Sports Editor, Richmond, Va.

wow. what a read. i wouldn't take a job in richmond if my name was jeff davis!

 

Do not believe everything you read.

 

Whatever! You sound like the right-wing, Limbaugh types. "Don't believe what you read. Don't trust the media."
Man, are you serious? A reputable publication puts out a serious and disturbing piece about our industry and you seek to discredit the messanger?

This says it all: “What? That’s bullshit!” he snapped. “Your reporters are asking people to comment all the time, and you won’t let your reporters comment at all? Judas!” After a moment, he sighed. “I’m glad I’m gone.”
Any good feelings I had toward the T-D are done. How can we get mad when people don't want to talk to us and then not want to talk when other call us. I though we were supposed to be transparent in this biz?

 

You are correct, Omar. I appreciate you pointing that out. I do not know my ass from first base.
I apologize profusely. Please accept because it would mean the world to me.
I'm sure the T-D will be happy to remove your applications from the pile. Wouldn't want you to disgrace yourself by working there.

 

PS- what is a messanger? And how do you know "Style Weekly" is a reputable publication?

 

It probably isn't, huh?
They probably just print lies and have 73k peple reading them. And they probably have a political agenda. In fact, maybe the T-D and you would like to try them (along with the NYT) for treason?
Get real. A major (and very well respected paper) puts the clamps on interviews? That's unethical, in my opinion, because when is it EVER right for a newspaper to try and withhold the truth?

 

Withhold the truth?  Yeesh.  Let's get a little melodrama in here.  They didn't want to talk to the guy (who used to work at the paper).  You might be him, he couldn't move on from it either.

Style Weekly, in fact, IS a reputable publication. It's a very good one.  I know that.  I asked how do you know that? You admitted earlier you had been through Richmond three times.  You ever read Style?  Go by the numbers?  What is the National Enquirer's circulation?

I said don't believe EVERYTHING you read. I didn't say don't believe ANYTHING.

New EE, the first big outside hire in ages.  There's a feeling out process.  Assholes are tight.  Sure, all that is to be expected and it happens any time there's a significant change.

But trust me on this one:  It's nowhere near as bad as that article made it sound.  I've been through Richmond more than three times. There are as many - maybe more - people in that newsroom who are eager for a little change. Was a dissenting opinion sought for that article? Didn't think so. It's called balance and I didn't see any of that.

 

So what's the movement on this job? Are they going to hire someone before the end of the year ... or after this, have the 14 finalists dropped out?

 

I guess you haven't gotten around much. It is more the exception than the rule when newspapers communicate plainly about their inner workings. Heck, I've been on job interviews in which I've asked what happened to the person who used to hold the job and been told, "It's a personnel issue." And, in a way, I suppose they do need to protect themselves from potential litigation.

I'd think the magazine could find someone other than a former Times-Dispatch employee to do the story, in the interest of objectivity. Given those circumstances, I'd probably elect not to talk to him, either.

 

At least one has not. Interviews ongoing. It isn't 14. Not anymore.

Frank, thanks for the voice of reason.

 

I think the point of the article is that he tried to get people to talk to him -- from the chairman on down - -and was told no. Any lack of balance is the fault of the paper's management. Instead, people were told they'd be fired if they did, and could lose their pensions. This is a newspaper?