Salem's Future with Salem-News.com

"I think that for the people of Salem, we are far more of a benefit as a government watchdog than anything else." - Tim King

(SALEM, Ore.) - Some people have written to us lately, asking why there are not more Salem, Oregon stories showing up in our mix, and there are specific reasons for this. While we have contacted a fair number of businesses in Oregon's capitol city for advertising and support, you will only find a small handful on our site.

Primarily as a result of this, we see Salem-News.com becoming more of a service for the state of Oregon, than the city that in many ways, has been slow to catch on and support us.

Electric Wheels, Adam's Ribs, Steele's Karate, Walery's Pizza, Best 'Lil Roadhouse and the Salem Riverfront Carousel, are some of the main Salem organizations that have believed in us. There are others that have helped, but in truth the list is very small.

For us, the poison may be that we only put ample time into generating the news, and not beating down the doors of local businesses. Heck, I don't even like sales people half the time, so it is a hard role to fill.

Some other Salem groups backed my trip to cover the war in Afghanistan last winter, and that is appreciated. But in the end, most of our advertisers are national, and some are from the Portland area.

We did not think it would evolve this way, and we know it will not stay this way, but I fear that Salem residents will not come out as winners in the end.

It matters to us, our News Director Kevin Hays is born and raised here, the son of a distinguished Oregon State Policeman. General Manager Bonnie King was raised 30-minutes from Salem.

But this local talent is now being used for writing national and Oregon stories, because they drive our numbers and offer the most potential for eventually seeing the business community come out of the woodwork and support us.

All of it confirms the notion that Oregon is always ten years behind California in terms of general advancement. This was supposed to end with the World Wide Web, but instead it goes on and on.

In a few years people here will wake up and say, "look at all of the great information on this news site," but for now they have blank stares and a lack of understanding.

This is not good for people who live in a city that largely has no identity, except for being an overly-conservative place where kids are arrested and cited for cruising their cars on summer nights, and others are hassled for playing Hacky-Sack on a sidewalk.

Then of course, you have all the problems generated by the small army of mentally and physically disabled people wandering the streets, who lost their federal support during the Regan era. An abandoned facility called Fairview that was used to care for these folks is now becoming exclusive, private housing. Great job Salem, way to go Oregon.

Salem and the state of Oregon just allow it to go on and on while they enact more harsh punishments, often at the hand of a sad little man named Kevin Mannix who has no idea what the people here need.

Then they ignore people like David Beem, an advocate from the special needs community, who proposed a day center for the mentally and physically handicapped. This is something that could completely change Salem, and not one legislator brought the idea forward. It is hard not to become cynical after seeing much of this up close.

Salem lacks the vitality of other Oregon cities, and the creativity here is something few people boast of. During the summer, one Wednesday a month is reserved for art on the street in downtown Salem. Is that really the mark of a creative city with so many great artists?

I suggest that people who are happy with it stay clear of other cities on the west coast, because the contrast is alarming.

Two festivals at the Riverfront Park took huge dives this summer. I was told that the Bite of Salem had all of six food booths. The World Beat is another great idea that seems to have fallen off the edge in 2007.

All they had to do to be featured on our site with a video report was to be nice and ask us. Again, too many people in Salem are asleep at the wheel when it comes to this type of thing.

Then there is Salem's Riverfront Park, intentionally designed to prevent people from seeing the mighty Willamette River until they exit their car and walk to the southwest edge of the parking lot. Maybe someone should tell Salem that it rains half the year in Oregon.

Part of the goal in designing the park was to rid the river bank of homeless people. The construction of the park did nothing to help the homeless populace, it just kicked them out of the area. Some Salem people are proud of that kind of thing. Another reason was probably to keep youth from congregating at a place with a view, by people here who are literally, scared of tens.

It is ironic when you look at the recent history of the Salem/Keizer schools. A seemingly endless list of reports about teachers who are sex predators, seems to make the young have more to fear from the old than the other way around.

We complain about meth use, then enact cruising "bans" and curfew laws. All it does is send kids indoors and what do you think they do then? It is always interesting to hear the police talk about cruising too, because they all did it growing up, but it was legal in those years.

I grew up in California and car touring was one of my parent's greatest pleasures. We used to buy burritos and watch the ships enter Los Angeles Harbor at Long Beach. We would drive places and take in the view, but I don't suppose we did it in Salem, Oregon then, not much to see.

