Once more, slowly

For the benefit of today's reporters and editors
Things are getting worse for the carriage horses of New York City, and a collective apathy among those in the news media isn't helping.

It's been nearly a year since city Comptroller William C. Thompson released an audit that detailed a litany of problems within the carriage industry and a series of tactical failures among the organizations that would regulate it.

Little has changed, and reform won't be likely, given the obvious conflict of interest that stands in the way. The woman whose fingerprints are all over this is Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Linda Gibbs, whose department is responsible for oversight of the carriage industry. Ms. Gibbs has strong and numerous family ties to carriage industry lobbyists, a circumstance that represents an obvious conflict of interest. This is being investigated by the Conflict of Interest Board.

How long will the real story of New York City's carriage horses be ignored by the news media? Showbiz gossip reigns supreme, apparently. This is the era of Brangelina and Britney. Right? "All the news that's fit to print" has become "All the entertainment news that fits!" Reporters (journalists?) now apparently get away with merely editorializing and publishing news releases that have been provided by those paid to represent business interests. It's kind of embarrassing. Who needs a newspaper? I'll just read PR Newswire.
What Does the City Audit Say