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Lake and Valley Clarion NewspaperGenesee Country MagazineClarion Communications

Readers Comments:
How to make a million in publishing

Corrin has done well as a publisher. That reminds me of water and when it comes to water, Corrin has gone to the well too many times. I believe the lead story in a third of the issues over the last 10 years have been about water.

We live in an area that has more fresh water than almost anywhere on earth. We have the Finger Lakes, two of which are located in Livingston County, the Genesee River runs right up the middle of the county, two of the five Great Lakes are within 60 miles and the largest salt mine in the world is full of water underneath us. I tell you there's water every place you look.

Would anyone else be able to support himself reporting on water disputes in such an environment? No! How did he do it? Ingenuity! Corrin knew he had to stir up controversy. He doesn't watch Jerry Springer three times a day for nothing.

Having lived in Avon, Corrin knew the place like a book. He farmed there before he entered the newspaper business. That was the best thing he ever did for agriculture; quit farming that is. Not that Corrin was a bad farmer. He fit right in. He would always come to a meeting looking disheveled. His hair was a mess, shirt untucked, two and a half day's beard. He looked like he'd been working real hard. But, we all knew better.

That wasn't all! He could fall asleep at meetings with the best of them, snoring within five minutes. He would always blame it on a dull agenda. I fall asleep reading the newspaper. Hell, you can tell he misses farming by his wardrobe. I have old clothes like that I wear on the farm too. He also puts pictures of bulls on the front page.

Like I said, Corrin knew Avon like a book. Back then it was a loving community. Everyone got along. People would walk down the street waving at other people and saying nice things to their face. No one went to a town or village board meeting. They were too dull.

All the local paper could write about were births and deaths. Hell, with all those people walking around smiling and waving at each other you couldn't be alone with someone long enough to make a baby and all that exercise made for damn few deaths. Not a pretty picture for the would be millionaire publisher.

He had to make these people hate! Get 'em mad about something. Say bad things about one another not only behind their backs! Say bad things not even just to their face, but in the NEWSPAPER ! Say bad things about one another to everyone in the whole damn county! Now that's good thinkin'!

And I am not saying Corrin did this alone. He had help. Paranoia! These people are astronomically paranoid anyway. All Corrin had to do is drop the right line to someone about the right topic. For example, he could tell someone from the village something like, "Jack, Jim says you don't know your butt from a hole in the ground when it comes to water!"

Then, Jack says Jim is wrong and Corrin says, "Can I quote you on that?" These days there are articles about Avon in all the papers. What a success story! Progress, pure and simple!

As time went on he did some other things that were instrumental to the Clarion's success. A couple of years ago he added color to the paper. In the old days papers were just black and white and the writing was colorful. Inside he's added interesting columns like Jean Meekin's Ripples & Waves, Hans Kunze with his Lake & Valley Birding and the ever popular Legal Notices.

He also has attracted a wide array of advertisers (ads in color are more expensive). For the few in this county that have not experienced his heavy handed ad selling you would not believe how proficient he has become. If you don't place an ad he whines, "I've been doing this for 10 years and haven't made a dime yet!" Yeah right!

Well, I wish Corrin and all The Clarion staff a happy 10th anniversary. I believe Corrin is taking them all to Aruba for two weeks to celebrate and those who do not want to go can have the money instead. What a guy! "Bon Voyage", don't get sunburned and have a great next 10 years.

Les Cole
Livonia, N.Y.

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