New Journal Sentinel editor George Stanley took questions from readers Tuesday during an online chat.

In such chats questions can be submitted in advance which gives the ‘chatter’ a chance to think up answers before replying, and they can pick and choose which questions to answer.  And while he didn’t answer my question about why there are no more movie reviews he did reply to a similar query.

The gist of his reply is that movie coverage is dead to the Journal Sentinel.

He explained that other papers have also dropped reviews, reviews are available nationally on aggregate websites and from reviewers in other cities working for papers whose editors see the wisdom of such coverage.

When he says “our local reviews were no longer well read,” the metric to which he is referring is likely on-line readership and not print, a medium the paper continues to de-emphasize.

He concludes with a convoluted bit of self-fulfilling prophecy:

“Guided by our philosophy of focusing on what we can provide better than other sources — and what we can offer that others can’t — we realized we would write fewer staff reviews of movies that didn’t have a strong Wisconsin connection. And without a consistent reviewer for all the movies, the star ratings lose their context.”

And by “fewer” he means none.

He did not explain the paper’s role with the Milwaukee Film Festival. Nor why the paper continues to print generic locally written synopses of films opening here. He does not address the issue of smaller movies opening here exclusively or after opening in other markets,at the Oriental or Downer Theaters. Nor does he consider that having a local reviewer makes reviews of films opening here local stories.

Below find the question and his response.

The entire chat can be found here. On April 1 Journal Communications is spinning off the broadcast and print arms into separate groups. The papers will become a new company called Journal Media Group.

Question: My wife and I love seeing movies out on the big screen. We really miss a local movie/TV critic helping guide our choices, especially that first Friday, when a movie first comes out. We love the big screen, a big bucket of popcorn and seeing the Indy/slice-of-life films shown at the Oriental or the Downer. With the cutbacks, and no critic, we are at a loss as even websites like Rotten Tomatoes, don’t offer enough input that first weekend a film screen. Although the rating system is not perfect, I miss the 1-4 star ratings providing some guidance. Could you please perhaps pick up, a syndicated critic and at least bring back the rating system for some guidance? Respectfully: Joe

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A: George Stanley – Hi Joe. This is one of those areas that has been affected by changing technology and changing practices of the movie industry. Many other regional metro newspapers have come to the same conclusion – that with crowd-sourced movie reviews like Rotten Tomatoes available via smart phone, as well as reviews by national critics in cities where the movies open earlier, our local reviews were no longer as well read. Guided by our philosophy of focusing on what we can provide better than other sources — and what we can offer that others can’t — we realized we would write fewer staff reviews of movies that didn’t have a strong Wisconsin connection. And without a consistent reviewer for all the movies, the star ratings lose their context. I know all our readers don’t agree with our choices, and I’m sorry about that. I hope that at least helps explain our thinking.

 

Tags: George Stanley, Journal Sentinel, movie reviews Posted March 17, 2015 by Duane Dudek