Retire while you still have somewhere to retire from. Post-Star is just about dead. Lee Enterprises should donate what’s left to a local organization that can at least carry on the web site.
I'm not sure if this was said tongue in cheek or with bitterness but this is actually probably the only way to save it. I suspect local newspapers in most of the country are going to have to become not for profits and align with philanthropy or public service organizations (ie: Report for Amerca, Pro Publica) in order to survive. It's clear they have no chance of surviving in any meaningful fashion under the thumb of the big chains.
Not joking. These McPapers don’t really have much brand value left but do have societal value. I guess the corporations are clinging on to these papers for the obits and legals and the 1000 or so people who will never cancel a subscription. But it’s over. Time to use the brand to just turn it into a free paper you pick up in supermarket vestibules or donate it for a write-off.
Which goes to my point about how local newspapers should evolve into the independent, not for profit model focused entirely on local journalism.
Chains will always cut local reporters first because the generic wire stuff can be shared among properties. But that's the stuff the consumer in 2023 is least interested in because they can get it for free so many other places.
Chains aren't going to give up these properties without trying to recoup some of the debt. New organizations have to be formed along this model.
I went up north last month and picked up the Courier-Observer of Massena. Their front page had 24 articles. Every single one of them was locally written local content. Yes, there were a couple obits and a couple press releases. No, none of it was going to win the Pulitzer. But it was all local. And all stuff you weren't going to find anywhere else that day. The sports section was a mixture of local and wire but still a majority local, even in the slow (no HS sports) summer time. The news being all local and sports mostly local is what made it worth paying for. The contrary is why I'm about to cancel the Post-Star after 35 years. The Courier-Observer is part of a chain but, critically, it is a local chain focused solely on NNY. They do share LOCAL news among their papers. That's how it should be done.
Hasn’t been a reason to buy the Post-Star in a decade. Their site has a leaky paywall. I subscribed though because I do like a slow, paper experience. That said, yes, it’s not rocket science — local matters!
Worked with Greg on a shoestring budget for 7 good/challenging years at The P-S when it was oftentimes only he and I trying to make things work in the sports department. I remember one stretch where I think he worked 31 straight days!! When I left to become an English teacher and Ken came in, it really was the golden years for the paper’s sports section! And from Ken’s well-stated column, I can tell that Greg continued to be his steady-as-a-metronome self during that era:) It’s a good time for Greg to move on in light of how, as I’m sure most long-time readers would agree, the paper has become a shadow of its former self… But Greg can take the next step in his journey with his head held very high!!!
Well said Greg. I did not realize that Greg had come full circle from the two-person staff staff start to the two-person current staff. In the golden years, the staff was up to 9 or 10 - just for sports.
Thank you, Mr. Tingley for your poignant homage to a community writer. I say community writer because it seems that some of the latest decisions made for the Post Star, eliminated some of our beloved local writers. Not only was Mr. Brownell a true community member, as you are, but he is one of the generation who actually made a career at one employer, something that has disappeared with younger generations and a modernizing workforce. This is indeed another huge loss for us.
At some point over the years I noted that the PS was giving much better coverage to women’s sports. While it was the right thing to do in terms of basic fairness, equality, and making the world a little bit better place, I assumed it was a simple bottom line money issue - why exclude coverage of half our community? If your daughter’s sports are being covered you’re more likely to maintain your subscription.
And telling the stories of girls sports, celebrating their achievements, gives those athletes similar recognition to that of the boys. (Case in point Carrie Black, candidate for County Clerk, who is recognizable to many for her high school sports) Limitied coverage limits opportunity.
Over the years I complained to a lot of PS editors for one reason or another. I lodged a complaint about lack of coverage of some women’s sport at one point, maybe to Greg. If I remember right there had been some issue beyond their control and in coming days the issue was rectified.
When the civic center was between hockey teams my partner suggested that GF could host a team with the then new women’s professional hockey league. Imagine bringing the top women players in the nation and beyond to GF. I approached a number of people with the idea and every single one of them - every. single. one. - said yeah, it would be cool but would anyone go to see them?
