For successive days last week, journalists filled the pages of The Paper with hand-wringing articles about the dramatic fall in the economic fortunes of arts organizations because of the recession and the consequences of 9/11. Scare articles of this sort, fright-peddling, is what the Press has been largely about, especially during the past three months. Clearly the multiply redundant fright reports have overrun the public's "need to know," creating a great negative impact on the public weal and psyche. Meanwhile, the good old sensationalism-- murder, rape, and assorted juicy private scandals -- have not been replaced by the new "grabbers," only displaced to the inner pages.

What good is accomplished simply by publishing articles about arts groups falling on hard times, then dusting the hands and walking away? It smacks of a self-satisfied, "Well you see, these activities are peripheral luxuries." Does anyone believe that on reading these Chicken Little pieces, music lovers and well-meaning citizens at large will respond by sitting right down and dispatching checks to this choral group, that dance company, the other new music ensemble?

San Francisco Classical Voice, on the other hand, has been committed to doing something about the situation in the arts. That has been its mission since its founding three and a quarter years ago in response to the print media's abandonment of most of the classical music activity in the Bay Area. By means of nearly 1000 reviews, editorials and other features SFCV has aimed at focusing the public's attention on the activities of our treasured chamber music, choral, new music ensembles, our regional symphonies, and the wealth of other concert activity ignored in the Print Medium.

By marginalizing all but the Symphony, Opera and a couple of other big ticket institutions and celebrity events, The Paper actually contributes to the current situation of the decrease in contributions to arts organizations. No longer finding their way into print are the reviews and discussions that inform and interest the general public, that recognize the validity of the many and varied independent groups and even help them in their appeals to contributors and foundations.

This dismissal of all but the celebrity activities and big, affluent institutions is, of course, a conscious policy by the top management. This is, in turn, implemented in the decisions about coverage made by editors unschooled in the arts, indifferent to the larger picture, and blind to the possibilities of inherently interesting and stimulating coverage and stories. There is so much to write about that would both engage the reader and serve the community-- interesting upcoming programs offering important if unfamiliar works, old and new, the new ensembles and newly arrived artists, the fascinating developments in youth music, youth orchestras other than the San Francisco Symphony's, opera programs other than the San Francisco Opera's. It doesn't happen. It's all dismissed in favor of the gossip, publicity and planted stories of the same pop stars and outfits, along with just three or four reviews a week, of the biggest events, token gestures to the classical music world.

All the above, of course, is due to a failure or absence of imagination, exactly the fault that lies behind the redundant and front page play of stories that are serving the purpose of the terrorists so well. No case can be made that the editorial priorities serve the purposes of selling more papers and ads, not by a newspaper that holds what is tantamount to a monopoly position.

An example of insensibility on the part of writer and editor occurred in the second paragraph of generalist Chip Johnson's well-intentioned column about Michael Morgan, the Oakland East Bay Symphony's music director in the November 19 issue of what I know as the Ex-Chron. Complimentary enough to Morgan in his summary of the achievements, Johnson starts out with a comment that represents everything Morgan is working against and that does nothing but perpetuate a dumb-head cliché: "And unlike most people in his business, (Morgan) is all too aware of the chasm between the upper crust symphony patrons and the rest of us."

That's right. The "elitist" card played by someone who sounds as if he has never attended a symphony concert and would not then have noticed the inescapable blend of ages and types in the lobbies. It is the defensive remark of someone embarrassed by the shortcomings in his own life thinking to get his readers to nod along, "yeah, upper crust, them and us." And no editor caught it. That's exactly the problem.

Readers and followers of this journal can get behind this operation and help keep it healthy and in the clear. If your mail is anything like ours, you have been deluged with year-end contribution requests from dozens of charitable institutions but we need your support. We wouldn’t begin to suggest that our cause be considered ahead of some of these appeals, not in times like ours. However, if SFCV can be included somewhere in your considerations, that would be deeply appreciated and would definitely help keep our service on line. We need your support.

As the text says in our "About Us" page (click the link on the navigation bar beneath or the same link immediately to the left):
SFCV is a not-for-profit enterprise supported by foundation grants and individual contributions. If you enjoy what you find here and can help with a contribution, that support will help insure our continuance through the year 2002 and beyond. Your contribution (tax-deductible) may be sent either to San Francisco Classical Voice, 6000 Wood Drive, Oakland, CA 94611, or to the San Francisco Foundation CIF, (San Francisco Classical Voice account), 225 Bush St. # 500, San Francisco, CA 94104. Thank you very much.

We welcome commentary, suggestions and reactions to the articles. Simply click on editor@sfcv.org and send your response by e-mail.