Poynter, fire this guy now

Plus the blue sarcasm font can be confused with the lighter blue link font.

Is it ironic if the sarcasm font was the real response to a sarcastic suggestion? I ... think so.

 

Don't get all technical with me! It's Friday and you're making my head hurt.

 

Update: He's now the Ex-Future Poynter Online M.E.

http://poynter.org/forum/?id=32127

Memo from Poynter Online editor Bill Mitchell to the Poynter staff

From: Bill Mitchell
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 11:59 AM
To: [Poynter staff]
Subject: update on Chris Cobler

Colleagues:

We've come to the mutual conclusion with Chris Cobler that he should not take up his position as managing editor of Poynter Online.

Since word of the improper usage of AP material by the Greeley Tribune first came to our attention last week, we have done our best to make sense of the conflicting reports about just what happened. We have not been able to satisfy ourselves that we have a clear picture of what Chris's role may or may not have been.

In the course of interviewing many of his current and former colleagues and competitors over the last several days, we heard much that confirmed our initial judgment of Chris as an extraordinarily talented and accomplished journalist well suited for a leadership position at Poynter. At the same time, Chris agrees that our inability to resolve doubts that have arisen would make it difficult, if not impossible, for him to succeed in the job.

We appreciate the concern that Chris has expressed that his hiring not call into question the ideals that Poynter strives to reflect.

Because we found ourselves in the unusual circumstance of dealing with questions raised publicly about someone we had already hired but who had not yet reported for work, it's important that we be as forthcoming as appropriate about how we've resolved the situation. We've tried to do that above, and will not be making any comments beyond this statement. The Institute has a longstanding policy and practice of not discussing personnel matters.

We wish the best for Chris and his family.

Bill

 

Chris, Wally Backman is on the white courtesy phone.

 

Apologies in advance for prolonging this thread with nitpicking, but this bit in Mitchell's memo bugged me:

It wasn't "improper usage of AP material." It was improper usage of other newspapers' material by stripping it and putting an AP credit on it. This isn't just mincing words; the way Mitchell describes the offense is wholly inaccurate. And accuracy, I'd guess, is something Poynter cares about.

 

I noticed that too. Hopefully the discrepancy won't keep Cobler from scaring off future potential employers.

 

To say that it is "wholly inaccurate" is a bit harsh. Granted, it might have been more concise but "AP material" could simply be referring to misusing the AP's name.

 

I just really like this line, from the original story:

[quote“That’s clearly a very bad journalism practice,” said Steve Weaver, the Tribune’s publisher.[/quote]

That pretty much cuts right to the heart of it.