Over the last year, the one spot where people could park and watch local airplanes take off and land has been blocked by hangars that could have been placed somewhere else. Funny, the mayor is an avid airplane enthusiast, I had hoped that would matter.

To make things equally difficult, the city government of Salem, Oregon is far more secretive than it is open or transparent. The police rarely issue press releases about events that happen in the area, even though this is the state capitol, and the city hall public information office seems non-existent, though I'm sure it costs the taxpayers plenty to maintain.

This makes little sense to most reporters in Oregon, and they all talk about this aspect of Salem. It is no wonder that our perception problems exist.

Keizer, Marion County and even some Polk County law agencies, send out regular updates on news events, but Salem P.D. sends out a comparatively small amount of information.

The local fire agencies are all good in communicating with us, and we cover them the very best we can. Taxpayers see the result of their investment, it works well for these publicly supported emergency responders.

As a city, Salem seems far more interested in attracting businesses like Wal Mart to the area and "call centers" like Wachovia that offer little to nothing in terms of good for the people here. I sincerely question the underlying motives of the city on many levels.

Then there is all the fluff about an airline flying from Salem to Salt Lake City. I'm sorry, but who cares? Why didn't they get a plane that goes to Reno, or Vegas or even Honolulu? Nobody goes to Salt Lake City, it isn't a destination.

How about the multi-million dollar convention center? Where is everybody? The largest crowd I have ever seen there was the one who came to protest a visit from Colin Powell, what an honor that was. I think Salem could benefit from such a facility, but then who knows about it? They sure don't advertise it here, through Salem's largest news Website.

So while our Salem coverage is not where we would like it to be, our greater coverage of Oregon as a state has increased, much to the thanks of residents from all over the state.

These people in other areas that have also been ignored by the Portland media, write letters thanking us frequently. Canby Fire was covered by a crew from FOX News in New York because they caught the story about Canby Fire on Salem-News.com.

Things like this happen all the time, but the city of Salem is increasingly having less to do with it.

It is sad because Salem really needs us, and if we don't get involved in the myriad problems, then they will go unresolved for years and years. Of course you guys have the Statesman Journal to watch out for your better interests, I'm sure that makes you feel better.

Not to mention that the city's priorities and ours will probably eventually fly in the face of one another, because we believe in youth and freedom and many things that the city only seems interested in stepping on. Ask a Salem teenager what they think of the city, it can be very enlightening to those who have had their heads in the sand.

We began this entire business because we felt the capitol city of Oregon was getting the short stick in terms of media coverage, then three years later learn that we receive as many visitors from Corvallis each day as we do from Salem. Of course we see more than four times the traffic coming in from the Portland area, not counting SW Washington.

We never thought the site would be more supported by our neighbors to the north in Portland. It is interesting because I left my job as a reporter/photojournalist at KATU Channel-2 in Portland to make this happen, believing in Salem all the way, even possibly to the detriment of my own career in news, and now I am increasingly understanding why Portland is taken so much more seriously as an Oregon city.

With the realization that Salem was perhaps too much of an uphill business battle, the Salem-News.com staff has divided around the NW region more equally. We still have staff in Salem, but have branched out now to include the Dundee Hills area, Molalla, Bend, Oregon and SW Washington.

I predict that this trend will continue, because Salem, Oregon has been ignored by large market media for too many years and we are concluding that the people of this city will probably go on missing out for the most part.

The businesses in Salem in all fairness, have been pounded by salespeople from one single local newspaper for too long, and they generally have little left to work with after paying the exorbitant amounts that dailies are still charging for a few inches on a piece of paper.

I was just told by a friend last week that a small help wanted ad running for a month would cost more than two thousand dollars, I say tell them to go jump in a lake. We may have attitude, but we are loyal to our viewers and we have no obligation to shareholders, just information.

Salem-News.com has recently signed with three national ad agencies, and two months during the summer saw 16,000 unique visitors on our site each day. It is a fact that many of those visitors are from the greater northwest and the rest of the nation, but they are helping our business grow and we are thankful.

I would still like to be an advocate for the Salem community, and I look forward to the day when that dedication reciprocates. I think that for the people of Salem, we are far more of a benefit as a government watchdog than anything else. In the meanwhile we will bring you the information Salem is willing to part with.

Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with almost twenty years experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist and reporter. Today, in addition to his role as a war correspondent in Afghanistan where he spent the winter of 2006/07, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website, affiliated only with Google News. You can send Tim an email at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com

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Comments Leave a comment on this story.

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Michelle September 7, 2007 12:34 pm (Pacific time)

I was a Salem resident for 17 years and may I say THANK YOU for writing this article. I hate Salem for many reasons. Hopefully someone there will do something to make it a little nicer. It's beautiful land, nice if conservative people, but the city ordinances and blind eye towards child abuse is overwhelming. I feel a depression each time I walk into the place.

Henry Ruark September 6, 2007 5:54 am (Pacific time)

Matt et al: "Right ON", and now we have proven-product and demanding, growing readership, as with any other successful media enterprise we need helpful sharing with others by those who appreciate what we DO and HOW we DO IT !!

Matt September 5, 2007 1:25 pm (Pacific time)

I'm not saying you haven't done a good job. I'm saying that not enough people in Salem are even aware of your existance. Just let more people know you're out there and you'll get a lot more readers. Increase your reader base and you'll increase your business customers. Advertising yourselves in Salem to the public will get you seen by the businesses as well. It feels like I'm just pointing out the obvious, but I certainly have not seen anything around town to tell people about S-N.com.

Henry Ruark September 5, 2007 11:11 am (Pacific time)

To all: Freelancer/writer learns hard way: "DO great job first--then you've got something worth supplying to those who will support you." (With samples !) First you DO IT, then you SELL IT,allasame realistically for ANY retailer OR service. We've earned right now to come calling telling you about what we've DONE --as well as what we WILL CONTINUE to DO. By responses, market is there for advertisers to see, feel, and win-some with the readers who've learned to trust us and what we report.

Matt September 5, 2007 10:10 am (Pacific time)

Well I'm glad to hear you clarify that you're not abandoning Salem. This article was very good, but I think the common tone here is your need for local exposure. I understand not wanting to be a sales person; I've done it for years and vowed never to do it again. But I still think you would have found much more success if you started with letting the people here know you exist. The only reason I know about this site is because someone happened across it searching and emailed me a link to an article. I've mentioned the site to a couple people and no one else seems to know about you either. I completely agree with the very first sentence in the very first comment here from Neal, "the horse has to come before the cart". You need to work on selling yourself to the public before you can successfully sell to businesses. Get your name out there to the public first. Once they start talking about you then you'll have your needed support from the businesses.

Henry Ruark September 5, 2007 8:51 am (Pacific time)

To all: "All of us watch you head to school today with pride and hope for your future." That's closing sentence in SJ Edit today --same paper taken to task via three more Letters protesting distorted story re teacher-pay. My count now shows about ten such Letters; using jrnlst routine-rule of "ten to one" re Letters that means at least 100 or more discerning citizens recognize "weasel wording" when they encounter same, even if coming from son of teachers. go to top of page

Henry Ruark September 5, 2007 7:12 am (Pacific time)

To all: For details re Gannett, with bad and bloody consequences nationally, see: AMERICAN CARNIVAL: Journalism Under Siege; Neil Henry;pp. 182-185 ISBN 978-0-520-24342-2 Other citations avaiable from ten-ft. shelf of classic books, reports, studies, and professional files from more than 50 working years in the profession, starting with home town weekly in Maine in '40s.

Henry Ruark September 4, 2007 7:01 pm (Pacific time)

Should help to know that Gannett now owns 89 papers, is biggest chain in nation, with most monopoly situations...and for many of its largest dailies is now installing strong "advertorial" sections to further pervert journalist approah by still-heavier treatment of news as if commodity to be sold in any fashion possible, so long as it makes money and assists advertisers. Is THAT what Salem wants, or needs ? If YOU think NOT, it is very obvious what YOU need to DO...assist S-N in any way you can via contact with supporters both as readers and advertisers who know a good thing when it reaches smart readers.

Tim King September 4, 2007 6:25 pm (Pacific time)

To clarify, we are not going to stop carrying news from Salem, Oregon. I tried to make that point in the story and I apologize if it is not clear. Of the Salem-News.com team, our news director, community editor and cartoonist reside in Salem. I am dismayed with the progress on some levels, but Salem is still the place we started and it will go on being part of our coverage. My biggest hope is that this story would raise a few eyebrows and cause people in Salem to realize that the city has a responsibility to its citizens and press.

