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Reinforces the notion that the sentinel is a marketing company that also publishes a newspaper.

Pulp - Your characterization of Ms. Skipper as "well-liked" is quite generous. under her watch, the Sun-Sentinel's website lost audience, defamed minorities and others in its story commenting and went through an ineffective redesign. All this while her hand-chosen web editor gleefully derided the newsroom and its efforts to deal with "transformative change".
Before trying to ride the digital train, Skipper led the Sun-Sentinel's efforts to colonize western Palm Beach County. We all know how that went.
While the marketing guy is...a marketing guy, he'll be hard-pressed to do worse.

This should come as no surprise--that much is true. The Sun-Sentinel has wisely determined that since it's no longer cost effective to compete as a newspaper, it will move into advertising.
The talent in the newsroom now feels like Leonardo hanging on as the Titanic slides down into the icy depths. Only instead of Kate Winslet, they're looking to either side and seeing Sharon Rosenhause and Earl Maucker. One will shout at you for complaining about freezing to death; the other will tell you it'll be alright and just go to sleep. Maybe you can float on your back? You'll wake up in a better place.
To put this in Penguin-speak, the latest Greenberg-inspired jargon at the paper, the iceberg hasn't melted, it's sunk the ship and replaced the paper. Hurry! Jump onto the iceberg!
The big question is that when Zell's people arrive and survey this abundance of managerial talent, will they commence firing immediately, or investigate to see if there's some tax break for allowing the mentally handicaped to run a newspaper.

This should come as no surprise--that much is true. The Sun-Sentinel has wisely determined that since it's no longer cost effective to compete as a newspaper, it will move into advertising.
The talent in the newsroom now feels like Leonardo hanging on as the Titanic slides down into the icy depths. Only instead of Kate Winslet, they're looking to either side and seeing Sharon Rosenhause and Earl Maucker. One will shout at you for complaining about freezing to death; the other will tell you it'll be alright and just go to sleep. Maybe you can float on your back? You'll wake up in a better place.
To put this in Penguin-speak, the latest Greenberg-inspired jargon at the paper, the iceberg hasn't melted, it's sunk the ship and replaced the paper. Hurry! Jump onto the iceberg!
The big question is that when Zell's people arrive and survey this abundance of managerial talent, will they commence firing immediately, or investigate to see if there's some tax break for allowing the mentally handicaped to run a newspaper.

Now it makes sense. I have been furious since yesterday of the lack of coverage by the SINsentinel on the tragic murder of an 8 year old girl and her mother at the Town Center Mall (A Simon Mall) on Wednesday evening. It was buried all day on the website and only a few hours ago did it make it to the top of the headlines.

Apparently baseballs steroid BS and Water Restrictions are more important than a killer on the loose targeting people at a ritzy mall during the holiday shopping rush.

I called the Sinsentinel to ask why the lack of coverage. Why was it buried in the paper. The response I got was that it was on the front page in the Palm Beach addition. But since it occurred in Palm Beach, I guess it wasn't good enough of a story to get coverage in Broward. I live in Broward (Deerfield Beach) I am five minutes from the Mall. My edition of the paper says shit. Perhaps the mental giant should get a map and see the proximity to Broward for justification for moving this story up. I then asked the flunky I spoke to why it was buried on the website, no geographical barrier there. Of course he had no response and then forwarded me on to the News guy for the website. I still haven't gotten a call back.

But they aren't the only one to blame for the lack of coverage. Last night I turned on WTVJ for the 11:00 news to see an update. And what did Jackie Nespral have to say...NOTHING. Not one mention. Of course she did mention some Palm Beach news when she reported on a woman who was married to five different men in Palm Beach County. I was pissed. I emailed the station late last night to ask why no coverage...no response. I called this morning to ask why and spoke to a ROYAL BITCH in the newsroom. She told me that it didn't happen in Broward and that their sister station had coverage. I inquired whose decision it was to not mention it all but cover the "five husband" story. My response was I'll pass you on to that person. I got her secretary and I still haven't gotten a call back.

Ironically, I went to the Channel 12 website in Palm Beach for coverage late last night. The little commercial I got before the video was for...Simon Malls.

I'm not a conspiracy guy, but me thinks the coverage might have something to do with advertising and the mighty buck. Because apparently this kind of thing happened at the same Mall a few months back but with a less tragic outcome. That received no coverage as well.

Rest assured that if UnFitney Spears died of an OD today they would be interrupting broadcasts and cramming that shit down our throat all day. But the slaughter of an eight year old and her mother while shopping by a person still on the loose doesn't deserve the same coverage. Just fucking perfect...

The bodies were discovered around midnight.

Unless my math is off, that would make it really tough for that event to make the 11 o'clock news.

