All about 'money': Angry-making Croton water plant story is undersold and overwhelmed
Today's tabloids, Sept. 23, 2011.
7:25 am Sep. 23, 20111
Each day, the New York tabloids vie to sell readers at the newsstands on outrageous headlines, dramatic photography, and, occasionally, great reporting. Who is today's winner?
The New York Post: A part of me can't wait until this biopic about the Gotti family comes out, if only so I can stop reading exclusive stories about various "tributes" John Travolta is making to houses and restaurants in Howard Beach.
Today, the Post has him visiting Victoria Gotti the elder, bearing a gold-colored gift bag. (Travolta's wife, Kelly Preston, will play her in the movie.) "Godmother!" reads the text under the picture of Travolta with some of the other real-life versions of his co-stars-to-be. "Travolta asks Gotti widow blessing for mob movie" reads the dek, flanking a cut-in photo of Mrs. Gotti.
For more nostalgia, there's the right side of the page. "FEAR HITS FALL ST." That's Wall Street, where the Dow dropped 391 points on fears of a global recession yesterday. Remember the Post's series of covers about the Dow, culminating in the "hooker" front?
Daily News: There's an attempt at a theme here: The word "money" is in every headline. Well actually, it's in three headlines. At the top right is a close-cropped picture of Brad Pit in his role of Billy Beane in Moneyball, which opens today. "'MONEYBALL' A HIT" proclaims the smallish, white-outlined text.
Next up: A black box with white letters reading "MONEY PIT." This is clearly the main news sale of the page. "Croton water plant in Bronx is costing you billions—so why doesn't the city care?" reads the dek. No pictures, but the "SEE GONZALEZ" teaser tells you this will be a Juan Gonzalez number. It's a good one: Residents are angry because this water treatment facility being built in Van Cortlandt Park is something they agreed to as long as the costs were contained and they could get some new parks in exchange. Ten years later, the facility is costing three times what was originally projected, and much of the park development hasn't happened yet.
The News also indulges Wall Street with a small red stripe along the bottom reading "MONEY GONE—DOW TANKS." So that's Moneyball, Money Pit, and Money Gone. Does this really work that well?
Along the left-hand side, Beyonce Knowles in a big flowy dress at a public appearance yesterday. She is still pregnant.
Observations: Today's a snooze. But with the near exception of Juan Gonzalez, who is reporting nothing new but something probably not previously of interest to the broader population, there isn't really much news on the front of the News today. It's a movie review and a picture of Beyonce, after Gonzalez.
But what about the Post's news, which is on a topic I don't know if people care to hear much more about?
What it finally comes down to I think is that the News front page is too stuffed with stuff, none of it rising above the rest to claim the focus. It's happened before.
Winner: The New York Post.
Times wins today for giving both Yankees and Mets fans something on the front to enjoy.