Friday, May 15, 2015

How Berlin Rosen Comprised Journalism







As More Reporters Leave for PR, News Content Produced by Many of Those Left Has Become More Accepting of the Press Releases A Growing Cancer of Quality Journalism 











We Know Pols Become PR Lobbyists  * Daily News reporter busted for $12K in unpaid tolls (NYP)  A longtime Daily News sportswriter was busted Thursday on the Jersey side of the Lincoln Tunnel for allegedly having more than $12,300 in unpaid tolls and penalties, authorities said.  Julian Garcia, 42, of Montville, NJ, was pulled over at around 5:30 p.m. — allegedly after trying to blow through another toll.



NY1's Louis Concerned That Lobbyist Have Manipulated and Comprised Journalism
On Inside City Hall host Errol Louis in a discussion of the stations report on Berlin Rosen admitted that he was surprised at the reach of Berlin Rosen. He expressed concern that advocates that use the media might not be independent.  He said he was shocked to lean that the Coalition for the Homeless which was blaming Cuomo for the increase the city's homeless hired Berlin Rosen as its consultant.  Louis on NY1: "Last week when I interviewed the coalition for the homeless, I did not know they were a Berlin Rosen client. The report (the coalitions issued) goes out of their way to blame everyone but the mayor for the record high homelessness in the city.  They talked (blamed) the governor and (blamed) at length the last past mayor.   When I realized they were a client, I realized this is a problem not just for transparency and private sector clients not being registered lobbyist . . . this works both ways. Maybe we got advocates who are not independent advocates."  NY1 Online: Reporters Weigh In on BerlinRosen's Influence onCity Hall


..

The Columbia Journalism investigation of Rolling Stone was one article in one publication.  The Berlin Rosen political spin that blamed Cuomo for the city's homeless increase effected all of New York's newspapers and almost all of the media outlets. NY1 journalist Errol Louis believes that Berlin Rosen has manipulated and comprised journalism. What Berlin Rosen did was get a homeless non-profit they controlled to issues a report blaming Cuomo for the increase in homelessness in the city.
The non-profit Coalition for the Homeless was run by the son-in-law for a client of Berlin Rosen, Forest City Ratner. The report even praised the mayor who Berlin Rosen works for, despite the fact that the 10% increase in homelessness has come under de Blasio's term. The reason that True News is asking Steve Coll Dean of the Columbia School of Journalism to investigate the influence of lobbyists on the NYC news media, goes way beyond using the homeless as a political football.  Many activists in the city believe that the 421-a tax breaks are causing the increase in homelessness in the city.  Berlin Rosen client Forest City Ratner is counting on that tax break program to help them fund and sell the luxury housing they are currently building in Brooklyn.  True News is asking the Columbia School of Journalism to investigate if Berlin Rosen blame of Cuomo of the growing homeless problem was covering-up the real reason for the increase in homelessness the 421-a tax break program. It is not only the homeless that the 421-a program is hurting.  Thousand of New York's poor and middle class have been pushed out of communities by gentrification, which is being caused or fueled by the 421-a program.  The tax break program is even at the center of the corruption charges against former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. The New York Times reporter wrote about how lobbyists control a shadow government.  There is now proof that the lobbyist shadow government control and manipulates the news media.  It is up to the Columbia School of Journalism to restore democracy and a free press to the people of New York City.  The Top media outlets in the city were mislead by Berlin Rosen Cuomo and de Blasio Clash Again, This Time Over Homelessness (NYT, March 25th), *Miley Cyrus urges Andrew Cuomo and state Legislature to boost funds for homeless (NYDN, March 19th), Democrats nudge Cuomo on homeless youthfunding (YNN)  True News: It is Time for Columbia Journalism School to Investigate the Control Over News That Lobbyists Like Berlin Rosen Have in NY

