A phony reporter

Couldn't find proof that they were falsified? More like they couldn't find proof they actually exist. They go to the house of this supposed grandmother and no one lives there by that name. They check on this supposed homeless person and no one knows anyone by that name and the reporter won't give a description.

There's no paper trail, but that's pretty damning evidence. Using people as sources who don't appear to exist is usually not a wise way to stay employed in this business.

 

Just giving the date of when someone was employed IS NOT a red flag. There are legal issues that come into play. As far as this particular person is concerned, she was able to get by because NO ONE CHECKED. And what makes it look bad is that she continued to get by with people not checking up on her. She took advantage of incompetence.

 

I thought the story did go a bit far in seeming to enjoy patting itself on the back while trashing her. Not that she didn't deserve trashing.

 

The paper didn't do anything more than the Washington Post did with Janet Cooke and the New York Times did with Jason Blair.

 

There are potential legal issues if it's a negative reference. Just giving the dates is a huge red flag.

 

I remember years ago, working retail, I was talking to my boss when the phone rang. Seconds later, he said "I'm not allowed to give a bad recommendation." He repeated it and said "Take that for what you will."

I wonder if that poor chap got that job.

Years later, after my second paper laid me off, I learned that management WAS NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS for any worker laid off. Most, if not all, thumbed their nose to that, but I thought it was beyond sick to basically try to exile the workers you canned to unemployment.

 

Like most alt weekly publishers, Lagniappe's Rob Holbert LOVES tweaking the local mainstream media outlet (in this case the Mobile Press-Register/AL.com). AL.com had hired Katie Nichols a few weeks earlier, after Lagniappe had fired her.

The Lagniappe story came out on Wednesday, March 5 (the day after Mardi Gras, incidentally). Katie Nichols was fired by AL.com on Thursday, March 6.

http://connect.al.com/user/katherinealise/posts.html

 

Just giving the date of when someone was employed CAN BE a red flag. If I have someone calling me about a former intern or reporter who wasn't good, I am going to say only the minimum, i.e. confirm the dates of employment. If that intern or reporter was great, I will give a strong recommendation. If I get pushed about the bad reporter and stick with only confirming dates of employment, my hunch is most hiring people will be able to put two and two together.

 

I figured this thread was your memoir, Drip.

 

Whoa.

 

LOL

 

Some companies have a policy to only give the dates of employment, regardless of whether they were good or bad.