State's journalism task force issues final report

 

The Illinois Local Journalism Task Force recently released its final report.

The task force was created by law in 2021 and looked at the state of local newspapers and journalism in Illinois. The report details the findings, which are not surprising to anyone who has followed the newspaper industry during the past couple of decades.

The report also includes some suggestions for helping the industry. As one might expect those suggestions involve tax credits, grants, and government subsidies. None of the recommendations involve purely market-oriented solutions. That's a pity, I think.

The report is 22-pages long, including the appendix and a list of the task force's members, which alone is worth reading, and sheds some light as to the final recommendations, I think.

The report all but ignores the many important factors that contributed to the decline of newspapers and that continue to contribute to the slow death of legacy "journalism." Of course, it is the product of a government panel, so one ought to expect some serious flaws.

For a better read about the challenges to local journalism, one that provides market-proven success stories, I suggest "Beacons in the Darkness" by Dave Hoekstra, an Illinois based writer and recovering newspaper man.

-- Thank you for reading. Your comments and questions are always welcome. Kevin Botterman

What I hope to avoid (but probably won't) in 2024

 

Now that we've entered 2024, here are a few of the things I hope to avoid during the next 12 months. I acknowledge the struggle is real.

Anything related to or about Taylor and Travis - I have nothing against either personally and wish them all the best. I imagine they're a warm and engaging couple. I'm just not interested in seeing their photos or videos about them everywhere I turn, or in my news feed daily. So as nice as they might be, I'm happy to leave them behind in 2023.

Celebrity news and opinion - They've been with us forever, and celebrities of all types and stripes receive a disproportionate amount media coverage (see the couple named above), and that's just the way it is in our culture. I saw too much of it in 2023; more than any one reasonable, relatively balanced individual should see. I'm done. I'm trying to avoid all of it in 2024, and so far (yes, it's early), I'm doing fine. Wish me luck, and maybe offer up a prayer, if you're so inclined.

Professional sports - This one won't be as challenging for me as it was in the past. I lost interest in the NBA decades ago (about the time the league gave up any interest in playing defense) and can't recall the last time I watched a full game. 

I stopped watching the NFL back when the league allowed politics to become a part of the game. If I want that, I'll watch the news. Also, the broadcast became too long. I simply don't have the time or interest to commit more than three hours to watching a game. Professional hockey never captured my interest, but I do enjoy watching the college game. If you've never watched one, give it a try. 

I admit to watching a couple of MLB games in 2023, just to see how the pitch clock affected the game. I liked it, but not enough to watch an entire game. I shifted to radio broadcasts and enjoyed those. 

Anything related to The Walt Disney Corporation - The fools running that operation completely turned me off in 2023. It's not just that they produced weak movies, which they did. It was their decision to insert their cultural agenda and politics into everything they do and produce. That's the company's choice, of course. It's also my choice to walk away and spend my dollars elsewhere. That's easy for me to do on this one. 

Netflix and HBO - I've never cared much for the productions Netflix offers and the operation's movie collection doesn't match my tastes. Avoiding Netflix is doable for me. However, my lovely wife frequently watches the streaming service, so I might have to take the hit in order to spend time with her.

As for HBO, well the decision to run commercials during their presentations ended things for me. I understand most streaming services have or soon will be introducing commercials to their basic offerings. There's little I can do about that trend. But I've watched HBO since the early 1980s, and loved its commercial-free model in exchange for my cable (later streaming) subscription. Introducing commercials strikes me as a betrayal, one I can't bring myself to forgive.

Arguing with the misinformed and blindly partisan on social media - What was once an amusing distraction now leaves me annoyed. It seems the number of ignorant, blindly partisan and willfully misinformed grows with each day. The stupid and lazy live among us in great numbers. I once enjoyed toying with them, much as a cat plays with string, but I've lost interest in them. I can use your prayers on this one, too. 

Those are just a few of the things I hope to avoid in this new year. I could probably add many more, but I'm ready to move ahead, eager to meet the challenges of 2024. 

-- Thank you for reading. Your comments and questions are always welcome. Please post them here, or feel free to email me at kbotterman@gmail.com.

