Mr. Why: Zero Reporter Goes from Transcribing Gov't News Releases to Writing Them

Mr. Why: Zero Reporter Goes from Transcribing Gov’t News Releases to Writing Them

December 16, 2010

Conflicts of Interests abound in Portland media/political/government circles. Political reporters pretend they’re neutral about huge political issues with big money attached, news execs threaten to become the story while serving their community (here), still others create the story for profit and directly report it as if an objective observer (here).

And then there’s Dylan Rivera.

Oregonian Photo of Rivera on Light Rail With Bicyclist

Rivera used to be “Transportation and Green Reporter” for the Zero. Here are just a couple of examples (randomly selected) of his glowing (and gullible) reportage on the romance and excitement of central planning and its nexus with big shiny choo choo trains.

On Tri Met’s foray into heavy rail, Rivera crooned:

The slow and careful safety-first approach characterizes TriMet’s entrance into the business of real railroading, and everyone from the guys in the office to the mechanics in the shop acknowledge that light-rail experience doesn’t really count here: This is heavy rail, running on actual freight tracks, and that means federal regulation and oversight. (Source)

If there was ever any question about its success (and there was), you never found the boo birds making it into ol’ Dylan’s reporting.

Esprit is not too fancy a word, and you can see the evidence everywhere in the clean, well-organized shop. There are safety posters and TriMet banners on the wall and framed photos of historic trains. (Source)

Rivera always assumed (ahem) Tri Met was telling the truth on all of its ridership numbers:

TriMet officials say it’s more important to compare the same month with a year ago to account for seasonal variations. Using that measure, MAX ridership set a new September record of 110,400 average boardings per weekday, a 7.7 percent increase over September 2007. Including weekends, MAX ridership also set a record, averaging 702,300 trips a week, a 7.9 percent increase over September 2007. (Source)

And even in a piece about a TV special on “smart” growth, central planning and transportation, Rivera couldn’t help but inject a dig:

and a Denver-area family that seems content with a suburban lifestyle. (emphasis added) (Source)

So now what’s Dylan doing? He describes himself as an

“Analyst and communicator focused on transportation and climate change

Portland, Oregon Area” (Source) For whom? Metro, of course.

Metro, the Portland area regional government

(Government Agency; Government Relations industry)

July 2010 — Present (6 months)

Metro’s lead communication strategist on transportation planning and climate change impacts of the transportation sector.

And he’s currently working on a big project:

Project Staff

Jodie Kotrlik, MTIP Program Administrator

Amy Rose, Associate Transportation Planner

Kim Ellis, Principal Transportation Planner

Matthew Hampton, Senior Cartographer

Heath Brackett, Planning GIS Technician

John Mermin, Associate Transportation Planner

Josh Naramore, Assistant Transportation Planner

Anthony Butzek, Principal Transportation Engineer

Pat Emmerson, Senior Public Affairs Specialist

Dylan Rivera, Senior Public Affairs Specialist

(Source)

I don’t know what qualifies him to be an analyst on these issues considering he’s done nothing to analyze Tri Met in the past. But maybe it has to do with spending years transcribing those press releases. That must now qualify him to write them.
Mr. Why is a local businessman, entrepreneur and smart growth observer.

Tell ’em where you saw it. Http://www.victoriataft.com

Mr. Why: Zero Reporter Goes from Transcribing Gov’t News Releases to Writing Them

December 16, 2010

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Metro, the Portland area regional government