RAGBRAI Organizers Split from Register

[baller21]

And the vast majority of them never register (ha) for the ride. There are challenges for this one that are unprecedented. One being no one with experience managing one previously will manage it. Two, there is competition; competition that is supported by much of the community and public.

There’s a limited number of riders that can register for RAGBRAI so a lot of them couldn’t even if they wanted to.

I doubt the biggest ride in the country will have a problem finding someone with experience to step in and take over and the competition is going to have problems of their own finding enough people to staff a new ride during the same time period.

Doesn’t really affect me because I won’t be participating in either ride. I just don’t see RAGBRAI disappearing like some are predicting.

 

[cyson]

I am suggesting they serve versus alienate their market.

They easily could have worded the same news in such a fashion that they didn't 'out' or appear to out themselves on exposing the tweets. Especially and specifically for these two points:

1. Their apology or explanation afterwards appears(!) to say they didn't expose the tweets, even though early on they seemingly took credit for doing so.
2. Carson King publicly addressed the tweets BEFORE the Register released or edited the article.

Do you honestly think all news is passed on raw, versus "sanitized" or dressed up, in an attempt to increase sales (clicks?)

It was plenty sanitized. Serve versus alienate, did you join the Boy Scouts? You didn’t like what you read.

 

[herbicide]

It was plenty sanitized. Serve versus alienate, did you join the Boy Scouts? You didn’t like what you read.

You realize it’s a business right? Businesses need customers to survive.

The Register lost a lot of customers over this, and is likely they’ll lose more during RAGBRAI.

 

[herbicide]

There’s a limited number of riders that can register for RAGBRAI so a lot of them couldn’t even if they wanted to.

I doubt the biggest ride in the country will have a problem finding someone with experience to step in and take over and the competition is going to have problems of their own finding enough people to staff a new ride during the same time period.

Doesn’t really affect me because I won’t be participating in either ride. I just don’t see RAGBRAI disappearing like some are predicting.

Where did I say it would die? All I’m saying is it’s got some challenges ahead that didn’t exist in past. What happens is yet to be seen.

 

[Gunnerclone]

Did the Register write something about King that wasn’t true? Are you suggesting the news should be sanitized to enhance sales?

America doesn’t like hypocrisy unless it’s coming from the Republican Party. That’s the issue.

 

[SwirlyBird]

It was plenty sanitized. Serve versus alienate, did you join the Boy Scouts? You didn’t like what you read.

Do you have to wear a helmet in public?

 

[cyson]

Do you have to wear a helmet in public?

Only when I’m on my bike training for RAGBRAI. Not some broke **** brand X.

 

[Die4Cy]

Fascinated by the strong feelings over this.

RAGBRAI used to be this fun, unique thing, but it is big business now. No one should be surprised that egos, corporate influence, money, and outside interests have affected the event.

Whatever is behind it I'm sure organizers have some desperation in making this move, so I wish them good luck with the knowledge they probably won't be able to pull it off and will probably get blamed for RAGBRAI's failings in the future as a result.

 

[Cycsk]

It would be great if they could come up with some compromise for next year, such as using the RAGBRAI name and connections to the Register. Do it in a largely independent manner. Give the Register a cut of proceeds in order to use the brand name during a transition period to true independence (which both the Register's owners and RAGBRAI seem to want).

 

[CyDude16]

It’s a pure money grab from everything else I’ve heard, TJ is simply using these excuses as cop outs.

 

[deadeyededric]

You realize it’s a business right? Businesses need customers to survive.

The Register lost a lot of customers over this, and is likely they’ll lose more during RAGBRAI.

Do you have any actual proof of this? I realize there are a lot of people who never had subscriptions anyway saying they cancelled, but have they really lost much over this?

 

[herbicide]

Do you have any actual proof of this? I realize there are a lot of people who never had subscriptions anyway saying they cancelled, but have they really lost much over this?

No, and good luck finding any. I can tell you they hired a special retention team, I know that much. They wouldn't do that if they weren't feeling the squeeze. Someone I know in the media business (manager of one of the local TV channels) mentioned (off the record) that the "Register is in trouble."

I didn't cancel my subscription, because it wasn't that big of a deal for me, but you are kidding yourself if you think this hasn't caused financial trouble for the Register.

 

[deadeyededric]

No, and good luck finding any. I can tell you they hired a special retention team, I know that much. They wouldn't do that if they weren't feeling the squeeze. Someone I know in the media business (manager of one of the local TV channels) mentioned (off the record) that the "Register is in trouble."

I didn't cancel my subscription, because it wasn't that big of a deal for me, but you are kidding yourself if you think this hasn't caused financial trouble for the Register.

Either way it isn't bringing the Register down for good. People aren't going to quit reading their local paper.

 

[SpokaneCY]

Blows my mind how many people want to see the Register completely destroyed. I get it, it's not the bastion of great journalism it used to be, but we shouldn't be celebrating the demise of the local newspaper. Will you all be attending book burning ceremonies later? Please, calm down and come back to reality.

I mean where else are we supposed to know about mattress sales during patriotic holiday weekends????

 

[SpokaneCY]

What about a bra burning? Can we go watch one of those?

Need to see the participant list (pictures) first. My experience is that exhibitionists / nudists have an overly positive body image.

 

[SpokaneCY]

I also think a paper needs to be upfront about their biases. No longer should journalists be apolitical. They should share their political views while differentiating it from their reporting so people can’t accuse them of so called fake news.

The news will not totally go away but it will go through a massive shift over the next decade.

Why do we need MORE echo chambers? Got to reddit and read the comments on any random political thread. There is no "news", there is no discussion, there is no presentment of other points of views and no context. There are already too many republican and democrat newspapers. What most of us want is a NEWS paper.

 

[herbicide]

Either way it isn't bringing the Register down for good. People aren't going to quit reading their local paper.

Yes people are. I know people who have cancelled. The only question is how many and to what effect.

No matter how you slice this, it is not good for them, as they along with all print media is struggling to survive in this era.

 

[urb1]

And the vast majority of them never register (ha) for the ride. There are challenges for this one that are unprecedented. One being no one with experience managing one previously will manage it. Two, there is competition; competition that is supported by much of the community and public.

minority

 

[herbicide]

minority

None and I mean none of the dozens of people I know register.

 

[IsUaClone2]

I see the main "issue" between TJ and the DMR is the operating/management process of the DMR. I believe TJ thinks the editors may have made mistakes but the real issue is that when the news you print has to processed through non-local owners and New York public relations experts, you aren't being a true journalist. He wanted to to do it his way and he didn't get to do it.

I miss the days when newspapers had competitors; morning and evening publications with pages and pages of coverage and insight separated into news and opinion sections. Spending Sundays with the Big Peach and it's coverage of all things sports.

I was in Des Moines when RAGBRAI got started. I didn't pay much attention to it but as I remember it, there was a mock feud between two columnists. Something about who could or couldn't ride a bicycle for distance. Anyway, as a refugee from Iowa for 46 years, RAGBRAI was high on my list of "Iowa" things I was proud to tell people about. I hope it is not lost.