Back in Kinder, Gentler Days

Remember back to those halcyon days of January 1st when the local media attended the City Mayor's State of the City speech? They all expected fireworks and so had to be there to report it. In their view, there were no bombshells and no bad vibes. They all pronounced it a new era, one where Herenton was a nicer guy. Ahhhh...sweet memories.

Now, just seventeen days later, Herenton is deeper into it than he was after last year's flame-thrower. If you listen to the speech, he really wasn't as nice as the media tried to make it appear. He definitely takes some pointed shots. His remarks since then -- at luncheons, at City Council meetings, at State legislative meetings, in interviews -- dug deeper and news holes and have cast him in the starkest, most confrontative, light of his career.

The question now is, will all the fireworks and potshots fade out as the year moves along? Will we, by Spring, be told that fences have been mended, bouquets sent, hands shaken, backs slapped, and that all is well again? Will all this die down, again? Will private differences and animosities be papered over with false bonhommie in public? Will a local media that knows otherwise play along?

Now that Cameron Harper has kicked down the door, will the media step through? Can we finally see a new era in Memphis reporting, one that doesn't "go along to get along?" Whether Harper behaved appropriately for a journalist isn't relevant now. The deed has been done. Will local media keep up the pressure, or knuckle under to the Mayor's threats? Will they act horrified and return to the same old song and dance? (Current scorecard: WPTY/24 and WMC/5 covered the Harper/Herenton flap; WREG/3 and WHBQ/13 -- MIA. The Commercial Appeal? Small, inside-the-section article and some letters to the editor.)

You can now take a journey back to sweeter days thanks to the Mayor's website. His State of the City speech is now available online. (Once again, though, it must be noted that these are Windows Media versions only. Nothing in QT or Real or MP3 or other platform-independent formats. Shame!) It's in an audio-only version and low- and high-bandwidth video versions. Relive the golden past!