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In case you missed yesterday's All Things Considered, the National Public Radio show ran a lengthy segment about the Barnett Shale and, more specifically, Chesapeake Energy's efforts to sell urban gas drilling to the folks getting drilled. And, yes, among the subjects discussed is ShaleTV, which hired Tracy Rowlett away from KTVT-Channel 11 last month, resulting in Rowlett's getting drilled on this blog and myriad others, much to Rowlett's chagrin. But, says Chesapeake's vice president for corporate development: Hey, business is business. As in, "Well, I think we pay those journalists -- whether on Channel 8 or Channel 11 or the Star-Telegram -- in terms of advertising support. We see this as pretty much instead of running the ads on the program, we're just writing the check direct." I don't think that helps her cause much, but I could be wrong. --Robert Wilonsky
Keep the Dallas Observer Free... Since we started the Dallas Observer, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Dallas, and we would like to keep it that way. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering Dallas with no paywalls.