Hollywood's class of '83 is worth remembering

The year 1983 was one of the best years for Hollywood, one that offered something for audiences of all ages. Productions released that year included Oscar-caliber dramas, crowd-pleasing adventure movies and popular comedies. My list of favorites (and honorable mentions) includes many of the year's biggest box office hits and ones that I think capture Hollywood's spirit in that long-gone time. 

1. Terms of Endearment - When Hollywood made movies for adult audiences it made some fantastic movies, and this is one of them. Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine and Jack Nicholson star in director James L. Brooks' Oscar-winning tale of a demanding mother and her relationship with her adult daughter and her family,  and a former astronaut. The movie won five Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (MacLaine), and Best Supporting Actor (Nicholson). The movie is at times funny, and a true tear-jerker. The great supporting cast includes Jeff Daniels, John Lithgow, and Danny DeVito. 

2. The Big Chill - Director (and writer) Lawrence Kasdan's tale of seven former college friends reuniting for the funeral of another friend from their college days was a hit with fans and critics alike. The movie received three Oscar nominations (Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Glenn Close) and Best Writing). In addition to Close, the stellar cast includes William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Jeff Goldblum, JoBeth Williams and Meg Tilly. Oh, and it has a rockin' soundtrack. 

3 The Right Stuff - Director Philip Kaufman's engaging and gripping telling (Kaufman shared script-writing credits with Tom Wolfe, the book's author) of the Mercury Project during the early days of America's effort to put a man into space. A talented ensemble cast delivers wonderful performances and includes Sam Shepard, Dennis Quaid, Veronica Cartwright, Levon Helm, Fred Ward, and Pamela Reed. The movie earned five Oscar nominations (including Best Picture) and won for Best Sound. And it has a powerful soundtrack.

4. Risky Business - Tom Cruise stars (in his breakthrough performance) as a high school student who gets involved with a high-end prostitute and her friends. Rebecca De Mornay and Richard Masur also star. And Joe Pantaliano is terrific as Guido, the killer pimp. 

5. Trading Places - The best comedy of 1983, in my opinion. Director John Landis hit gold with his tale of what happens when a snobby blue-blood (Dan Akyroyd) is manipulated into trading places with a slick con man from the streets (Eddie Murphy). Jamie Lee Curtis and Denholm Elliott also star.

6. Silkwood - Director Mike Nichols' film received five Oscar nominations, including Best Actress (Meryl Streep), Best Supporting Actress (Cher), and Best Director. Kurt Russell delivers a solid dramatic performance, and the supporting cast includes a number of noteworthy actors. The movie is largely forgotten today, but is well worth watching, or watching a second time.

7. A Christmas Story - It's now a holiday classic and needs no summation. You know it and love it. 

8. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi - The third installment of the original Star Wars trilogy earned four Oscar nominations (all in technical categories). The movie was a hit with critics and audiences alike, and the original trilogy remains the best of the Star Wars franchise, in my opinion.

9. Scarface - Al Pacino stars as a Cuban migrant who makes it big in Miami's cocaine distribution market in the early '80s. The movie closely matched real life in 1983, struck a chord with audiences and remains popular with younger audiences today. The cast includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert Loggia, and the late Mark Margolis. Good stuff.

10. Valley Girl - Director Martha Coolidge scored a commercial and critical hit with this work, one of the best of the teen romance movies, which were a Hollywood staple in the 1980s. A young Nicholas Cage and Deborah Foreman star as a dude from the wrong part of town in love with a girl from the Valley. The supporting cast includes Michael Bowen, Elizabeth Daily, and Frederic Forrest, who delivers a memorable performance as the girl's father. This one is reflective of the early '80s and includes an impressive soundtrack.

11. Lone Wolf McQuade - Chuck Norris stars as J.J. McQuade, Texas Ranger. Norris was well-established as an action star with a loyal and growing fan base, and this one certainly added to his popularity. Norris stars opposite David Carradine ("Kung Fu"), who plays a gun-running drug king. As one might expect, there's a climatic fight featuring Norris and Carradine. The supporting cast includes L.Q. Jones, R.G. Armstrong, and William Sanderson. It still packs a punch and captures the basic formula of the Norris films to follow.

