how do i make a veteran meet deadline without being a jerk?

[huntsie]

Fifteen minutes before his copy's due, tell him he's got 15 minutes. That's it.
Fifteen minutes later, if he's in mid sentence, take it. Cut it to the last complete sentence. If it makes sense, use it and throw the filler you were planning to use in its place underneath it. If it doesn't, drop it and use the filler.
Refer any complaining parents/coaches to him and have him explain to them that he didn't meet deadline and those are the consequences when you don't meet deadline. Not to embarrass the guy, but that's the reality of the business.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

The best way is to 100 percent honest with him.

"Look, I really don't mean to be a deck, but if I don't have your story by X time, it doesn't make the paper."

If he can't understand that, he shouldn't be in the business.

 

[Drip]

I think the problem is that the SE doesn't want to hurt the vet's feelings. We're not talking about reinventing the wheel. We're talking about doing the job. From what I've read, the vet isn't doing the job. If he were a professional athlete and he wasn't doing the job, he would be cut.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

This is what I was told during my first internship.

No. 1, if it's not on time, you will not be sent out again. Period. If you're having problems sending, we better know about it well before your deadline.

Being on time is more important than anything else in this business.

 

[hockeybeat]

Instead of waiting on the writer, run another story.

 

[spaceman]

house ad

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Instead of waiting on the writer, run another story.

Uh, it's a preps gamer.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

house ad

That's what happens at every place I've ever worked.

If there is an AP story on an event we were covering or a house ad in the preps section, the SE is tearing someone (almost always the writer) a new asshole the next day.

 

[Ace]

Is the guy in the office? If so, why? Maybe he could save those 20 minutes by filing via laptop somewhere.

 

[SF_Express]

if my department misses deadline for any reason, time and time and time again, i lose my job, period. i suspect the same is true for you.

if you want to play mr. nice guy, go right ahead.

I can't really think of any other way to say it. Deadlines are money. If deadline's no big deal, well, then your place is unusual. If you're missing by 20 minutes regularly, well, anyplace I've worked, that's a huge problem.

If he's a great guy and valuable to the paper otherwise, OK. Take him off Friday games or, if you're like at least some areas (not all, admittedly), send him to one of the few games that starts earlier.

But chronically missing a deadline, and pretty much all because of one guy, however respected? Not great.

 

[hockeybeat]

Instead of waiting on the writer, run another story.

Uh, it's a preps gamer.

There's not a feature in the can? Something that can be run pretty much anytime?

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Instead of waiting on the writer, run another story.

Uh, it's a preps gamer.

There's not a feature in the can? Something that can be run pretty much anytime?

That can replace a 10-12 inch preps gamer on deadline?

House ad.