SCOTT STEEPLETON - BETTER THAN AVERAGE

The Average Man cancelled his Santa Barbara News-Press subscription some time ago (as should you). I'm also approaching 40, so I jog every morning in a futile attempt to ward off the aging process. This is relevant only because I run by several newspaper stands, and I can't help but take a glace at what I haven't been missing in the NP. Sometimes it's a challenge due to all of the graffiti -- which I'm sure is the union's doing -- but I can usually get the gist of the front page articles.

Anyway, there have been a number of things written (much of it by Craig Smith) about the lack of local content and the lack of news reporters, but I haven't noticed too much being said about the fact that Associate Editor Scott Steepleton is writing half of the minimal local stories we do see. This was especially apparent today when TWO of the front page articles at the top of the paper were written by him. Now, I won't actually buy the paper to do any further research, but it is my understanding that what he does write tends to be a measly couple of paragraphs. That in and of itself is an issue, but isn't it a bigger problem that the person in charge of the newsroom is acting as a daily reporter? I did a quick Google search for the job description of an Associate Editor, and I came up with this. I'm no journalist, but this seems like a great deal of reponsibilty and wouldn't leave much time for writing.

I'm sure his recent passion for reporting is the result of Wendy McCaw demanding more local content (in response to the blogger criticisms), but of course, there isn't anyone to do it. I guess you go to war with the army you have, not the army you want. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, however, I thought I would provide other reasons why he might be so prolific lately:

10) Wants to prove he's more talented than Jerry Roberts
9) More opportunities not to quote Marty Blum
8) Hoping to accidentally write something biased so he can fire himself
7) Upset that editors don't get to leave the building (it's kind of depressing in there)
6) Trying desperately to get someone to talk about the tree controversy on State Street
5) Writing helps him tune out all those freakin protestors outside
4) Other reporters too scared to print the addresses for union sympathizers
3) Worried that his editor skills will be a minus for future employment
2) Still trying to find the perfect words to describe that horrible "Stormtrooper March" he had to endure
1) Wants to be the ghost writer for Dr. Laura's next book, The Care and Feeding of Physiologists

Well, I better go out to the mail and pickup my "Cease And Desist" letter.