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Tom Honig

Tom Honig is the former editor of the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

Recent Activity

What if community newspapers committed to quality? Here’s one that tried

By TOM HONIG Back in what now seems like the heyday of newspapers — like the 1990s — journalists like me would sound off about the future of the business, and we would generally argue that as long as we kept doing good work, a successful future was guaranteed. It... Continue reading

Posted Oct 31, 2019 at Santa Cruz Observer

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Loss of small newspapers and the vainglorious national presidential campaign

By TOM HONIG The loss of meaningful local journalism continues across the country, and at the same time the presidential campaign has taken on the look of a reality television show. The two are related. For years, as a reporter and editor at the Santa Cruz Sentinel, I noticed that... Continue reading

Posted Aug 4, 2019 at Santa Cruz Observer

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What Starbucks is saying about newspapers -- but not everyone agrees

By TOM HONIG One of my favorite wall posters from years ago was a picture of the San Francisco Chronicle and a mug of coffee with the caption "Caen and Coffee." Everyone in the greater Bay Area knew what that meant -- an interlude with the great Chronicle columnist Herb... Continue reading

Posted Jul 29, 2019 at Santa Cruz Observer

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Robert Mueller wasn't made for the video-clip era

The absence of an electrifying Washington moment in Wednesday’s two-stage testimony by (Robert) Mueller not only deprived Democrats of the crystallizing episode they needed to drive public opinion on impeachment, but it also meant Republicans had no reason to budge from their anti-impeachment stance. -- Carl Hulse, The New York... Continue reading

Posted Jul 25, 2019 at Santa Cruz Observer

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I decided to take a break from commentary because of all the noise. In five years, things have only gotten worse

By TOM HONIG This tiny corner of the blogosphere has been quiet since April of 2014. I had decided that the din from social media and from cable television had drowned out the world of independent commentary, the kind in which the reader might not be able to predict what... Continue reading

Posted Jul 24, 2019 at Santa Cruz Observer

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What's the down side of high-speed media?

By TOM HONIG Looking over my previous post about the demise of daily journalism, it would be easy to infer that I was somehow enjoying it. Just the opposite. The daily news cycle was -- and is -- an effective way to stay informed. It's speedy enough to satisfy the... Continue reading

Posted Apr 3, 2014 at Santa Cruz Observer

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'What we have here is the demise of daily journalism'

By TOM HONIG I have this mental image of a guy who looks like Dick Cheney in a plush, walnut-lined meeting room, telling his people: "Gentlemen, what we have here is the demise of daily journalism." This slow death is playing out locally. Word has leaked out from Santa Cruz... Continue reading

Posted Apr 2, 2014 at Santa Cruz Observer

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A former print editor looks at the news

By TOM HONIG This morning I made my usual journey through the day's news -- reaching for the iPad while still in bed, nosing my way through Google news, Politico, the latest stock prices and the like. Not an unusual morning for most of us -- us ADD news consumers... Continue reading

Posted Mar 20, 2014 at Santa Cruz Observer

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Bezos a white knight? Don't count on it

By TOM HONIG I was at a journalism conference in 1999 or so when somebody in the audience asked a Los Angeles Times panelist why the Times had expanded into the online world and exactly what The Times had planned. His answer was pretty good: "It's just like when you... Continue reading

Posted Aug 8, 2013 at Santa Cruz Observer

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For Weiner, Sanford and Spitzer, is the goal public service or the lure of political power?

By TOM HONIG Public service is an honorable calling, but for some, it's more about their own ego and the ambitious pursuit of power. How else can you explain Anthony Weiner, Elliot Spitzer and Mark Sanford? Sanford fell into disgrace with his infamous romantic journey to Argentina. Spitzer -- Mr.... Continue reading

Posted Jul 25, 2013 at Santa Cruz Observer

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Wanted: University president. No experience necessary, self-starter preferred

By TOM HONIG I think I would have been a great choice for the job of president of the University of California. I met Clark Kerr once, and I've interviewed most of the chancellors to serve at UC Santa Cruz. I attended at UC campus (Santa Barbara,) which is more... Continue reading

Posted Jul 19, 2013 at Santa Cruz Observer

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Do you think the desalination debate is about water? For the opponents, it's not

By TOM HONIG Those of us who think that Santa Cruz County has a water crisis are witnessing a frustrating political fight over a proposed desalination plant. What's frustrating is that the two sides aren't fighting over the same thing. The pro-desal people see it this way: "We're worried that... Continue reading

Posted Jul 18, 2013 at Santa Cruz Observer

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Diagnosis of a disease

I have never begun a piece of writing with such misgivings. (Yes, that's basically the opening line from Somerset Maugham's "The Razor's Edge," but it applies here.) A year ago, I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. So far, the impact has been slight -- a stiff shoulder and a shaky... Continue reading

Posted Mar 13, 2013 at Santa Cruz Observer

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Thanks for noticing, Brian.

