put the time and money into the story right away, because it doesn't know how long Ted will hang around. And when he passes, they'll have an entire biography ready to ship. I guarantee you that this series becomes a book about Ted's life, written by the staff of his hometown paper, the "reporters who knew him best," and that it climbs the bestseller lists, certainly locally, and perhaps nationally. The Globe isn't stupid.

Newspapers are learning to capitalize on pivotal events with emotional resonance by selling special editions, commemorative collections, and collectible nicknacks. It's one way to find alternate and supplemental revenue streams to subsidize their reporting. And if it works? More power to 'em.

The readers who are

By Mr Weebles on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 9:43am.

The readers who are (presumably) enjoying the series are the Globe's core audience

And the readers not enjoying it?

The Kopechne family.

Glorifying that fat drunken toad is disgusting.

I like Cynic's theory better

By neilv on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 9:56am.

I like Cynic's theory better than my theory.

Book has already shipped

By Ron Newman on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 12:16pm.

As Adam Reilly points out in today's Phoenix (scroll down to "The Globe roars"), this series is an excerpt from a book that was released on Tuesday.

I couldn't have said it better

By anon on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 12:25pm.

Obviously a series targeted at all of those old ladies, black and white, who still have picture of JFK with a rosary around the frame.

Oh, I see... now.

By APMiga on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 10:24am.

It looks like the Kennedy series is just the Globe pimping a new book. Here is what I got in the ol' email.

Peter S. Canellos and his team of Boston Globe reporters bring you the definitive biography of Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Blah, blah, blah.

It kind of bothers me, a little, but I guess this is how they do things now.

I'm okay with it

By david_yamada on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 12:35pm.

I haven't been reading that series, but no doubt there's interest in it. I'm fine with a newspaper running a series that we can access online without charge, and those who are interested can buy the book or borrow it at the library.

I really wish he would

By ShadyMilkMan on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 2:03pm.

I really wish he would retire. Nothing personal, its just been so long and he is obviously having issues. Maybe, just maybe its time for him to release his families grip on that Senate seat while the chance of a political turnover to the Republicans is at an all time low. My concern is if we have to wait for him to move on it may come at a time when the shine comes off of the Obama halo and people are looking for a chance to elect a Republican in a blue state to make a point. Needless to say Im a democrat, just a little conflict of interest announcement lol

Not Doing The Public Any Service

By SwirlyGrrl on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 2:58pm.

It isn't like he wouldn't be welcome to show up here and there if he did retire - but he really is not doing anybody any service by remaining in the Senate at this point.

His continued tenure is portrayed as a selfless act, but it's really far from it. While I don't begrudge Teddy his due, I think we should be holding a special election and getting somebody in on the ground floor of this new wave that hit a few months ago.

Its about being the last of a dynasty. Problem is, this is supposed to be a democracy with rule of law (even pesky rules and laws that overrule our rich friends and their desire not to see their electricity generated).

Preemptive Retirement Party

By anon on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 3:16pm.

Maybe someone should organize a preemptive retirement party for Ted. We could start the ball rolling by sending him cards saying thanks upon your retirement for your years of service.

Just off the top of my head

By Dave on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 3:25pm.

Just off the top of my head you have a Congressman in RI, a Lt. Gov. in MD and a RINO in-law in CA. Not to mention Hugo's petro-pimp Joe just itching to get Uncle Teddy's seat. There's also been a lot of buzz about convicted smack-head RFK2 ending up heading Obama's EPA, and I don't think we've seen the last of Princess Caroline, either.

Last of a dynasty? I don't think so.

Joe Kennedy , I would be ok

By ShadyMilkMan on Thu, 02/19/2009 - 3:32pm.

Joe Kennedy , I would be ok with him, Id have to think about it and may not support him because of the family surname, but of all the remaining Kennedys I dislike him least.

Maybe we can agree that its the end of the "Dynasty" in the sense that we are left with the remainders and its only downhill from here?

I like the anon post above this, I wouldnt mind shelling out some cash to send him flowers and a nice retirement watch if it would help speed things along.