Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Don Hoffman


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review).  No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was keep. Davewild (talk) 16:01, 15 May 2015 (UTC)

Don Hoffman

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Person only notable for founding a questionably-notable company. Joseph2302 (talk) 14:34, 24 April 2015 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of United States of America-related deletion discussions. • Gene93k (talk) 00:56, 25 April 2015 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of Authors-related deletion discussions. • Gene93k (talk) 00:56, 25 April 2015 (UTC)
 * Note: This debate has been included in the list of Businesspeople-related deletion discussions. • Gene93k (talk) 00:56, 25 April 2015 (UTC)


 * Delete - Multiple searches found nothing even in the slightest to improve the article. SwisterTwister   talk  18:32, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

Keep per the significant coverage in multiple independent reliable sources.  The article notes: "You've seen him on billboards and the sides of buses, on McDonald's tray liners, on posters throughout the Milwaukee Public Schools system and, most definitely, on television. He even attracted attention last spring when he put a cappuccino machine in his office at the MPS Central Administration Building (it's gone now, by the way). Now, coming to bookshelves across America, it's Don Hoffman. Hoffman, a former television news reporter and current spokesman for MPS, has -- on his own time, he emphasizes -- written two children's books scheduled to go on sale in Wal-Marts, Targets and Kmarts, as well as in major chain bookstores, by mid-January. The books, 'Billy Is a Big Boy' and 'Abigail Is a Big Girl,' aim to build the pride and self-esteem young children feel as they conquer challenges of growing up, such as moving out of diapers and cribs and learning to tie their shoes, Hoffman says. Hoffman and local illustrator Todd Dakins developed the books over the last several years. A hardcover version of the 'Billy' book was published in 2000, but now paperback versions of both books are being published by Dalmatian Press, based in Nashville. ... Hoffman, 37, who is particularly visible as the host of the MPS television program called 'Making the Grade' or 'MTG,' does not have children of his own. He said he began writing children's literature several years ago, drawing in part on memories of his teenage years, when his mother had a baby. His mother subsequently became ill and Hoffman became responsible for much of his little sister's care."  The article notes: "With visions of national distribution and promotion for the children's book 'Billy Is a Big Boy,' the group gathered at the Borders bookstore in Fox Point in an upbeat celebration and book signing. The author, WDJT-TV (Channel 58) news reporter Don Hoffman, read the book to squeals of delight from a preschool audience. But he shared the praise with Susan Pittleman, his publisher, and Barbara Garner, the self-titled executive director of Sam's Hope, a literacy and book distribution program that began three years ago as a mitzvah project for Garner's now 14-year-old son Sam. The trio -- Hoffman, Pittleman and Barbara Garner -- agreed that it was the combination that has pushed 'Billy' to the brink of a national audience. Hoffman, who has covered education and the arts at Channel 58 for the past five years, provided the story of a young boy mastering such accomplishments as moving from diapers to underwear, riding a two-wheel bike, tying shoelaces and learning the alphabet."  The article notes: "First, it was free chili dinners at Milwaukee Public Schools open houses. Then came ubiquitous radio ads. Soon, Don Hoffman's face on the paper place mats at a McDonald's near you. The public school system's promotional efforts are reaching newly feverish heights this winter. Although years of vouchers and other competition-based reforms mean it's no longer a novelty to see MPS promoting schools the way Procter & Gamble sells Tide, the district is pushing harder because it's starting to see real results, spokesman Hoffman said. ... 'It's cool -- it's real -- it's back,' the place mats proclaim. 'MTG with Don Hoffman.' The mats display the logos of 'MTG' and its corporate sponsors, list the show's Web site and include a 2 1/2-inch-high picture of Hoffman. 'MTG' airs at 10:30 a.m. and midnight Sundays on WISN-TV (Channel 12). Hosted by Hoffman, it features a panel of local teenagers discussing such issues as sex, tattoos and eating disorders, according to a postcard MPS mailed to every household in Milwaukee promoting the show. On the postcard, too, the only identifiable person depicted is Hoffman. He plays an increasingly large role in MPS' image -- showing up, for example, on bus shelter posters all over town when he hosted a public lecture series last summer -- even though the School Board has never confirmed him as chief spokesman. MPS promoted the former WDJT-TV (Channel 58) reporter to acting director of communications and public affairs when spokeswoman Karen Salzbrenner left in September. ...MPS promoted the former WDJT-TV (Channel 58) reporter to acting director of communications and public affairs when spokeswoman Karen Salzbrenner left in September. Hoffman said using his picture helps people recognize that MPS is sponsoring a program. 'In the branding of any type of a show, there's got to be a reason of how people identify a show,' he said." According to http://donhoffmanauthor.com/documents/blurbspdfrev2.pdfWebCite, his books have been reviewed by the Cleveland Daily Banner, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, School Library Journal, The Capital Times, The Port Arthur News, the News Chief, the Milwaukee Magazine, Midwest Book Review, Alan Caruba of Bookviews.com, and Metro Parent Publishing Group. There is sufficient coverage in reliable sources to allow Don Hoffman to pass Notability, which requires "significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject". Cunard (talk) 21:08, 1 May 2015 (UTC) </li></ul> <div class="xfd_relist" style="border-top: 1px solid #AAA; border-bottom: 1px solid #AAA; padding: 0px 25px;"> Relisted to generate a more thorough discussion so a clearer consensus may be reached.

Please add new comments below this notice. Thanks, North America1000 06:18, 2 May 2015 (UTC)
 * Delete - Nothing in the article shows WP:AUTHOR criteria are met.--Rpclod (talk) 12:24, 2 May 2015 (UTC)
 * Comment "Notability is a property of a subject and not of a Wikipedia article." see WP:ARTN Coolabahapple (talk) 16:30, 2 May 2015 (UTC)
 * Nothing in the article suggests that the subject is notable pursuant to WP:AUTHOR.--Rpclod (talk) 16:34, 2 May 2015 (UTC)


 * Keep: Agree with Cunard, with over 1000000 sales records and multiple reviews for his books, found just by google search, the notability is clearly establsihed Arthistorian1977 (talk) 11:40, 5 May 2015 (UTC)
 * Comment: could you please add (or link) some of these reviews you've found? So far, you've added a press-release, which is not a RS.<b style="font-family:georgia; font-size:11pt; color:#BFA3A3"> Pax</b> 06:52, 8 May 2015 (UTC)


 * Weak delete I find evidence that his books are in libraries . However, I do not see any of his books listed in Booklist, which means that they haven't been reviewed by the main library recommender service. Most of his books come out of small presses, but the 2008 one was published by Scholastic Press, which is considered a major publisher in the juvenile field. Kirkus Reviews, however, did not give that book ("Sparky...") a good review, and he did not publish subsequent books with Scholastic. What I'm getting here is a non-notable author of mediocre children's books. LaMona (talk) 16:02, 8 May 2015 (UTC)
 * Keep: Found some review of his book here : Arthistorian1977 (talk) 20:58, 10 May 2015 (UTC)
 * Keep - best-selling author; books have been reviewed in reliable sources. Bearian (talk) 21:08, 11 May 2015 (UTC)
 * Keep thanks to the sources provided by Cunard. ~ EDDY  ( talk / contribs )~ 15:34, 15 May 2015 (UTC)
 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.