CBR: Harras Names Berganza Executive Editor DCU, Other CHanges

**CBR News** · 12-01-2010, 03:13 PM

DC Comics Editor-In-Chief Bob Harras has taken to the publisher's blog to announce a handful of editorial changes, which includes long time editor Eddie Berganza being named Executive Editor of the DC Universe line.

Full article here.

**BeauSmith** · 12-01-2010, 03:40 PM

All the best to Eddie Berganza. We've been buddies for over 20 years from his time at Starlog Magazine and through his time at DC Comics. Eddie was my editor on my two year run of Guy Gardner Warrior where we had the best time. We were lucky enough to do most anything we wanted to on that book, something that doesn't happen that much any more. It was the last of the wild west for us.

I hope Eddie enjoys his new duties and has as much fun as he has for the last couple of decades in comics.

Beau Smith
The Flying Fist Ranch

**Alan Smithee** · 12-01-2010, 05:43 PM

This is the sort of item I'd like to see CBR post an analysis of, rather than just printing a convoluted press release. This sounds like an in-house DC massacre.

**Mr. Holmes** · 12-01-2010, 05:46 PM

My problem with Berganza is that he's too hands off. But since he already edits books like Green Lantern and Justice League, this doesn't sound like any real change.

**bwyell** · 12-01-2010, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by Osmium

This is the sort of item I'd like to see CBR post an analysis of, rather than just printing a convoluted press release. This sounds like an in-house DC massacre.

Agreed. How is it acceptable for a "news" outlet to copy and paste a press release and run it as a "story"?

I know that CBR isn't the BBC, and the announcement of staff changes at DC Comics isn't exactly a blockbuster news item, but still...

**chipsnopotatoes** · 12-01-2010, 08:46 PM

No mention of Mark Chiarello. I hope he's in a good spot.

**Dr. Cheesesteak** · 12-01-2010, 09:02 PM

Wasn't DiDio VP - Executive Editor (and wasn't he at one time the full Executive Editor?) to go along w/ "Co-Publisher"? What happened to him to not get (re-?)promoted? Who is Berganza replacing? Or was the position vacant?

Man, DC's power hierarchy is making my head explode

**a13506** · 12-01-2010, 09:05 PM

I'm sure that Idelson's stunning success with the Superman franchise and Berganza's with the Titans/JLA justify this.

**hondobrode** · 12-01-2010, 09:42 PM

I'm feeling some energy here.

Bergenza getting promoted is a good thing IMO. Can't say I'm too surprised. Looking forward to what this does for DC's cohesion.

Idelson & Marts - Big Superman fan and I like most of what's going on with the Super Family. Marts - Not loving the JLA or Titans but have faith it's still a work in progress.

**FunkyGreenJerusalem** · 12-01-2010, 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by bwyell

Agreed. How is it acceptable for a "news" outlet to copy and paste a press release and run it as a "story"?

I know that CBR isn't the BBC, and the announcement of staff changes at DC Comics isn't exactly a blockbuster news item, but still...

CBR isn't a news site, it's entertainment news.

And right at the top of the article it says it's a press release.

If they do an analysis, it's the right call separate it from the actual press release - it should be in a separate article.

More likely though, it will be in one or more of the regular columns, or in one of the attached blogs.

If anything, CBR has done it right - they've kept news and commentary separate.

And as it's the actual press release, you know they haven't slanted the news in any way, shape or form.

**bwyell** · 12-01-2010, 10:50 PM

Originally Posted by FunkyGreenJerusalem

CBR isn't a news site, it's entertainment news.

And right at the top of the article it says it's a press release.

If they do an analysis, it's the right call separate it from the actual press release - it should be in a separate article.

More likely though, it will be in one or more of the regular columns, or in one of the attached blogs.

If anything, CBR has done it right - they've kept news and commentary separate.

And as it's the actual press release, you know they haven't slanted the news in any way, shape or form.

Entertainment news is still news, and copying an entry from DC's Source blog and running it as a story is lazy at best.

Here's an example to explain why this irks me:

Say Company A issues a press release stating that their new product, Formula X, has just been released and is the best product of its kind. If you were a news outlet, would you run a "story" saying Company A has issued a press release stating that their new product is the best of its kind, and leave it at that? Of course not. You would report the release of Company A's product and their claims about its quality, and then you would get comments from two or more people (not connected with Company A) who have relevant and informed opinions on the product's quality. Then you would go BACK to Company A and give them a chance to respond to the comments.

Acting as a mouthpiece for a company is the definition of slanted news.

Like I said before, I know that this isn't an Earth-shattering news item... we're not talking about oil spills and terrorist attacks here. I'm not suggesting that all the columnists at CBR should be hard-boiled investigative journalists. I'm just saying that the mindless regurgitation of information provided by Marvel and DC is very common on this site, and if they started to use just a TINY bit more journalistic initiative, the quality of the site as a whole would be vastly improved.

**FunkyGreenJerusalem** · 12-02-2010, 01:38 AM

Originally Posted by bwyell

Entertainment news is still news,

No, it really isn't.

and copying an entry from DC's Source blog and running it as a story is lazy at best.

They clearly said that's what they were doing at the top of the article.
You'd rather them just quote sections of the press release, and not just show the whole thing?
There was no press conference, so no chance to ask questions - he released a statement, that was it.

Here's an example to explain why this irks me:

Say Company A issues a press release stating that their new product, Formula X, has just been released and is the best product of its kind. If you were a news outlet, would you run a "story" saying Company A has issued a press release stating that their new product is the best of its kind, and leave it at that? Of course not. You would report the release of Company A's product and their claims about its quality, and then you would get comments from two or more people (not connected with Company A) who have relevant and informed opinions on the product's quality. Then you would go BACK to Company A and give them a chance to respond to the comments.

Acting as a mouthpiece for a company is the definition of slanted news.

This is entertainment news.

It is different.

Go watch an hour of BBC World news, then any entertainment news channel you like.
You'll see a big difference.

Like I said before, I know that this isn't an Earth-shattering news item... we're not talking about oil spills and terrorist attacks here. I'm not suggesting that all the columnists at CBR should be hard-boiled investigative journalists. I'm just saying that the mindless regurgitation of information provided by Marvel and DC is very common on this site, and if they started to use just a TINY bit more journalistic initiative, the quality of the site as a whole would be vastly improved.

News and commentary on news should be kept separate.
You seem to want them to blend the two - that would not be news, that would be commentary.
Just because certain 24hr news channels do it, doesn't mean it's right.

And remember, 'the story' happened today.
And the story is 'people who have worked at a company for a few years have been given promotions as part of that companies ongoing restructuring.
How far do you want them to dig?
There's no real story there - CBR does more if there is an actual story, but there's not really any meat to this one - so why not just run the press release?

**DOLLARCOMICS** · 12-02-2010, 05:49 AM

Originally Posted by Osmium

This is the sort of item I'd like to see CBR post an analysis of, rather than just printing a convoluted press release. This sounds like an in-house DC massacre.

Agreed...........