The Quad City Times can find print edition space for a story regarding a New York City “scandal” particularly if a Fox News connection can be wedged in to up the newsworthiness (Page A-6 1-27-12 “Son accused of sexual assault” (sic) referring to the son of the New York Police Commissioner who was a former correspondent for Fox News, . . . you know . . . Greg Kelly (who?) . . . well known in Iowa as he was . . . who is accused of sexual assault.
But there was just not enough ink available to enlighten print subscribers from the time the story first broke days ago about attempted identity theft involving Iowa’s Republican Secretary of State Matt Schultz, or his brother, by a well connected Democrat operative. The Iowa Republican reported the story as early as January 23rd (see) http://theiowarepublican.com/2012/breaking-former-obama-staffer-busted-for-stealing-iowa-secretary-of-state%E2%80%99s-identity/.
From stories circulating in the Des Moines press the attempt was made in order to implicate Schultz (falsely) in illegal or unethical behavior. But for the QCT . . . nope . . . no scandal there suitable for the print edition, anytime during the week.
Now the January 26 QCT online edition did carry a story related to the matter. Its hook was that the lawyer the Democrat operative retained is a prominent Republican. Somehow that minor irony was more important than the underlying story available days before, and AS IF the readership was somehow already aware of the story which of course the QC Times had never reported.
Of course we know the QC Times game. Cover a story (perhaps only minimally) online so they can say it was covered, KNOWING for fundamental reasons that an online story does not get the readership a print story does. Print stories get that readership plus on-line readership. Online only stories get only that readership. Print stories often drive readership to the online version, not so if the story was never in print. Also online stories are even more handicapped as to number of readers compared to substantial print stories unless they receive repetitive top billing. Printed page viewing (as was given the somehow more important across the fold New York story mentioned above) is simply more noticeable at a glance than typical online visualizations (title only) afforded online stories. Especially the ones you would just as soon bury.