12. Under Fire - Gene Hackman, Nick Nolte, and Joanna Cassidy star as three journalists covering the final days of the Somoza regime in Nicaragua in 1979. Many things are not what they appear to be. While the politics of the late 1970s seem a bit naive today, the film remains engaging and entertaining. Hollywood lost its interest in political thrillers some time ago, and that's unfortunate for audiences. The supporting cast includes Richard Masur, Ed Harris, Hamilton Camp, and Jean-Louis Trintignant. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode 

Honorable Mentions - (Ten entertaining productions that I think reflect the spirit of 1983 and are worth viewing.)

All the Right Moves

Blue Thunder

Breathless

Flashdance

Gorky Park

The High Road to China

National Lampoon's Vacation

The Outsiders

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Wargames

-- Thank you for reading. Your comments and questions are always welcome. Post them here or send an e-mail to kbotterman@gmail.com.

Successful Living: Lesson 2- Get a Dog

 

Nothing fuels success like a good dog. That's a fact. Want to succeed in life? Get a good dog, I say.

An entire industry exists to help individuals find success in life. It offers videos, books, blogs and an assortment of other products all designed to help others succeed at the work of living. All the products cost money; some of them cost a lot of money. 

Dogs can be expensive, too, but it might be the best investment you make. It has been for me. The self-help books might produce some good results for some people, but I know many who found little but frustration and disappointment with those things. 

Not so for those with a dog they love and treat as a member of the family. Here are a few reasons why I think a good dog can help you achieve happiness, if not success:

• Life is short, and it's more enjoyable with the companionship a good dog provides. 
• A dog will never complain about the chores you didn't perform or the tasks you failed to complete.
• A dog doesn't care how you dress when you leave the house. The dog only wants you to return as soon as possible.
• A dog doesn't object if you decide to spend Saturday afternoon napping on the sofa. In fact, the dog will be happy to join you there. Be sure to leave some space for your friend.
• A dog will be more loyal than most humans, is always excited to see you, and only wants your attention. Those are valuable and pleasant qualities. 

I could offer many more reasons, but you get the idea. Get a dog and you'll be happy, rested and at peace with yourself - all qualities that contribute to successful living. 

--Thank you for reading. Comments and questions are always welcome.

Some thoughts about the Huskies Halloween loss to CMU

Here are a few thoughts I have about Northern Illinois University's 37-31 loss to Central Michigan University on Halloween night. 

1.) I detest the contract with ESPN that has the Mid-American Conference playing football games on Tuesday and Wednesday nights in November. College football should be played on Saturdays, in my opinion. The mid-week games are terrible for tradition, are bad for attendance and erode the fan base.  I hope the MAC will not renew the contract with ESPN, but I fear money will talk and the mid-week games will continue, much to my disappointment. 

2.) With the loss, NIU fell to 4-5 overall, 3-2 in the MAC, and appears to be looking at another mediocre season under head coach Thomas Hammock.  For the record, CMU moved to 5-4 overall, 3-2 in the MAC. 

3.) While CMU dominated the first half, NIU played a good second half.  Here's a look at some key stats:

Total yards of offense - NIU posted 506 yards, while CMU tallied 447

Time of possession - NIU: 29:48, CMU: 30:47

Fourth downs NIU: 2-4, CMU: 0-0

Rushing yards - NIU: 208, CMU: 331

3rd downs - NIU: 0-10, CMU: 4-12

4.) NIU continues to struggle on offense in the first half, which is a consistent weakness for the Huskies, not only this season, but during the 2022 campaign, too. During Tuesday's game, NIU scored a field goal in the first quarter and came up empty in the second quarter, while CMU posted 7 points in the 1st quarter and 17 in the 2nd quarter. 

The Huskies offense mounted a vigorous comeback in the second half, posting 14 points in the 3rd quarter to CMU's 13, and NIU scored another 14 points in the 4th quarter, but a Chippewa interception late in the game ended NIU's comeback bid.

I've followed the Huskies for more than 40 years. I've known several coaches, players and have been personal friends with more than a few of the reporters who covered the team over the years. I know NIU is capable of being a conference champion, and it's difficult to see where things stand today. 

-- Thank you for reading. Your comments and questions are always welcome. 

Two old guys sitting on a sofa

 

Me and Otto sit together on the sofa, two old guys quietly passing the day.

I read most of the time. Spend some time writing a few short essays, and break now and again to complete a task in the kitchen or somewhere else in the house.