The reality in those early days was that the attendance at girls games was limited to parents. It was easy to justify not covering them because the goal was to give the readers what they were interested in. But girls sports blossomed and were just as popular of the boys in many high schools. Greg was way ahead of the curve in that regard.
I'm not sure if he had this in the beginning - when I was a kid, around the time he started at the PS, there were few girls sports, the occasional girl would play on the boys team - but Greg clearly developed an enjoyment of women's and girls soccer.
What a wonderful tribute. I was also lucky to work with 2 amazing people for 40 years and it made my job the Best I could have wished for. Good luck with your new Journey and don't forget to ride the rails for new discoveries✍🏻 Keep the wheels of life turning ✌
I'm afraid you could remove the three words before Post-Star and still be correct. Institutional memory is the most underrated part of local journalism and its effectiveness. As for Brownell himself, it's hard to overstate the impact he had on the local sports scene.
Greg, I hope that retirement fits all the desires that you have. It was many years ago, but I still remember how I could make you blush when I led a group of students or adults around the Post-Star and would tell them that this was the famous sports editor who wrote about all those hockey games. Have a good retirement and enjoy your traveling. Lynda Jones ( former NIE Director)
Thank you, Greg, for a job well done. I've been in Glens Falls since 2007 and always enjoyed reading your articles and other contributions on sports and other activities. I wish you a long, successful and happy retirement career.
Truly the end of an era and the loss of another great journalist.
The Post-Star was the first paper I worked at where the Sports Editor and Assistant Sports Editor got along, but more importantly, where both truly respected each other and where there could be civilized conversations and disagreements without much rancor and where the best ideas came out.
Greg's love of C-Span and Legislative process -- both at the national and state level -- is also unmatched. If he had decided he wanted to cover a statehouse, he would have been great at that was well.
Happy Retirement Greg, and thanks from the two generations of people that had the pleasure of working with you.
Best wishes to him.
A terrific tribute to a terrific writer who, as editor, was always a good (and patient) listener when you called with story tips. /Dave Nathan
Retire while you still have somewhere to retire from. Post-Star is just about dead. Lee Enterprises should donate what’s left to a local organization that can at least carry on the web site.
I'm not sure if this was said tongue in cheek or with bitterness but this is actually probably the only way to save it. I suspect local newspapers in most of the country are going to have to become not for profits and align with philanthropy or public service organizations (ie: Report for Amerca, Pro Publica) in order to survive. It's clear they have no chance of surviving in any meaningful fashion under the thumb of the big chains.
Not joking. These McPapers don’t really have much brand value left but do have societal value. I guess the corporations are clinging on to these papers for the obits and legals and the 1000 or so people who will never cancel a subscription. But it’s over. Time to use the brand to just turn it into a free paper you pick up in supermarket vestibules or donate it for a write-off.
They are all carrying a lot of debt.
Which goes to my point about how local newspapers should evolve into the independent, not for profit model focused entirely on local journalism.
Chains will always cut local reporters first because the generic wire stuff can be shared among properties. But that's the stuff the consumer in 2023 is least interested in because they can get it for free so many other places.
Chains aren't going to give up these properties without trying to recoup some of the debt. New organizations have to be formed along this model.
I went up north last month and picked up the Courier-Observer of Massena. Their front page had 24 articles. Every single one of them was locally written local content. Yes, there were a couple obits and a couple press releases. No, none of it was going to win the Pulitzer. But it was all local. And all stuff you weren't going to find anywhere else that day. The sports section was a mixture of local and wire but still a majority local, even in the slow (no HS sports) summer time. The news being all local and sports mostly local is what made it worth paying for. The contrary is why I'm about to cancel the Post-Star after 35 years. The Courier-Observer is part of a chain but, critically, it is a local chain focused solely on NNY. They do share LOCAL news among their papers. That's how it should be done.
Hasn’t been a reason to buy the Post-Star in a decade. Their site has a leaky paywall. I subscribed though because I do like a slow, paper experience. That said, yes, it’s not rocket science — local matters!
His father taught me geography at Suny Cortland.
Greg enjoy your retirement!
You earned it.Let’s hope the newspaper dosent retire ....