Matt September 4, 2007 4:57 pm (Pacific time)

Well I've lived in Salem my entire life, and as such I am an avid SJ non-reader. Their lack of substance I care about on a regular basis and arm breaking prices for putting anything (business or personal) in print has stopped me from buying their paper altogether. While I have not known about this site for very long (another reader linked an article to me) I was glad to see several of the local stores that never would have made it into SJ on here. I guess I feel that it's unfortunate that after the short time I have enjoyed (for the most part) your site it will likely become "Not-the-Salem-News.com" to other locals and myself. You're taking yourself from a very specific market with very little competition to a much larger and competitive market. Come to think of it, I've never seen anything about this site anywhere in Salem. Have you even tried to tap the local population by putting up notice of your existence other than search engine luck? Perhaps if you put more effort into your customer base you would get more return. I know I'm a lot more likely to pay attention to local advertising. Reporting about the government and politics (especially locally) is fine and dandy when you’re informing not pushing when the need arises. I just don’t look forward to it being thrown into every discussion. I’ll probably check back a couple times to see how drastically this change kills the local stuff I love to see, otherwise, good luck Northwest-national-government-politics-news.com.

Neal Feldman September 4, 2007 4:53 pm (Pacific time)

The SJ is a waste of space for the most part. They cannot even enforce their rules on their online forums fairly as the censor some yet allow others to run absolutely amok regardless of the rules. And they recently extended their letters policy to one per 60 days instead of one per 30 days. Just more censorship. I do not expect the SJ to stand up to its obligation as part of the fourth estate. Their lovefest with childrens services completely ignoring all the dark secrets kept about it is just one example. Their ridiculous editorial piece about the sidewalk issue (as if this was a new and untried idea instead of how it is done in every city in every state in the nation including Salem pre-1989) is a perfect example too. That is why I wish this site would, in addition to other wider issues also work to have local issues covered as well. Wider issues have their local effects too, like Mexican President Calderon's claim that "wherever there is a Mexican ther is Mexico" ( http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5103052.html ) - how do you all feel about Salem being annexed by Mexico in this way, hmmmm? Ah well...

Henry Ruark September 4, 2007 4:35 pm (Pacific time)

To all: Don't miss SJ Edit today, too...for perfect demonstration of double-talk at work. Same paper slices heart out of teachers, then beats drum for parents and volunteers to "help the teacher, who cannot do it alone" (Paraphrased: BUT it's much cheaper that way.) 'Nuff said ? "See with own eyes" and not just-today...

Anonymous September 4, 2007 4:19 pm (Pacific time)

Finally, somebody calls it the way it is. I used to live in Salem and I understand the things this reporter is citing and I am not very surprised that anyone's enthusiasm with solame would change. That's so-lame to those who want to act like they don't understand.

Henry Ruark September 4, 2007 4:09 pm (Pacific time)

To all: Left this point for separate note for you - re "politics" in every story. That's long-continued misunderstanding about every news story concerning ANY issue, many events, all actions in governance. Inevitably, unavoidably, without any omission, each story is covered by SOMEbody, with built-in life experience, family, social, economic and cultural impacts on what that mind can shape for other minds no matter how communicated. That's why we have such iron-clad inbuilt differences re "political principles" and why "objectivity" and, yes, even "balance" depend on how words-written are received, at least as much as how they are written. Last 20 yrs of research in cogent areas prove up these points; full documentation and references on request.

Henry Ruark September 4, 2007 3:58 pm (Pacific time)

Anne et al Anne, L liike yr spunk...lay it riht out there on the line, and the more you learn about Salem AND S-N, you more you will return with solid positive comment. It was no accident I illuminated the Letters-side of the SJ today...have 30yr file full of the kind of negative nonsense we've been pointing up, NOT by comment so much as by demonstration. "The media" generally failing to fulfill its responsibilities nationally, and especially at local level. EVERY citizen and EVERY community in our democracy is at risk, and the only effective answer is fully open, honest, penetrating news operations...we try our damndest, as you will see.

Anne September 4, 2007 3:37 pm (Pacific time)

Oh, Dale. So because I'm newer in town I'm not entitled to an opinion, eh? And I've already praised this article; it was very informative. Apparently you missed it where the staff asked me to give them a chance, hence the continued dialogue.

