A Columbia, S.C. arts magazine is (rightfully) up in arms after the city’s mayor, Steve Benjamin, proposed spending $24,000 of public money to promote a rival arts rag – one specializing in publishing “for-pay” content.
Cindi Boiter, editor of Jasper, vigorously opposes the deal on the grounds that Pennsylvania-based Fig magazine ought to succeed or fail in the Columbia market on the basis of “hard work, dedication to a goal, and the outlay of private cash required of any small business.”
We agree with her wholeheartedly.
“Fig proposes to use city money – tax payers’ money – to direct mail their magazine to a selective and elite demographic of households – those that house families that can afford to patronize the upscale businesses that buy articles about themselves in Fig magazine,” Boiter wrote recently. “The households deemed not important enough to be direct mailed the magazine, due to their lower incomes, will still contribute via their taxes to the publication and distribution of Fig magazine.”
That’s crony capitalism, people …
Sadly, government-subsidized “journalism” is nothing new in South Carolina. Gov. Nikki Haley’s Department of Commerce spends tens of thousands of dollars annually purchasing positive press in various trade publications. Then there’s the “MSM payoff” – which includes $13 million in annual sales tax breaks given to the state’s newspaper industry.
None of these expenses even remotely constitutes a core function of government. Also, they distort the marketplace – picking winners and losers when such outcomes ought to be left exclusively to consumers.
Benjamin and his supporters on the Columbia, S.C. city council need to rethink this ill-considered expenditure. It is not the job of taxpayers to subsidize any form of media – let alone a “pay-to-say” publication exclusively targeting upscale households.
22 comments
Fig appears to be nothing more than Yuppie bait! Swim past it! A local magazine published by out of staters who also publish a number of variations of the same theme in other cities. For shame. If the city of Columbia buys into this, MOVE!
Fig appears to be nothing more than Yuppie bait! Swim past it! A local magazine published by out of staters who also publish a number of variations of the same theme in other cities. For shame. If the city of Columbia buys into this, MOVE!
CARPETBAGGERS FOR HIRE.
CARPETBAGGERS FOR HIRE.
Mr. Folks, you keep mentioning the ““MSM payoff” – which includes $13 million in annual sales tax breaks given to the state’s newspaper industry.” and I wonder; if the media won’t move to stop the extortion of themselves by the legislators by having the sales tax breaks (and others) protected in the state constitution then maybe the voters should remove this immanent threat by forcing our legislators to remove the tax breaks from the list of exemptions. Without the constant threat of this happening maybe the media would get down to doing the job they are supposed to do rather than kissing butt on the politicians to protect their favored tax status. After all aren’t the tax breaks a form of favoritism and cronyism?
Mr. Folks, you keep mentioning the ““MSM payoff” – which includes $13 million in annual sales tax breaks given to the state’s newspaper industry.” and I wonder; if the media won’t move to stop the extortion of themselves by the legislators by having the sales tax breaks (and others) protected in the state constitution then maybe the voters should remove this immanent threat by forcing our legislators to remove the tax breaks from the list of exemptions. Without the constant threat of this happening maybe the media would get down to doing the job they are supposed to do rather than kissing butt on the politicians to protect their favored tax status. After all aren’t the tax breaks a form of favoritism and cronyism?
I notice T-Bone is trying to change the subject by distracting people with “Baseball.” By the way, has Navarro’s lawyer looked into the background of the head of the board of the Columbia Police Foundation? That may or may not shed light on any missing money… Good Day, Columbia!
I notice T-Bone is trying to change the subject by distracting people with “Baseball.” By the way, has Navarro’s lawyer looked into the background of the head of the board of the Columbia Police Foundation? That may or may not shed light on any missing money… Good Day, Columbia!
This once fair to middling city is rotten from the top down, Benjamin only makes decisions that will bilk taxpayers out of their hard earned money and deposited into his pocket. The things I’ve heard about him that aren’t reported, makes Ray Nagen look like a fine upstanding mayor alongside ole T-bone.
What? You mean like attractive women that stay as “guests of the Mayor” during the day at the Hilton?
No, that’s pretty widely rumored stuff there. What I heard through the grapevine (and NO that’s NOT a reference to Moe) was quite shocking. Not your run of the mill scandalous fodder.
I am betting Moe is going to do to T-Bone what T-Bone did to Kirk Finlay: unload a gigantic buttocks load of dirt and crap several days before the election such that Benji won’t be able to recover — particularly since he only talks to African-American TV Anchors and Reporters.
Benjamin is Marion Barry without the crack.
Don’t give Lil’Stevie that much credit.
This once fair to middling city is rotten from the top down, Benjamin only makes decisions that will bilk taxpayers out of their hard earned money and deposited into his pocket. The things I’ve heard about him, that aren’t reported, makes Ray Nagen look like a fine upstanding mayor alongside ole T-bone.
What? You mean like attractive women that stay as “guests of the Mayor” during the day at the Hilton?
No, that’s pretty widely rumored stuff there. What I heard through the grapevine (and NO that’s NOT a reference to Moe) was quite shocking. Not your run of the mill scandalous fodder.
I am betting Moe is going to do to T-Bone what T-Bone did to Kirk Finlay: unload a gigantic buttocks load of dirt and crap several days before the election such that Benji won’t be able to recover — particularly since he only talks to African-American TV Anchors and Reporters.
Benjamin is Marion Barry without the crack.
Don’t give Lil’Stevie that much credit.
The first thing I think of when I hear “Fig” is uncontrollable pooping urges.
Only a gov’t run/funded magazine could come up with that name.
I’m sure the focus group(s) resided in nursing homes.
Genius work chaps!
The first thing I think of when I hear “Fig” is uncontrollable pooping urges.
Only a gov’t run/funded magazine could come up with that name.
I’m sure the focus group(s) resided in nursing homes.
Genius work chaps!
Columbia was where Charlestonians who could not make the grade, perhaps they fell off the turnip truck, were shipped to find their own way in the world. Columbia is filled with third-class aristocrats who are snotty without a reason to be so. Those Episcopalians at Trinity think their poo poo dont’ stink because they fancy themselves blue bloods. With streets that end up in oblivion somewhere in the suburbs, and hot, nasty weather meaner than catshit, Columbia is the most overrated place in South Carolina. The action in SC is in the Uostate, followed second by Charleston.
Columbia was where Charlestonians who could not make the grade, perhaps they fell off the turnip truck, were shipped to find their own way in the world. Columbia is filled with third-class aristocrats who are snotty without a reason to be so. Those Episcopalians at Trinity think their poo poo dont’ stink because they fancy themselves blue bloods. With streets that end up in oblivion somewhere in the suburbs, and hot, nasty weather meaner than catshit, Columbia is the most overrated place in South Carolina. The action in SC is in the Uostate, followed second by Charleston.