Or maybe the laws of Einsteinian physics no longer apply...

Or plan C. It's real just because you thought it up.

Wow, what I like about the Sun-Sentinel site today are those hard-hitting, breakthrough pieces of journalism "New Route for Winterfest Boat Parade," "Your Holiday Lights Guide: Plot the Displays You'll See," and not to be missed "Start Planning with Our New Years Eve Guide." That's putting a new spin on news you can use. Just makes you want to go out and pump those quarters into the newspaper box and find out what else is in the newspaper, doesn't it?

Yes, this is deeply disturbing and will be addressed.

And Angry Resident, you forgot your meds.

Angered Resident brings to mind the old George Carlin joke-

Terrorist threaten to blow up the world at 10 p.m.

Highlights at 11.

Cheers,

Bill

Clock Watcher...You should try being a calendar watcher. The bodies were found late Wednesday...That gave them oh about 22 hours to report on it. That was the frustrating thing about it, The Sinsentinel reported it very early Thursday, just mentioned two bodies and then buried it and didn't update until late last night. It deserved better coverage.

Sorry if I came across as in need of "meds". I rarely comment on here and I've never called the paper or the local news. But this one pissed me off. I'd rather do something about it rather than sit back and just bitch.

See even we sane ones (relatively) have our breaking points.

As usual, I agree with Give It A Rest.
Certainly, while this news may seem somewhat "disturbing" to Give It and me, I have every confidence Earl Maucker will boldly address the issue in his OP Ed Sunday column -- and that we will see how all this fits flawlessly in with the Tribune's bold new Transformative Change Initiative.
And as for Kathy Trumbull-Skipper, as attractive and imaginative manager highly skilled at thinking outside her box, I KNOW our girl Kathy has already lined up a dream job that will, as usual, have all of us green with envy.
Finally, why do all of you people hate Howard Greenberg so much?
Do I detect a bit of shameful anti-Semetism for a brilliant and loyal member of the Tribune Management Team?
Shame!

re: Angered resident

You do need meds! why all the anger and name calling just because the paper didn't play the story the way YOU wanted it?

the person in the newsroom probably acted like a 'royal bitch' because part of her jobs is to answer the phone and talk to know-it-all idiots like you every day.

just because two bodies were found doesn't mean that news outlets are able to automatically generate 1,000 word stories.

The bodies were found early Thursday morning. You can't write a comprehensive story until police release details along with the names of the victims.

Then it takes time to go out and find people who will talk. that's how it works in the news business

now go take your pills and STFU!

Sounds like I hit a nerve...

Zell will sell.

Re: Angered resident -

Shame on you.
It's Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanza!
Thank God we have a newspaper that understands its readers don't want to know about horrible murder-at-the-mall stuff at this Blessed Time of Year.
Besides, have you been to the Boca Mall lately?
It's lovely, what with all the music and Holiday Decrations celebrating at time of Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward People of God. So why would any one care more interested in the tragic murder of a poor child than all the Wonder and Beauty the people at the mall have created to share the Wonder and Joy of this Holy Season?
Please!
Concentrate on the Good and ignore the Bad.
Because Bad News is Bad for YOU, especially during this Special Season of Love and Hope at our beloved Town Center Mall!
So I say, God bless America and our caring Sun-Sentinel!
And Go Marlins in 2008!

Why not a nostalgic series on what it was like when Fort Lauderdale had a newspaper?

Missed in all this is that I live in Broward, and there was probably a 15-inch story on the Boca Mall killings in my local section.

To "Give It A Rest":

OK, it's time for you to tell us how this is a positive thing, how the Web site is booming and how great the S-S is.

C'mon, we're waiting.

Get off the Sun-Sentinel's back about the lame, slow news coverage of the double murder.

Remember, they're the Fort Lauderdale newspaper. And some of you people, including "Give It A Rest" excoriated someone for comparing the S-S's efforts to the Palm Beach Post's in Palm Beach County.

Does anyone know how the Post did on the story compared to the S-S?

Here's the problem with the S-S in Palm Beach County:

They have had two Metro editors and an acting Metro editor since about March 2006. So there's very little leadership continuity there.

At least three of their seven editors in Palm Beach County don't live in the county. So there's no investment in the community.

Compare that to the Post, where the vast majority of editors live in the communities that they cover.

Notice this line in Greenberg's memo? Maucker will help "develop products."

Jeff, Ray, Sr. VP/Editor Earl Maucker and I will be focusing aggressively on developing existing and new products to better serve the needs of our customers.

Heh. Develop products. This could be a memo from a company that makes toys or clothes or shoes -- not a company that's supposed to have the public interest and the public good at the heart of what it does.