Otto spends his day sleeping, but lifts his head now and again to look at me. He seems to give a slight smile, reassured, I think, to know I am still in my place on the sofa. He enjoys a refreshing drink of water, shares a meal with me, and together we walk the neighborhood at various times during the day. 

Otto is an amiable and patient companion. He listens to my comments and observations about neighbors and items in the news. He never objects to the radio programs I choose to listen to or the volume levels I select. He shows a bit of concern if I leave the house, but he always welcomes my return.

Neither of us receive phone calls. I get some mail and some emails, but Otto doesn't receive either. My daughter will send me a text at night, and regularly visits. But it is an honest assessment to say that Otto and I are two old guys that are largely forgotten by the outside world. 

That's neither a complaint nor a point of distress. We are not isolated. We are not completely alone, and we enjoy the benefits of our solitude. It is an acknowledgement that we, me more than he, have reached that point in life when we are called upon less, contribute less and noticed less. It's a point we all reach, and one we can either make peace with or not. 

Otto and I made peace with that fact long ago. 

- Thank you for reading. Your comments and questions are always welcome.

That time I entered Elms Liquorland and asked for a job

 

It was 45 years ago this month that I started what was to become the best part-time job of my life.

I walked into Elms Liquorland July 3, 1978. The store was located at 510 W. Northwest Highway in Arlington Heights. I met Tom Barkulis, the son of the store's owner, Nick. I introduced myself and explained that Mike, a high school friend and the store's only stock clerk, told me Tom was looking to hire additional help. 

I completed an application, and Tom asked me a few questions about the number of hours I was interested in working and the kind of previous experience I had. Satisfied with the answers I gave, he offered me a job and asked if I could start the next day. I said I could. I did, and I continued working with Tom for the next several years. 

It's interesting how we never know how important a simple decision will be to us at the time that we make it, but accepting that job proved to be one of the most important decisions of my life, one that shaped the man I was to become, the man I am today.

I had completed my junior year in high school at the time I accepted the job and was awaiting the start of my senior year. My junior year was a good one for me academically, and I had competed well on my school's track team. I was optimistic about my senior year.

I had performed well at two previous part-time jobs, and was confident in my ability to perform my duties at the liquor store. I was blessed to work with a good group of adults there. They were friends with the owners. The owners had recently expanded from a neighboring property. It now occupied a 100,000-square-foot space (large for that time and town) and the business was thriving.

My friend, Mike, and I stocked shelves, cleaned the store and took out the trash. Adults operated the registers and acted as supervisors. In time the stock staff expanded to include a few of our high school friends and my two younger brothers. Later on, another brother and sister team joined the staff. 

My employment continued during my college years. Tom always had part-time work for me and my brothers during summer and winter breaks from school. It was a busy store and there was always work to be done, but no one worked too hard, and there was time at the end of the day for a few laughs.

The passing of time is an odd thing and 45 years is a long time, but I have clear memories of those days.

I remember the names and faces of coworkers. I remember the salesmen and the delivery drivers. I remember customers were regulars and their favorite brand of beverages or preferred brands of cigarettes. 

In those days, Old Style beer was popular, so was Budweiser, Michelob, Stroh's and Lowenbrau. Light beers were becoming popular, too, but not to the extent that they are today. We sold a lot of half barrels of beer during the summer months. You rarely see those today.

No one had heard of microbrews then, and imported beers such as Beck's, Heineken's and Harp's were about as exotic as it got in the Midwest, although Tom offered a cooler of imported beers that was ahead of its time. 

Many of today's popular brands of bourbons, Scotch whiskeys, vodkas, gins, liquors, and rums were popular then. Some have disappeared from store shelves. The same is true for other products. Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill and Riunite Lambrusco wine were popular brands with young drinkers, but are no longer available. 

Tom also was ahead of his time when it came to wine, and he offered a selection in the early 1980s that would impress serious wine drinkers today. He taught me a great deal about wine then, knowledge I retain to this day. 

Independent liquor stores, ones with an extensive inventory and knowledgeable staff, are hard to find today. They still exist, but many have been replaced by chain grocery stores. Those qualities were commonplace at Elms, and they contributed to making the store more than just a neighborhood stop. 

I look forward to sharing more about the store, but those details will have to wait for another time. 

- Thank you for reading. Your questions and comments are always welcome.