Big Mess In Hartford

Let me see if I've got this right.

--Tribune names the GM of a local TV station publisher of the Courant in early April.

--Among the many changes taking place under the combined news operation, it appears a 29-year-old woman will have an enhanced role in marketing and public relations, over and above some more experienced that her. Rumors fly.

--Connecticut AG Richard Blumenthal writes Tribune demanding details of the combined operation, questioning if one ownership group will become too powerful. This might hamper Tribune's yearly waiver request to the feds regarding cross-ownership laws.

--Last week, the 29-year-old is arrested twice for DUI in 3 hours overnight by the same cop, such a "news of the weird" type item, that it makes news from Dubai to San Jose.

--Friday it comes out that the GM/Publisher, a married father of two, was in the car with her, bailed her out the first time (her husband bailed her out the second time), and drove her back to her car, whereby she was arrested for her 2nd DUI, driving with a suspended license, and speeding.

--The Courant publishes an article in which the GM/Publisher comes up with a story about "helping her with directions" that strains belief to such a point that it would be borderline hilarious if drunk driving were at all funny.

--The TV station ignores the story (all the other TV stations in the market did the story) until Friday, when it basically reads a statement from the GM/Publisher.

--The 29-year-old continues to work on marketing and P.R. via conference calls as if nothing has happened.

Do I have this right?

 

Somehow, I think it involves The Old Dirt Road.

 

More info here:

http://thelaurel.wordpress.com/2009/04/24/police-identify-other-person-in-car-with-fox61-double-dui-marketing-director-as-richard-graziano/

 

Good to see her BAC come down .05 in 2:40... .175 -- jeebus

 

Man, I feel bad for her husband and his wife.

However, this is funny as hell in a "what a couple of fucking idiots" kinda way.

 

Giving her directions, huh?

Reminds me of when I was a pledge in my fraternity way back when. Our pledge class was tasked to do about 100 things one night all around the DC-VA-MD area. One was to get a picture taken with a hooker in DC.

So I'm asking one lovely lady if she minded taking a picture with us when a cop decides to check in. I tell him I was simply asking directions. He was not amused.

 

Sonner dirt alert!

RB

 

Typical of many newspaper management types - ignore the in-house story as if nothing is going on.

 

I was surprised by the tight turnaround as well.

 

That happens all the time, doesn't it? But you're right. That's kinda crazy they release someone just three hours later, which was, more than likely, immediately after booking.