Peter May is leaving the Globe

[TradeProposalDude]

Remember his anti-Ricky Davis works that got most Celtics fans's underwear in a bunch? How did the Ricky Davis experiment work out?

[CoachBo]

Those who predict the death of newspapers make me laugh. It's nothing more than right-wing urban legend fed by television talking dogs who are a) wrong, and b) pretty inept in their own reporting.

Here are the facts: Newspapers will be around long after we are all gone, as multi-media corporations with print and Internet products. Hate to disappoint some of you who don't understand the industry, but Internet revenues are skyrocketing across the nation.

As for the current predicament, many large urban newspapers are suffering under the loss of real estate ad revenue, thanks to the predatory lending predicament that grew out of a badly-underregulated industry. The industry is merely adjusting to that problem, as it has adjusted to economic recessions since time immemorial. Newspapers will be back, stronger than ever. Many industry analysts believe the industry's return to prosperity will begin around 1.20.09.

[ConnerHenry]

Yes, the newspaper industry may be struggling right now, but it will rise again. I work in Television and still hear the stories about how cable, TiVO, movies, video iPods and videogames are making the industry irrelevant. And for a few years, TV was abominally bad. The business took a look at itself, made some changes that the public wanted and came back with a vengeance. Some would argue that the past couple years has been a golden age for television.

The same argument could made about the retail business -- remember when Highland and Circuit City came to New England and killed of Lechmere? Now Circuit City might be bought out by Blockbuster, who is also facing death as a company.

The newspaper industry has been dramatically impacted by the internet and the "category killer websites" (ESPN, CNN, etc.)The industry can choose to respond by cutting back completely or by reinventing itself. As someone who lived for the Sunday Globe as a kid (Gammons, McDonough, Ryan, Montville...) I can honestly say that the quality of reporting (storytelling, analysis, insider info) has tailed off dramatically. When I read Peter May, I just don't learn anything I didn't already know. Felt the same way about Borges, too. Shaughnessy has become the very thing he always railed against ("the negative idiots of talk radio..."), to the extent that I have completely tuned him out. Ryan can still write, but where's the new voices?

Goodbye to the crankiness of Peter May, goodbye to the articles that always let me know that Peter thought he knew more about the sport than I did, goodbye to the same viewpoint on a sport that has evolved tremendously over the past decade. I wish him the best of luck and hope that his passion for writing is rekindled, the same passion that seemed so promising when he first started writing about basketball years ago.

I welcome and look forward to the Marc Spears years. I have enjoyed his columns and blog articles so far and am interested in what he has to say.

[CoachBo]

It's a performance business, and more often than not downturns are used to weed out under-performers - which May might well be, given his lack of relevance, IMHO.

Bottom line is the damage done to the American economy - retail, big ticket items, homes, etc - is responsible for 95 percent of what ails the industry. The economy won't stay down long after the election, so the life span of the downturn is five to 10 months, IMHO.

[jaketwice]

In homage to the departing Peter May: I wasn't always as big a basketball fan as I am today. For the casual fan, his columns seemed enlightening, and insightful.

Nowadays, it seems, the internet has given people the capacity to become expert on what interests them. May's expertise just isn't as relevant as it once was. Though he was pretty well connected. We've all had some interesting discussions about his "Notes" column.

He also had some great colloquialisms: "old friend ..." was a good one.

[mainevent]

Its already a great day and the Celtics haven't even won yet.  The Globe, like many of the major newspapers, are dying a slow and painful death that nobody is sorry to see.  Could CHB be next?  Please?

i know you mean nothing mean about your comment, but my wife is a graphic designer for the tampa tribune newspaper and the paper is suffering now and MANY people are losing their jobs, or in danger of losing their jobs.  we have an offer on a home right now (our first ever chance to buy a home) and we have to make some tough decisions right now because we don't know what the future holds.  it's a VERY scary time for us right now.

so please, bear in mind that your "great day" is a potential tragedy for a family like mine with 4 kids, and who depends on my wife's income and insurance benefits to survive.

Reminds me of the last season of The Wire and its focus on newspapers.

Print media is being left behind with the paradigm **** to online media.

By the way, I have "The Wire" for sale....all 5 seasons!!! Message me if interested.

