More from J. Todd Foster

To be fair, his newspaper has had a pretty awful reputation in recent years, and now it has a Pulitzer. Say what you will about the guy -- and I don't know him a bit, so I won't say anything -- but I certainly don't think it's fair or accurate to say he has damaged his newspaper's reputation.

 

This guy is fast becoming EVERYTHING that is wrong about this business. I've talked to a few folks who knew of him prior to Bristol. They thought highly of him. Now, he's letting his ego make a fool out him.

 

Based on the content of said message -- the suicidal reference -- yes.
As a matter of philosophy, no. No one leaving a message on a newsroom voice mail should ever assume it won't be published. A school superintendent, who presumably deals with the media on at least a semi-regular basis, should know that.

 

I'd never just take a phone message and run with it in any story. I'd call the person/source back to discuss the matter and also verify it was indeed the person who left the message.

I'm assuming Foster recognized the voice of the super but wouldn't it have been a hoot if Foster ran with the comment and the super wasn't the one who left the msg?

 

Of course not. That wouldn't be professional. But from the other side -- the side of the superintendent -- operating on the assumption you would should be a matter of enlightened self interest. Once he leaves that message, he's abdicated control over his own words.

 

No freaking way do you run someone's phone message without talking to that person first. Totally unprofessional and unethical.
A phone message is not public comment for print until you call the person, verify that it actually was him and tell him he's now fair game.
Anything less is inexcusable.

 

Play, in my opinion, there is no way you can honestly defend what he did with a straight face. There wasn't anything gutsy about this move. He needs to check his ego at the door.

 

Novelist, not trying at all to get into a pissing match. But I suspect if we took 100 members of the public -- superintendents, cops, teachers, parents, etc. -- and asked them if they anticipated a reporter would take such a message and publish the contents w/out calling back we'd get a high number of folks who would say NO WAY.

I can understand why such folks, even those who interact with the media, would think the only way their words get into print is when a reporter interviews them. Right or wrong, I suspect that would be the view of many.

Yet if you take 100 reporters/editors, I would hope every damn one of them would realize doing what this tool did was unprofessional and instead would choose to call the subject back and attempt to interview them.

I don't put the onus on the public. It's on us to do the right thing, not what we just what we have a "right" to do.

Not angry with you or anyone else here. It's just that more I think of what this guy did the more pissed off I get and I'm venting.

It's like this guy is practicing gotcha journalism. Leave a nasty msg? We get the last word and last laugh.

 

Don't argue with a man who buys ink by the gallon and paper by the ton.

 

You're right, he's not everything wrong with the business. But his actions don't endear many people to sympathize with the plight of the industry.