Comments on: Journalism for Elites http://citmedia.org/blog/2008/04/23/journalism-for-elites/ Tue, 02 Dec 2008 12:34:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Jon Garfunkel http://citmedia.org/blog/2008/04/23/journalism-for-elites/#comment-153114 Jon Garfunkel Thu, 24 Apr 2008 04:58:45 +0000 http://citmedia.org/blog/2008/04/23/journalism-for-elites/#comment-153114 With all due respect to Tom, the <i>Times</i> is not the <i>Daily Worker</i> (much as the right-wing would like to claim it is). If every headline were "The Rich Stay Healthy, and the Sick Stay Poor" (apologies to Bono, if he's reading), the paper would get pretty dull. United Healthcare has $19B in revenues-- slightly larger than Google. When they release their earnings, it makes sense for the business press to cover it. I <i>did</i> read the story, as well as the one <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/19/business/19unitedhealth.html" rel="nofollow">from October</a>. Then, CEO Stephen Helmsley "said the company had held firm on pricing in the commercial benefits market 'even at the cost of membership growth.'" It's not clear whether that's now seen as a mistake, the Times quoted Helmsley today: "We have not executed well and have not executed well over the last two years." (perhaps he was misquoted?) Also: <blockquote> Mr. Boorady said UnitedHealth had not been as receptive as it should be to outside ideas, saying executives were “tone deaf to their customers and their shareholders.” </blockquote> What <i>outside ideas</i>? Bearing in mind that online readers are less the army of the proletariat than we are idea mavens... With all due respect to Tom, the Times is not the Daily Worker (much as the right-wing would like to claim it is). If every headline were “The Rich Stay Healthy, and the Sick Stay Poor” (apologies to Bono, if he’s reading), the paper would get pretty dull.

United Healthcare has $19B in revenues– slightly larger than Google. When they release their earnings, it makes sense for the business press to cover it.

I did read the story, as well as the one from October. Then, CEO Stephen Helmsley “said the company had held firm on pricing in the commercial benefits market ‘even at the cost of membership growth.’”

It’s not clear whether that’s now seen as a mistake, the Times quoted Helmsley today: “We have not executed well and have not executed well over the last two years.”

(perhaps he was misquoted?) Also:

Mr. Boorady said UnitedHealth had not been as receptive as it should be to outside ideas, saying executives were “tone deaf to their customers and their shareholders.”

What outside ideas? Bearing in mind that online readers are less the army of the proletariat than we are idea mavens…

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