PAPER’S NEW OWNER WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU
We don’t really consider The (Columbia, S.C.) Free Times to be our competition. They do their thing, we do ours. In fact the alternative weekly paper is one of the few media outlets with which we’ve enjoyed something of a symbiotic relationship over the years – and we obviously have beaucoup respect for the investigative talents of its top reporter, Corey Hutchins.
Will our relationship with The Free Times change in 2013, though?
Who knows. The paper has recently been purchased by a 40-year newspaper veteran by the name of Charlie Nutt, who previously served as publisher of a trio of Gannett-owned papers based in the northeast. What do we know about Nutt? Nuttin. Well, except for the fact he looks like he ought to be in full Confederate regalia (you know, like our state’s sitting Lt. Governor).
Seriously, dude … John Bell Hood called. He wants his nose back.
Anyway … this week Nutt announced that he was embarking on a “listening tour” of the Midlands region of South Carolina in an effort to get acquainted with his new surroundings.
“I would like to extend an invitation to everyone reading this column to be part of that process,” he wrote. “Tell me what you like or dislike about living here. Tell me what you like or dislike about Free Times and Free-Times.com. Tell me how we could be more important and more useful in serving the community.”
Hmmmmm … good luck with that, man.
We’ve got several suggestions for General Hood … errr, Mr. Nutt, but for the purposes of this column we’ll keep our advice brief.
Should one of the biggest scandals in the state’s history ever fall squarely in your paper’s lap again, don’t punt …
Now carry on, General. And give our regards to Longstreet.
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14 comments
“Should one of the biggest scandals in the state’s history ever fall squarely in your paper’s lap again, don’t punt …”
Full agreement on that, Fits!
The Free Times has many useful roles to play (keeping enthusiasts informed about local music happenings, for example), but well-investigated muckraking is the highest and best service it can provide the community. We have endless incompetence and gross innefficiency and good ol’ boy favoritism and nepotism, and not a small amount of outright corruption, all awaiting the scant few media who will attack them fearlessly.
People deny it but they love media slashing and burning and denouncing. Go to it!
“And give our regards to Longstreet.”
Shouldn’t that be “And give our Beau-regards to Longstreet.”?
I don’t care if Leftwing Radicals have their voice. Free Times gives us a clear definition of where the Left is. Hutchins is a a Chairmain Mao Disciple.
But we Desperetly NEED more conservative media.
FITS claimed to be more Conservative…and he is about 15% of the time…
But FITS Fails 85% of the time…and I’m guessing because the Left pays for his services…
We can and will do better…
Corey Hutchins is no more a disciple of Mao than you are a fully sentient human being.
Hutchins writes for The Huff-Po…Dumb@$$…
That is tantamount to the Communist Manifesto…
Why is You sorry Son of a B!*#h#$ always try to lie about what you are…
You’re as Communist as Stalin…why be a Coward about it???
Corey is a dman good reporter. He might be a liberal but he plays it straight with the facts.
I trust him more than any other print journalist in the State.
This is “coolhandluke” and I’m “shaking the bush”, Mr Nutt. But I doubt you will ever read FitsNews. But I will continue.
The Free Times is a rather liberal weekly paper right now, make it and independent one. Since its “free” weekly, I know you survive on ads but try to get rid of all the sex ads, it does nothing for a reader like me. Keep Kevin Fisher around and pay him more, he’s damn good and gives us an insight in to all the BS and useless waste of the taxpayer monies and the Columbia water system monies and others. Do the same for Corey Hutchins. I could go on and on, but lastly, why not change the name of The Free Times to something like The Columbia Metropolitan or The Columbia Record and make it a daily paper and compete with the now worthless State paper. Bet you could put those lazy folks out of business within three years. Also, let me welcome you to the sovereign state of South Carolina and it magnificent beauty from the mountains to the coast. It must be great here if you conisderate the number of northerns who migrate here for some reason and never return to their roots. Good Luck with your new paper.
Columbia???
Are you serious???
If it comes out of Columbia, it has absolutely no relevance to the Upstate. Especially Cherokee,Spartanburg and Union Counties.
Might as well be annexed by North Carolina except North Carolina wouldn’t want most of the dickheads who claim to represent South Carolina. I can’t say I would blame them under the current situation………
If the State Newspaper had a couple of reporters like Corey H the State would be making money.
The State writes crap about things no one wants to read. Their reporters are lazy and perhaps stupid.
Give the people real stuff and they will buy the papers.
Just like everything else in South Carolina, it is a clone of the Charlotte,NC “Creative loafing” which is a danm fine read
For crying out loud:
Is South Carolina capable of having one fucking independent brainwave besides the pablum of conservative bullshit that is shat out by the “supposedly” movers & shakers who are stuck in the oxfords and khakis of this dipshit state???????
So how do you really feel about SC, SparkleCity?
You ever visit HubCity downtown? I travel up there occasionally to get my Literary on.
Mr. Nutt:
The FreeTimes.com website is pathetic, a frustration to visitors looking for substance.
Articles by Corey Hutchins should be front-page and featured, along with all his archived articles.
I find a good many sex partners here.Big T,see you on dick.net?