Oh, wait, that would be a REAL newspaper!

The Daily Pulp reports that Skipper was "well liked"?

Right. Kind of in the way Stalin was. (I would know.. trust me, she wasn't)

The Sentinel always had a great site that made things work and focused on real things -- and executing them very well.

Then, that went away...

Now, once again, doing instead of pretending will be rewarded.

Before you laugh, realize that this marketing person will at least ensure the site lives up to what they are marketing it as... more so than someone who was known inside the company as a slick talker (with no web knowledge...)

When are newspapers going to learn that print people who talk a "good game" and invade online are actually what has gotten them into all this trouble to start with? (fakeness with no results and smooth talking... very much the disingenuous behavior the print side enables)

The Sentinel is wising up -- the first newspaper I have seen to do so.

Newspapers have got to learn that the print people who are spewing every web buzzword are NOT the people to put in charge of your site...

Go Sun-Sentinel!!

Live by the sword, die by the sword. Kathy Trumbull Skipper was hardly well-liked, except by management. She was an enforcer for the commercial interests of the paper, so c'est la vie.

Interesting. I followed the job hunt for this position and the affects after the appointment.

As someone who is outside the market, but uses the paper to follow one of the local sports teams, I have to say that I did not enjoy the changes made to layout, functionality and content. In the past few months I've found myself relying more and more on MiamiHerald.com.

hey peter arthurson, quit trying to start a war in the newsroom!

Paul Wall: Sure, buddy. Just as soon as you give me that list of "Florida Today rejects" you keep talking about.

I've been waiting.

How on Earth could I start a war in the newsroom?

If a comment on a message board on the Daily Pulp can "start a war in the newsroom" then you've got serious problems to start with...

I should be the least of them... How about trying to get readers to buy your product and just ignore comments on message boards?

No one has ever listened to mine before -- why are they now????

To "Give It A Rest":

You know who those people are. So do I. No point in bringing it up by name on the Internet.

But you don't need to ask. You most certianly know who I'm talking about.

So do tell how chopping people from the Internet side is indicative of the strong Web site and thriving company you keep telling us about.

Paul Wall:

No, you are mistaken. I don't know of any "Florida Today rejects." My guess is, since you still haven't answered my challenge to name them, that you don't either.

In answer to your question, I'd pose a question to you: Who said "people' were being chopped? One person. One executive who probably had very little to do with the day-to-day functions of the site. Overall, we'll probably hire more people for the Internet side.

What, are you advocating more executives and bureaucrats run the site?

I'm as disturbed as anyone about marketing running the site. But you clearly have no clue what the hell you're talking about. And you've proven that repeatedly. And I've already proven how strong the Web site is with the E&P statistics putting the Sun-Sentinel ahead of even the Miami Herald online.

You're out of your league, buddy.

People who work there have told me repeatedly that there is a hiring freeze on. Perhaps you should find out what's going on in your own building.

Scooped again Bob? Maybe now you can stop covering for Laura Seidman and report of the corruption you are aware of...

After a year and a half of seeming calm at one of the county's biggest government agencies, political infighting and accusations of wrongdoing have engulfed the leadership of the North Broward Hospital District.

One of the seven commissioners on the governing board has turned from supporter to outspoken critic of the hospital district's chief executive, and called for firing the general counsel.

And the name of one of Broward's most iconic homegrown celebrities, tennis legend Chris Evert, features prominently in the controversy.

Related links
Chaos erupted during part of one recent board meeting at the North Broward Hospital District, with raised voices and multiple people talking at the same time. Audio
Outside investigation into allegation of wrongdoing at the hospital district
The hospital district collects taxes and operates four public hospitals, including Broward General Medical Center, and dozens of other health facilities in the northern two-thirds of the county. Though its legal name is the North Broward Hospital District, the agency recently changed its brand name to Broward Health.

In recent months, Commissioner Rebecca Stoll has targeted Alan Levine, the district's president and chief executive, and Laura Seidman, the general counsel. Stoll said Levine has "misrepresented many facts to the board on critical votes. He also took several actions without board authority." She said Seidman's legal advice has led to mistakes on "many occasions."

Stoll's conclusion: "Everything in this place is upside down."

Some of her fellow commissioners said the problem is caused by Stoll, not Levine.

"We've been two months screwing around with this thing," Commissioner Dan Gordon said. "Alan's probably the best thing that's happened to this hospital district."

Her complaints prompted the board to vote, 4-3, in October for an investigation. The Miami law firm Rafferty, Stolzenberg, Gelles, Tenenholtz & Flynn found that "a few of Commissioner Stoll's concerns had some merit."

But it found no grounds for her serious allegations and concluded there was no malpractice, collusion, cover-up or malfeasance by Levine or Seidman.

