Dear dimwit on the phone

Actual conversation that just happened between a guy who walked in and an ad person:

Ad guy: just type podunktimes into Google (telling him how to get to our website)
Old Fart: What's that?
Ad guy: Google? It's the biggest search engine in the world.
Old Fart: Oh, you're assuming I have a computer

 

Not really - they just tune you out and complain to your competitors instead.

 

The team this lady wants me to cover exclusively just lost by 53 tonight. Maybe I should go highlight them getting trounced. I'm sure that would get me on this lady's good side

 

Yah, team with a mom that has worried me to death this season - she's the one who droppd, "We're trying to get Johnny a scholarship" - got worked tonight in a season-ending loss. Can't say I exactly wept about that.

 

So OF reads the actual newspaper? Godspeed.

 

I did something like this once. I thought it would be effective, but then their complaints just shifted to a more nuanced, unprovable alleged bias.

 

I don't mind being called out when a reader complains about a team that is truly being left on the back burner...got one of those a couple weeks ago. It was legit, so I gave up one of my family nights to get out to one of their big late-season games and we did some deserved coverage of their school in the league playoffs.

What bothers me is when parents cry bias and cite untrue "facts" to make their point. I don't mind calling them out, even if it isn't going to change their mind.

 

Same here. When I get the "You are biased against Podunk West because Podunk East is in the paper all the time and Podunk West isn't" call, I always return it to explain ... if they leave a number. If they do, I explain how Podunk West gets us results, while Podunk East doesn't, despite having enough of my cards and preseason info to paper a small restroom.

 

Pet peeve: While I get the point that OF still reads the physical paper, why would an ad rep ever say get to us via google and not give the website of the paper? People get so caught up in google ranking when they should strive to be a name that immediately comes to the user's mind.

 

If it's any consolation, I was once in a meeting with my publisher and I told her she could find something on Yahoo so she typed in "www.google.com" on her browser, then did a google search for Yahoo, then clicked onto the Yahoo homepage link that was in the results.

I asked her about it and she told me that that's how she surfs the web. She goes to google first and then finds the page through there. I, of course, followed up with "But wouldn't it be easier just to type the address out?" and she said "No, I think this is easier for me."

So, yeah...

 

Dear Swim Dad,

I understand that you're disappointed your huge (and predictable) loss wasn't covered this week. But by not calling the swimming writer -- or even anyone in the sports department -- with your concerns, I tend to doubt you're as dedicated to our coverage as you claimed.

Also, if you don't leave your name or number I can't call you back.

Still not covering your kid,
PaperDoll

 

When I'd get such calls (the "you cover the county schools too much and not the city school you should be outright rooting for" calls), they'd always say "after all, you ARE the Podunk paper."

Me: "Podunk hasn't been on our masthead for 30 years. We are a countywide paper and cover all schools equitably. Where our business office is located has no bearing on that. We do not pick favorites or take sides."

Them: "Uh ... uh ... uh ... you're supposed to be the Podunk paper, not the East Bumbletucky paper. Did you go to East Bumbletucky?"

Me: "No, I grew up 50 miles from here."

Them: "Oh. click."