(I have calls in to the Star’s VP of Operations—who spearheaded, I’m told, the “MOST WANTED” “product” — to find out more, including how Bama Busted factored in to this; if/how editorial was consulted on it; and, of course, whether mug shots did anything for the Star’s lagging Monday circulation. Will update when I hear back).
UPDATE: More background, after speaking to the person who oversaw the MOST WANTED “product,” the Star’s Robert Jackson. Bama Busted was indeed the inspiration for it. “[Bama Busted] did our readership survey for us,” Jackson said, noting he “watched it selling like hotcakes” while “charging two times what the Star charges,” and determined the Star should try offering a “mug shot-driven” product. (Jackson confirms he met with someone at Bama Busted but says there was no partnership talk, just talk of a “commercial printing project;” Consolidated Publishing, which owns the Star, does assorted outside print jobs).
The primary goal of the MOST WANTED wrap (a new version of which appeared in all Star editions yesterday, this time as a four-page insert), Jackson said, was to “drive the Star’s Monday single copy sales” (he’ll know by tomorrow whether that happened).
Jackson chuckled when asked about the wrap possibly rankling people inside or outside the Star newsroom, saying he “respects” the editorial side but that “with declining circulation sometimes you’ve got to try different things.” Jackson said he “did receive the publisher’s permission to do” the wrap and that he consulted with a top editor, though “editorial was more interested” in something that did not include photos. Jackson sees a “big difference between what we did and what [Bama Busted] does,” in that “they include sensational stuff, we include just public data, as a public service” for which the area police departments, he said, have been “very grateful.”
I don't think the marketing wrap casts a negative light on the paper's reputation. However, I would be wary about this as a sustained way to draw in readers. If it helps sales now, great. Treat it as a Band-Aid, though. It's just a matter of time before someone takes something similar to the Web (the Smoking Gun has done nationwide and themed roundups since its inception). Then you're back where you started.
Best,
Brian Russell
GainesvillePR.com
#1 Posted by Brian Russell, CJR on Tue 7 Jul 2009 at 01:24 PM
Interesting discussion. May I offer another perspective. The true inspiration for the mug shots are Calhoun County's Most Wanted, our local cable televsion show. 1,509 people that were featured on the show have been arrested in less than three years. Bama Busted saw the public interest the show generated and cashed in on it with our help.
I would suggest that the Star is motoviated by sales, but the interest of the public buying their papers is community safety. In the past I asked for space to put Most Wanted type information in the regular paper without success.
The average person doesn't want people that are wanted by the law walking free, especially if that person may break into their home or rob them at the store tomorrow. They can particpate in making their neighborhood a safer place.
I applaude the free press and high journalism standards. Factual information and thoughful debate are essential. We all need honest and fair people watching and reporting on government. I really appreciate the Star supporting the efforts of local law enforcement with truly local information.
After watching and reading about community "leaders" like Anna Nicole Smith and Michael Jackson on almost every "news" outlet a local focus on issues of community concern is appreciated no matter what the motoivation.
#2 Posted by Sheriff Larry Amerson, CJR on Tue 7 Jul 2009 at 05:34 PM
Have you seen Calhoun County's Most Wanted on T.V.? it's a joke!
Larry Amerson is only after publicity from the Anniston Star since the are in each others hip pocket. They (amerson) say over 1500 people have been arrested by his show is laughable.
The arrest have been made by deputies doing there job and local police officers doing the same.
It is a mere attempt to save a paper that is on the way out of business, and a media hungary Sheriff who only thinks of himself, AND NOT THE CITIZENS OF CALHOUN COUNTY.
The motivation is to get Amerson re-elected plain and simple.
#3 Posted by David Harris, CJR on Wed 8 Jul 2009 at 02:40 PM
I guess the rumors about the Star going belly-up may be true. Will it be able to continue to make mortgage payments on that slick building it owns? As for the paper itself, the Star's been coasting on its reputation for many years. It's been awhile since it's been a really good community newspaper.
#4 Posted by John Reed, CJR on Wed 8 Jul 2009 at 03:05 PM
Liz,
I just received the single copy numbers for the June 29th edition of The Star. We experienced an increase of 28 percent from the previous Monday, which exceeds the goal set by our circulation director Dennis Dunn and myself. There are no factors to explain the increase other than the addition of the Most Wanted special section.
#5 Posted by Robert Jackson, CJR on Wed 8 Jul 2009 at 06:40 PM
I'm new to the Anniston area, and a former law enforcement officer. I would like to first comment on what David Harris stated. While agree most of these types of arrests are made by deputies and officers "just doing their jobs", advertising photos and names of "most wanted" aids law enforcement and has been used for decades, going back to the days of Bonnie and Clyde and Derringer. Law Enforcement NEEDS the assistance of the public that stems from this kind of advertising. David Harris sounds either like he may want to run againt the Sheriff for that office, or like someone who himself has been arrested as a result of this kind of "most wanted" advertising. Either way, I applaud both Sheriff and the Star, and Bama's Busted and any one else who assists law enforcement in this way. The less time our deputies and officers spend looking for dead beats and other wanted persons, is more time they can spend patrolling our neignborhoods preventing burglaries and thefts. I like what the Star is doing Robert...just hope your editors keep allowing you to do it.
#6 Posted by Anthony Carson, CJR on Sat 11 Jul 2009 at 03:53 PM