Happy retirement wishes to him, Post Star future is certainly questionable
Worked with Greg on a shoestring budget for 7 good/challenging years at The P-S when it was oftentimes only he and I trying to make things work in the sports department. I remember one stretch where I think he worked 31 straight days!! When I left to become an English teacher and Ken came in, it really was the golden years for the paper’s sports section! And from Ken’s well-stated column, I can tell that Greg continued to be his steady-as-a-metronome self during that era:) It’s a good time for Greg to move on in light of how, as I’m sure most long-time readers would agree, the paper has become a shadow of its former self… But Greg can take the next step in his journey with his head held very high!!!
Well said Greg. I did not realize that Greg had come full circle from the two-person staff staff start to the two-person current staff. In the golden years, the staff was up to 9 or 10 - just for sports.
Thank you, Mr. Tingley for your poignant homage to a community writer. I say community writer because it seems that some of the latest decisions made for the Post Star, eliminated some of our beloved local writers. Not only was Mr. Brownell a true community member, as you are, but he is one of the generation who actually made a career at one employer, something that has disappeared with younger generations and a modernizing workforce. This is indeed another huge loss for us.
At some point over the years I noted that the PS was giving much better coverage to women’s sports. While it was the right thing to do in terms of basic fairness, equality, and making the world a little bit better place, I assumed it was a simple bottom line money issue - why exclude coverage of half our community? If your daughter’s sports are being covered you’re more likely to maintain your subscription.
And telling the stories of girls sports, celebrating their achievements, gives those athletes similar recognition to that of the boys. (Case in point Carrie Black, candidate for County Clerk, who is recognizable to many for her high school sports) Limitied coverage limits opportunity.
Over the years I complained to a lot of PS editors for one reason or another. I lodged a complaint about lack of coverage of some women’s sport at one point, maybe to Greg. If I remember right there had been some issue beyond their control and in coming days the issue was rectified.
When the civic center was between hockey teams my partner suggested that GF could host a team with the then new women’s professional hockey league. Imagine bringing the top women players in the nation and beyond to GF. I approached a number of people with the idea and every single one of them - every. single. one. - said yeah, it would be cool but would anyone go to see them?
Maybe Greg would have.
The reality in those early days was that the attendance at girls games was limited to parents. It was easy to justify not covering them because the goal was to give the readers what they were interested in. But girls sports blossomed and were just as popular of the boys in many high schools. Greg was way ahead of the curve in that regard.
I'm not sure if he had this in the beginning - when I was a kid, around the time he started at the PS, there were few girls sports, the occasional girl would play on the boys team - but Greg clearly developed an enjoyment of women's and girls soccer.
I don’t know Greg but from what you said, we’ve lost a great journalist and all-around great guy. Hope I meet him some day.
Indeed!
What a wonderful tribute. I was also lucky to work with 2 amazing people for 40 years and it made my job the Best I could have wished for. Good luck with your new Journey and don't forget to ride the rails for new discoveries✍🏻 Keep the wheels of life turning ✌
I'm afraid you could remove the three words before Post-Star and still be correct. Institutional memory is the most underrated part of local journalism and its effectiveness. As for Brownell himself, it's hard to overstate the impact he had on the local sports scene.
Greg, I hope that retirement fits all the desires that you have. It was many years ago, but I still remember how I could make you blush when I led a group of students or adults around the Post-Star and would tell them that this was the famous sports editor who wrote about all those hockey games. Have a good retirement and enjoy your traveling. Lynda Jones ( former NIE Director)
What a very nice tribute.
Thank you, Greg, for a job well done. I've been in Glens Falls since 2007 and always enjoyed reading your articles and other contributions on sports and other activities. I wish you a long, successful and happy retirement career.
Truly the end of an era and the loss of another great journalist.
The Post-Star was the first paper I worked at where the Sports Editor and Assistant Sports Editor got along, but more importantly, where both truly respected each other and where there could be civilized conversations and disagreements without much rancor and where the best ideas came out.
Greg's love of C-Span and Legislative process -- both at the national and state level -- is also unmatched. If he had decided he wanted to cover a statehouse, he would have been great at that was well.
Happy Retirement Greg, and thanks from the two generations of people that had the pleasure of working with you.