Dale J. September 4, 2007 2:23 pm (Pacific time)

Anne, Salem has been a one horse media town for almost its entire existence. You should appreciate what these guys are doing, there are no others beyond the corporate mainstream covering the area. I think you have far too much to say for somebody who just moved here, you need to loosen the blinders a little bit and pay more attention. Very good points are made in this article, I hope you find a better comfort zone at the SJ. By the way, didn't you sign off for good earlier? Welcome back.

Anne September 4, 2007 2:03 pm (Pacific time)

Dale, certainly it's "the job of the media", but political commentary seems to pollute most every news article here. TK has made the effort to clarify that that is the intention, even if it overshadows local happenings, and it is the lack of focus on SALEM NEWS that causes my dissatsifaction. And funny you should mention that, Henry. I browsed the Local section of SJ over lunch today and certainly took note of the letters written in about the teacher salaries article. I did not see the article itself, but the response certainly raised my eyebrows...

Henry Ruark September 4, 2007 1:22 pm (Pacific time)

To all: Point-of-information, via "see with own eyes": Check out SJ today for Letters re "news"-story on Salem teacher salaries. Then check Edit, too. You "pays your money" for that. IS that what you really want ? Where's realistic coverage of NCLB and its impacts on YOU and YOURS ? Where's stand re SEVENTY YEAR corporate piracy via "$10 minimum corporate tax" ? In capital city of supreme State of Oregon, you deserve much more...and watch us put it out there for you.

Dale J. September 4, 2007 12:45 pm (Pacific time)

Well isn't that the job of the media? Tim, don't be impacted by people like this, you are making waves and some people don't like you calling the kettle black, but remember that most people here are solidly behind you and being a watchdog of the government is exactly what you are supposed to do.

Henry Ruark September 4, 2007 12:32 pm (Pacific time)

Anne et al: Yr Comments well-made and fully appreciated. BUT basic difference here is far less than appears: Tim's sentence expresses the essence of First Amendment responsibilities, unavoidable since that is foundation for public contract which "pays the way" for all the media. Without that community responsibility, painfully conflicted and condensed now by much of "the media", the public is deprived --and the "informed citizen" concept essential to any democracy is deadened, and eventually denied, until democracy itself dies. Even more essentially yet, that community-service/side is what makes ANY advertising of realy value to ANY business; as demonstrated by fact of corporate take-over of media wherever possible, to control and then shape up public policy "their way" --vs what the Founders intended for us. I know Tim sees that as ongoing assignment truly essential --but surely not the working whole. Keep watching and reading, Anne, and keep letting us know how we doing. At three, most new kids just learning to walk, among other essential social-need habits !!

Anne September 4, 2007 12:19 pm (Pacific time)

TK: I absolutely appreciate the feedback, and actually learned more about Salem in this one article than I have in the last ~3 months that I've been browsing this site. However, your bi-line ("...we are far more of a benefit as a government watchdog than anything else.") makes it clear which direction you're headed, and I'm not interested in being along for that ride. Thanks, and again, best wishes.

Tim King September 4, 2007 11:42 am (Pacific time)

Neal, all we're saying is that we have done that, and the whole thing shifted in another direction. We are not going away by any means, the sidewalks are a great issue to bring up. Anne, your note prompted this, at least I explained what is going on, see you later and good luck just the same.

Anne September 4, 2007 9:30 am (Pacific time)

Sounds like time for me to bid adieu. I found my way to this site as a new person in town interested in learning more about the area. In stead, I have found the commentary here extremely polarizing and lacking any focus on issues with local significance. Good luck.

Neal Feldman September 4, 2007 6:39 am (Pacific time)

I would say that the horse has to come before the cart. If you want a lot of Salem businesses to advertise here you need to first make this a premier destination for Salem residents. If you are just a regional site, despite the name, why would local businesses feel a need to advertise here when they know most of your readers are not locals and therefore will be unlikely to patronize their businesses? You have some local businesses advertising... how has this affected their businesses? If for the good make sure you tout that (and have them tout it too). But while I like seeing the medical marijuana coverage and such I would much rather see coverage of Salem events and Salem issues (such as the sidewalk situation and others). Just observations and suggestions. Ah well...

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