Commented Mar 7, 2013 on Why the Santa Cruz community owes so much to local law enforcement at Santa Cruz Observer

Why the Santa Cruz community owes so much to local law enforcement

By TOM HONIG The tragedy of last week's shooting of two Santa Cruz police officers has resulted in an unprecedented level of community support, emotional outpouring and media coverage, but one aspect of the episode has gone unnoticed: the superior performance of local law enforcement that prevented the violence from... Continue reading

Posted Mar 6, 2013 at Santa Cruz Observer

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Beware of smart media stars who are sure of their opinions

One of the great qualities of the best journalists is that they're not sure of anything. That's the main reason they get their butts out of their chair and actually go talk to somebody. My God, sometimes they even talk to somebody different from themselves, someone who views the world... Continue reading

Posted Feb 20, 2013 at Santa Cruz Observer

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Selfish. Always have been; always will be

By TOM HONIG I've written the same thing so many times that it keeps me from updating this blog very often. But with the new year -- hey -- why not? Don't blame the politicians. Even those who serve in the sideshow otherwise known as the U.S. House of Representatives.... Continue reading

Posted Jan 3, 2013 at Santa Cruz Observer

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A skeptic and the private ballot

By TOM HONIG I'm on my way to vote, and figure that Election Day is as good a time as any to rejuvenate this oft-moribund blog. After a quick check of Twitter and Facebook, I figure I might be one of the few who have no interest whatsoever in urging... Continue reading

Posted Nov 6, 2012 at Santa Cruz Observer

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Wanted: political experience at the local level

By TOM HONIG I ran into U.S. Rep. Sam Farr at a Denny's in Marina the other day (when I got into journalism I imagined dinners with important politicians at three-star restaurants .... oh well) and of course the discussion turned to election season. I've been ignoring the campaign it... Continue reading

Posted Oct 10, 2012 at Santa Cruz Observer

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Change and Santa Cruz politics

By TOM HONIG I was just putting the finishing touches on a post about the Santa Cruz Warriors deal and how it suggests a real change in Santa Cruz politics when more evidence of that came across the transom in the form of the Sentinel reporter Jason Hoppin's penetrating look... Continue reading

Posted Sep 19, 2012 at Santa Cruz Observer

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Oh, those miserable attack ads

One of the blessings of living in California is that the presidential race will not be close -- it's safely in the hands of President Barack Obama. No, that's not an endorsement. Rather, I'm just commenting on how we'll be spared the spectacle of all those attack ads on television.... Continue reading

Posted Aug 9, 2012 at Santa Cruz Observer

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The best minor-league city in America?

By TOM HONIG Is anyone else around Santa Cruz as surprised (and as pleased) as I am that a professional sports team is coming to town? The arrival of the Santa Cruz Warriors minor-league basketball franchise is due at its Front Street location Dec. 23 -- an unbelievable seven-month turnaround... Continue reading

Posted Aug 2, 2012 at Santa Cruz Observer

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New center a huge addition for Santa Cruz and for the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary

By TOM HONIG When President George H.W. Bush designated a huge area of California coastal waters are the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary back in 1992, no one really knew exactly how the designation would impact life here. Actually, one important impact was known immediately: a ban on offshoroe oil... Continue reading

Posted Jul 26, 2012 at Santa Cruz Observer

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Back by (semi)-popular demand

I've received a few comments and an occasional e-mail wondering whether this website is being retired. I considered it, but I'm now rededicating efforts to keep the "lightly opinionated" site going. Where has it been? Well, I've got to blame someone or something other than myself, so I'm going to... Continue reading

Posted Jul 23, 2012 at Santa Cruz Observer

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Good for business AND for the environment?

Second in a series By TOM HONIG One of the most frustrating aspects of life in Santa Cruz is how strident public discussions can become. I've always wondering why -- in a small and relatively homogenous community -- differing opinions can get some people so damn mad. Maybe it's actually... Continue reading

Posted May 25, 2012 at Santa Cruz Observer

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