The investigation, which lasted about six weeks, will cost taxpayers about $65,000. Board Chairman Miguel "Mike" Fernandez said the investigation was necessary.

"In my opinion, if we didn't do this, we'd have a cloud over the board and the CEO and the general counsel and I don't think you can operate a billion-dollar entity with a cloud — especially with the things that were said — over somebody's head."

Fernandez picked the law firm because it has no ties to the district.

Even though the report didn't find serious problems, Stoll said she felt vindicated. "I feel that I accomplished my goal by bringing this to everyone's attention. I felt that the report wasn't strong enough," she said. "I feel good about what I did."

Stoll paused before addressing whether she could work with Levine. "I want to do what's in the best interests of Broward Health," she said. "I can work with him. I do not have confidence in his leadership."

Many of Stoll's allegations stemmed from Levine's desire to find a big-name celebrity to raise money and create buzz for a possible $100 million children's hospital. District officials thought about trying to attract basketball superstar Shaquille O'Neal, and would like to craft an arrangement with former University of Florida and Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith.

Not on the list is Evert, whose name now appears on the marquee at the children's hospital located at Broward General.

Stoll said the way Levine and Seidman handled the Evert issue is what sparked her concerns. "It just went from bad to worse with him when I stumbled upon it," she said. "It was an absolute bombshell."

The law firm found Levine made a mistake that it termed minor when he told board members that the contract that named the children's hospital after Evert requires the district to pay her $100,000 a year. In fact, the district sponsors her charity tennis tournament at a cost of $95,000.

The report also cited two instances in which Seidman's legal advice could have been different, but said they resulted in no harm to the district.

Levine said he didn't know what caused the discord.

"Everything [was] going along fine until September," Levine said. That's when Stoll was elected chairwoman of the board for a one-month temporary term to fill a vacancy.

"Almost immediately things changed. I don't know the reason," he said, adding that Stoll began bombarding him with e-mail and demands for information. "Nobody that I know of can give me the answer . . . I can't explain it. I've never, ever had this happen to me before."

During the month she was chairwoman, Levine said he repeatedly asked to meet with Stoll to hear her concerns. He said she rebuffed his "dozens" of telephoned and e-mailed requests for a meeting. Stoll said she stepped up her scrutiny because she saw problems. "I just feel a tremendous responsibility to the taxpayers of Broward County to do the right thing. There's no ulterior motive."

Commissioner Robert Bernstein, a Levine supporter who voted against conducting the investigation, said its findings might prove useful even though it didn't uncover what was really behind the controversy. His explanation for the discord: "This is Broward County. Does anything surprise me? Nah. It doesn't."

Anthony Man can be reached at aman@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4550.

More articles

Paul Wall:

Within the last month or so, we hired a new editor (Sherman), reporter for the Pompano Beach beat (don't know her name) and a computer-assisted-reporting reporter(Mcneil). Add to that the fact that we're currently doing interviews for a demographics reporter.

I'll say this slowly: You're. out. of. the. fucking. loop.

Every time you open your mouth, you betray the fact that you have no clue whatsoever. Do us all a favor and keep it shut until you find one.

You live in Deerfield and North Broward?

Then check out "The Observer" on Thursdays, a free weekly newspaper that prints accurate news about the community.
Here is the link -
http://www.observernewspaperonline.com/observer.html

Besides, "The Observer" features the last standing Florida Film columnist,
me :)

Give It A Rest:

Several open positions are frozen in Palm Beach County.

Let me spell it for you: F-R-O-Z-E-N

I know because we're dying up here without them.

Paul Wall is right.

I cant believe Kathy Trumbull held on this long....she was the key female manager, that the ss needed so they can say they had female management. She was stone cold! She wont be missed I'm sure. She should of dropped the Trumbull name long ago, so her better half can move on :)

I can't believe that Angered Resident seriously expects a local TV station to engage in actual journalism. What has he been watching that would have given him such an expectation? Expecting real news coverage from a TV station is exactly like expecting a Republican officeholder to do something good for the people instead of the moneyed interests. It just doesn't happen, dude.

Palminator: I never said anything about Palm. In fact, I know nothing about the Palm bureau. I do know that Broward has hired at least three people in the past few weeks.

Let me spell it out for you: H-I-R-E-D. They weren't here two months ago. Now they're here. Working.

I even put two of their names in there. The third I don't know her name. What more do you want? W2s? Sunspot postings?

To say that the Sun-Sentinel is in some overall hiring freeze is false, regardless of what your experience in Palm is. Sherman, Mcneil and the new woman are proof.

Now, if you're arguing that we need more people overall, I'll say to you "hell yeah." Palm or otherwise, we're understaffed.