Pass the Maalox

I happened to be in a position to see Steve Smith’s and Gary Graham’s reaction yesterday afternoon when they found out that a Cowles subsidiary had purchased the Chancery . Their respective facial expressions were pretty much identical, and while I didn’t have a camera handy, I was able to locate an artist’s conception of the moment.

Smith said that he understands the business motivation for the purchase. After all, it’s the last parcel on the block not owned by the company. Politically, though, it’s another one of those bash-the-forehead-against-the-desk moments for the newspaper.

“From an editor’s standpoint, it’s a pretty tone-deaf decision,” Smith said. “If they evict the church down the road, God help us…”

It appears that any story involving the Chancery from here on out must also include the disclosure that it is owned by the same company that owns the newspaper, a la River Park Square.

On a related note, reporter Jim Camden asked whether this morning’s headline should have said “Cowles to buy diocese chancery,” rather than “Developer to buy diocese chancery.”

“I had the same reaction,” Smith said. “I thought the headline could have been more upfront.”