[kenmaine]

Good!!! 
 He had an strange(for a Boston writer) anti-Celtic bias the last few years and I don't know or care if it was personal with someone or not, and his columns sucked and seemed to be mostly "compilations" from  other sources.
He should be remembered for one of the all-time dumbest columms ever this past summer of fall. In writing about the players of note who were moved in the offseason, he included Darko but not Al Jefferson. You can't be much more out of touch than that!
As for news media, I'm sort of an old-timer but I don't read the paper much anymore. Only the Sunday paper and even then, not every week.

[Birdbrain]

FYI the economy has very little to do with who is President.  Of course the media would probably have you believe that. So in the end the are killing themselves like mentioned earlier.   

[Mr October]

Its already a great day and the Celtics haven't even won yet.  The Globe, like many of the major newspapers, are dying a slow and painful death that nobody is sorry to see.  Could CHB be next?  Please?

Lots of people are affected by dwindling print media numbers. Think twice before you post another mindless comment.

I concur -- I hate to see what is happening at the Globe.  As a long time subscriber and an avid news buff, it saddens me to see what is happening to local dailies and the local news outlets.

Shaunessey & Ryan are the only two left and they are getting up there.  It's a shame.

Don't forget about Jackie MacMullen. I used to love reading her Sunday notes (before she left for SI and was replaced by Peter May). It would rock if shoe wrote some more NBA columns again!

[Mr October]

I don't like Peter May at all, and I can't say that I'm all that sorry to see him go.  He's been mailing his columns in for years now, and he's shown a penchant for both being bitter and factually inaccurate.  The guy just wasn't very good at his job lately (due to sheer laziness, since he has plenty of writing ability), and despite putting out a better product this year, this is a move long overdue.

I'm curious as to whether this was purely a financial decision by the Globe, or whether there's a performance-based and/or behind-the-scenes aspect to the story.

I must agree. He did quite well for the first few years that he replaced Jackie MacMullen. But then he seamed to become bored, disinterested, and out-dated (like dropping references to music and movies that are always AT LEAST 10 years old. He even seamed bored this year!! 

Marc Spears on the other hand. Great enthusiasm and effort!! And even though Ryan and Shaugnessy are very excentric, and go too far with their opions, they can do a good job. And then Jackie's my favorite since Will McDonnough.

[sns0274]

FYI the economy has very little to do with who is President.  Of course the media would probably have you believe that. So in the end the are killing themselves like mentioned earlier.   

Which in essence is why print media is going the way it is. They take actual news and project their personal spin into it, then present it as fact.

[CoachBo]

FYI the economy has very little to do with who is President.  Of course the media would probably have you believe that. So in the end the are killing themselves like mentioned earlier.   

Which in essence is why print media is going the way it is. They take actual news and project their personal spin into it, then present it as fact.

If the two of you believe that the policies of the current administration have nothing to do with the current economic malaise, then you really need to pay more attention to what's going on around you. Economists on both sides of the aisle - plus most Americans - know better.

As for the illegitimate criticisms of the media you offer, let me offer one that is legitimate: The media, both print and otherwise, have failed abysmally in picking up on a shift in their consumers. Americans no longer want to be informed. They want to be affirmed, to be told that what they believe is correct. Hence the success of Fox News.

Eventually, that will evolve back to a more open-minded, intellectual news consumer, both at the print and television levels. But as for now, being right is more important to Americans than being informed or weighing facts. This thread illustrates that.

[Birdbrain]

Sure they do Coach.  Sure they do.  Keep telling yourself everything will 'Change' come election time.   Like I mentioned earlier this is the reason they are going away. 

The price of oil will drop for no other reason then we have new President?  I have a bridge for sale anyone interested?

[Donoghus]

Do not turn this into a political thread.  Back on topic, please.  This thread concerns Peter May and should not lend itself for discussion into the current political and economic climate.
-Dons

[ShakeNBake]

Thank you Globe.  Peter May was a horrible read when the C's were horrible, and he was even worse on tv.  Now that we have a winner, The Globe woke up.  I just might buy The Boston Globe now.  Pretty sad considering I use to work for the Globe, and consider it a better paper to the Herald.  I just didn't enjoy the crap Peter May put on paper about my C's.  The new guy seems pretty good so far.