Maine's crack gumshoes on the case

By Ted Cohen/The Maine Wire

‘Crack’ Investigative Teams At Maine’s Biggest Newspapers Take Hold - But Of What, Exactly?

The new-and-improved versions of what was always basic journalism are now on sale at your favorite local constabularies.

The Bangor Daily Snooze just announced a new, crack team of journalists to … cover the news.

Ayuh.

Bangor’s crack at breaking news comes in the wake - no pun intended - of a similar creation at the Portland Press Herald.

So rest easy - northern and southern Maine’s muckrakers have you covered.

But with what, exactly, is the real question?

Bangor published a piece saying that it's forming a search-and-destroy team comprised of staffers Michael Shepherd and Callie Ferguson.

“We’re so excited for Mike and Callie, who are two of Maine’s smartest and most respected journalists,” Executive Editor Dan MacLeod said. “They’ve broken some of the biggest and most impactful stories in the state for the better part of the last decade. Their well deserved promotions underscore the BDN’s dedication to investigative journalism that upholds our civic mission.”

A similar BYOC (Bring Your Own Cake) announcement came recently from the crack team at the Maine Trust For Local Snooze, where journalism otherwise has gone to die.

Eric Russell, John Terhune and Dylan Tusinski proudly accepted the assignment at the Press Herald, where editor Carolyn Foxhole fell over herself making the announcement.

“The goal of this team will be to cover the stories that matter most to the residents of Maine, including unraveling complicated issues, highlighting change and following up on the biggest news of the day,” said Executive Editor Fox.

Wait, isn't that the definition of good old-fashioned gumshoeing?

Fox is calling it a “Strike Team,” which may refer to what might occur at the state's largest rag if management tries to cut more money from the news budget.

The bosses recently issued pink slips to 50 employees after the company reportedly lost a half million dollars last year.

(Sorry about the pink. That's the time-honored color of notice that “you're fired!”

(However, in homage to the woke crowd, we can now announce that the color of the slip is now a rainbow.)

Gentlemen (and lady) start your engines! Go see if you can beat The Maine Wire, which editor-in-chief Steve Robinson proudly calls “Maine’s fastest growing news and investigative reporting outlet.”

Maybe the first assignment that the new strike and crack teams at Maine’s biggest papers can tackle is why both publications have ignored being paid gobs of taxpayer money to publish news favorable to the administration of Democrat Gov. Janet Mills?

Crickets…