Asheville News

Bitter resignation, indeed

Jason Sandford June 1, 2007

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

You’ve noticed. The ever insightful Steve Shanafelt over at MountainX has noticed. Everyone, it seems, has noticed.

Yes, it’s true. We’ve lost our edge. Shanafelt says it succinctly in a recent blog post:

Everyone’s favorite WLOS hater has remounted his favorite hobby-horse, taking the “WLOSers” to task about pretty much everything they cover. That said, ol’ Ash seems to have lost a little of his vitriol for the Sinclair Broadcast Group-owned ABC affiliate, and his tone is increasingly one of bitter resignation. Will we ever get the old Ashvegas bite back?

We would take issue with Steve’s description of us as a hater. As we’ve said over and over, we’ve known and loved many a WLOSer through the years. We’re just trying to point out some of the inanity in hopes that the quality of reportage might improve. And we might also take issue with Steve’s statement that WLOS is our favorite ride. We love local music, we love the Avett Brothers and we blog on all sorts of other stuff.

But we won’t argue that we’ve lost our edge when it comes to riding WLOSers. We admit it. They’ve worn us down. We haven’t quite given up, but we’ve certainly parked on Bitter Resignation Lane. Will we ever move off the mark, as Steve asks? We don’t know. For now, we’re stuck firmly in park.

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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7 Comments

Peaches June 2, 2007

Dearest Jack – perhaps Ash’s ‘true colors’ are not are not mean & bossy. I don’t understand why you want to incite Ash. There is FAR too much ‘hating’ in this world – I simply don’t understand the logic in conjuring it up in someone & asking them to deliver it far & wide. And this blog IS read far & wide.

This is ASH’s blog & he is free to use it in any way sees fit. And no – he is NOT mean & bossy – Ash is a phenomenal person with a lot of character & integrity. I say – leave him alone so he can continue to do what he does best…

Methinks we should pass the Peace Pipe around. Wanna toke?

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Apple Jack June 2, 2007

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr…I’d rather eat some peaches. By the way, I love Ashvegas when he is mean and personal! I need more of that on this blog. I love it when the true colors come out! P.S. Ashvegas, it makes since you like Victoria Dunkel so much, she’s alot like you: mean and bossy!

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Peaches June 1, 2007

I absolutely love Ashvegas & Ash himself – bitter or bored or absolutely sublime.. which ever way it comes. This site is doing Asheville a huge service on many fronts. Mayhaps you need to stick that apple of yours in your mouth Jack 😉

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A to the P June 1, 2007

The idea of trying to change news 13 was flawed from the start.

News 13 has the same flaws as every other local market news station in the country.

Unless you live in New York, Chicago, DC, or Los Angeles, this is just how local news is. I’ve worked in these markets…it’s really just that simple.

If you do splashy, no substance stories, people will watch but it won’t really serve the community.

If you do indepth pieces about the community, and explain how things like zoning or road taxes will impact people, you’ll serve the community but no one will watch.

So unless you have a way to fundamentally change people, you’re fucked.

People like bright lights, scary titles, and violence.

And the few that don’t (people like us) aren’t enough to change that.

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catnap June 1, 2007

No way is Ash a hater. Haters have no basis for their online rants. Ash just tells it like it is. I think we know who the haters are.

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Ash June 1, 2007

grrrrrrrr….

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Apple Jack June 1, 2007

We this and We that! I thought Ashvegas was just one person! Please don’t think Ashvegas has become so big that it exceeds the limits of just one person. OK, maybe the hater will come out now!

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