CINCINNATI, Sept. 21, 2009 — Would present-day journalists risk everything they have for their belief in the importance of free and independent press? In 1950 almost every major city had two or more newspapers. Today, 98% of U.S. cities have a lone-paper monopoly.
“The Old Lady of Vine Street” is the story of a small band of reporters who had the courage to risk everything they had for their belief in the importance of a free and independent press. They had the audacity to fight the powerful Taft family for the right to buy their own newspaper, the Cincinnati Enquirer.
It began when Ohio’s premier family, the Tafts, began to seek the presidency of the United States, governorship of Ohio, and most importantly, the leading paper in Ohio, the Cincinnati Enquirer. After catching wind that their newspaper was about to be sold to one of its smaller papers, the Cincinnati Times-Star, the reporters became outraged and began meeting in secret to discuss their options. Led by ace investigative reporter Jim Ratliff, they put together an audacious scheme to buy their own paper, affectionately known as “The Old Lady of Vine Street.”
“Before Ferger could continue, Ted Faigle, head of the Pressman’s Union, interrupted in an agitated and booming voice. ‘Mr. Ferger, I don’t think you realize just how angry the employees are, or the reasons for that anger. This secret merger discarded, scraped, and threw away the two factors that have made the Enquirer one of the country’s great newspapers: competition, and eight hundred and fifty employees that love our independent Old Lady of Vine Street.’ The cheers of support for Faigle’s words were thunderous. There were shouts of ‘No sale! No sale! No sale!’ They clapped and stomped their feet and with every sound and movement, indicated their anger and frustration.”
“The Old Lady of Vine Street: The Valiant Fight for the Cincinnati Enquirer” offers issues that are relevant to the present with characters you can care about, and whom you’d like to emulate. These days the notion of free press is a concept often forgotten, but Richard Mastain’s historical novel helps to bring this idea back to life.
Trade Soft cover, 9.3 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
Approximately 296 pages
ISBN: 978-1440120589
$21.95 retail price
Available at http://www.amazon.com and http://www.barnesandnoble.com
About the Author:
Richard Mastain was born in Burbank, CA on October 12, 1925. He graduated from Northwestern University with a B.S. in Business Administration, a B.S. in Education from Whittier College, a M.A. in Mathematics Education from Claremont Graduate School, and an Ed.D in Education and Learning Theory from the University of Southern California. In his free time he enjoys reading, playing tennis, gardening, and traveling with his wife of 60 years to visit his four children.
EDITORS: For review copies or interview requests, contact:
Nick McMurray
Tel: 317.926.1727
Fax: 317.926.1728
Email:
(When requesting a review copy, please provide a street address.)
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