Mayor's Unregistered Lobbyists Berlin Rosen Used the Media to Blame Cuomo for Increased Homelessness
NY1's Louis interviewed Patrick Markee, deputy executive director for advocacy at the Coalition for the Homeless on March 26th.  In the interview Markee blamed Cuomo and Bloomberg for the increase in the city's Homeless.  When Markee offered that de Blasio plan would decrease homeless in the coming year, Louis asked him why his report did not blame the mayor also for increasing homeless. In a period of 5 days starting on March 19th the media acted as a court stenographer for Berlin Rosen and their main client de Blasio on blaming Cuomo for the homeless increase.  *Coalition for the Homeless Demands More from Cuomo ...(NYO, March 19th) * State Budget Expected to Provide Relief for Homeless, but Advocates Say It's Still Not Enough
Is the City's 421-a Housing Policy Causing an Increase in Gentrification Causing More Homelessness? 
Senate Democrats Nudge Cuomo On Homeless Youth ...(YNN, March 19th) * Miley Cyrus asks Gov. Cuomo to boost funds for homeless ...)syracuse.com, March 19th) *  De Blasio Slams Cuomo Homelessness Proposals (ObserverMarch 25th) *Cuomo and de Blasio Clash Again, This Time Over Homelessness (NYT, March 25th) Mr. de Blasio’s homeless services commissioner, Gilbert Taylor, told the Council that the administration was going to lobby officials in Albany this week about the rent subsidy issue (for the homeless) * Miley Cyrus urges Andrew Cuomo and state Legislature to boost funds for homeless (NYDN, March 19th) * #MileyCyrus appealing to #Cuomo for more funds. Housing Homeless Youth Poses Challenge for Mayor deBlasio (NYT)  * Ambitious Call for De Blasio, Cuomo to Build Supportive Housing (City Limits, March 25th) * Senate Democrats nudge Cuomo on homeless youthfunding (YNN)  *Activists and politicians laid out an aggressive nine-point plan they say de Blasio and Gov. Andrew Cuomo could implement to stem the growing homeless population by the decade’s end, the Observer reports * State Budget Expected to Provide Relief for Homeless, but Advocates Say It's Still Not Enough (NY1) *On Homeless Fight, State Says to City: 'Next Year' - Bergin WNYC 
When is A Reporter Going to Ask A Pol What is Causing the Increase in Homelessness?
Speaker Blames New Yorkers for Not Allowing Homeless in Their Neighborhoods
New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito called for more supportive housing to tackle the “alarming” homelessness crisis, and slammed local resistance to shelters, the Daily News writes: * NYC Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito called for more supportive housing to tackle the city’s “alarming and truly heartbreaking” homelessness crisis, and slammed “NIMBYism” from New Yorkers who have resisted sheltering the poor in their neighborhoods. * Board members at two Brooklyn charities — including a former makeup artist for Oprah Winfrey — kicked homeless and low-income families out of two brownstones so they could sell the buildings for a bundle, AG Eric Schneiderman’s office alleged.
Why Did NY1 Who Help Create the Lobbyists Shadow Government in NYC Only 
Turn Against Berlin Rosen?
The City Blames Cuomo While It Builds Luxury HQ for Its Homeless Agency
Will de Blasio Fire Homeless Commission Gilbert Talyor?
Will Columbia Deans Coronel and Coll Investigate Berlin Rosen Control of the Media?
Homeless agency spends $600K on office upgrades as families live with vermin: report (NYP) The agency that looks after the city’s neediest is blowing through cash for its own digs like LeBron James furnishing his next mansion. The Department of Homeless Services, which was recently blasted over squalid conditions at dozens of shelters, spent $600,000 beautifying its offices, according to a report Monday. The lavish expenditures included two 75-inch Samsung 3-D TVs that cost $3,297.99 each — even after a $500 rebate. DHS also bought 11 28-inch Samsung LED TVs for $308 each and another dozen 19-inch Samsung models that cost $174.14 a pop, according to DNAinfo, which first reported the upgrades. Other pricey electronics included 13 Apple iPad Air tablets with 32GB of memory, and 30 iPad Airs with 16GB of memory. The portable computers retail for $449 and $399, respectively. The agency also spared no expense on seat comfort — dropping $429 apiece on 16 Air Grid office chairs with headrests. n all, the department spent $90,000 on high-tech gear and furniture for its offices at 33 Beaver St.  That’s on top of $171,000 to create additional offices at the Financial District building, and $150,000 on a paint job for the seven floors the department occupies.
Will the CUNY School of Journalism Show Some Social Responsibility and Investigate Berlin Rosen Control on the NYC's News Media?
Last month, the city Department of Investigation issued a scathing report that exposed what Commissioner Mark Peters called “perilous” conditions at 25 shelters housing thousands of destitute families.The report revealed 621 violations of building and fire-safety codes, as well as vermin infestations — including hordes of roaches and a smelly, decaying rat corpse— and garbage littering the hallways and stairs. At one of the worst shelters, the Brooklyn Acacia Cluster in Brownsville — where investigators found one elevator broken, and the other fouled with a large puddle of urine — residents were outraged at the DHS spending. “When we moved in, they gave us a broken bed, a broken dresser, one chest that has two of the drawers broken,” said Denise Annisa, 49, a mother of five whose previous apartment was destroyed by fire. “We’ve requested new stuff, but we haven’t gotten anything. It’s been over a year.” DHS said it was “ramping up its efforts to curb an unprecedented homelessness crisis.” “This includes adding 154 new staff members to keep families at the brink of homelessness in their homes, and help people in shelter transition back to permanent housing, and upgrading old facilities to accommodate this new staff and operation,” the DHS statement added.positioning


Berlin Rosen Black Box Blame Cuomo Homeless Operation as Ratner Creates More Homeless by Gentrification   

Patrick Markee of the Coalition for the Homeless Who Hired Berlin Rosen, Who Bashed Cuomo Praised de Blasio is Married to Ratner's Daughter
When NY1's Louis interviewed Patrick Markee, head of the Coalition for the Homeless he did no know that Berlin Rosen worked for them. Unregulated Berlin Rosen Will Lead to Foreign Control of New York's Government - A Silent Coup d'etat * The Atlantic Yards CBA promised a path to union apprenticeships. Instead, BUILD's coveted program provoked a bitter lawsuit.(AYR)




Ratner, de Blasio and Berlin Rosen Created Gentrification in Prospect Heights and Not They Blame Cuomo for the Homeless
On NY1, reporters sift through BerlinRosen suspicion; a look back at how firm massaged Ratner's bailout of ACORN(AYR) Unmentioned  (in news reports) but a clear example is Berlin Rosen's tri-partite work for ACORN, Forest City Ratner, and Mayor Bill de Blasio, all allies on Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park. . . Louis himself acknowledged some doubts, saying that it was "startling" that, in his interview with Patrick Markee of the Coalition for the Homeless--also a Berlin Rosen client--"they seemed to go out of the way to blame record high homelessness on everybody but the mayor.... Maybe we've got advocates who are not quite the independent advocates we're used to seeing." (Note: Markee is marriedto journalist Lizzy Ratner, a daughter of Bruce Ratner.)  . . .  It's good that Louis is skeptical, but keep in mind that he now occupies a more neutral position than he did when he wrote a column for the Daily News. In May 2006, as I wrote, a column about neighborhood support for Atlantic Yards failed to mention how three of the five people mentioned were associated with signatories to the Atlantic Yards Community Benefits Agreement.

No comments:

Post a Comment