Browns beat writer booted over tweet

According to the local weekly paper:

http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2012/01/25/sources-tony-grossi-pulled-from-browns-beat-over-randy-lerner-tweet

A week ago Tony Grossi tweeted that Browns' owner Randy Lerner is "pathetic" and the "world's most pathetic billionaire." The tweet quickly vanished but not quickly enough. I saw it, other's saw it, and it quickly made it's way around the blogs. He hasn't tweeted anything since.

Just before that he also answered a fan's question on Twitter asking if Grossi had listened to Lerner's interview on the radio that day. Lerner rarely does interviews. Grossi said he didn't listen and that wasn't his job. I'm sure that didn't play well with his bosses. So I'm not sure which action led to him getting the boot from the beat. I'm sure the combo knocked him out.

 

Tough to see. So glad I never had to deal with Twitter, but you have to be smarter than that...

 

Can't tell you how many times bosses and copy editors saved my nuts on a line that went too far.

If I had a Twitter account, 100 percent of those lines would have seen the light of day.

 

Grossi calls the tweet 'inadvertent,' meant as a DM, not a tweet.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/25/report-accidental-tweet-gets-grossi-removed-from-browns-beat/

Careless or not....is it a fireable offense?

 

He hasn't been fired.

 

I guess the silver lining for him is he didn't lose his job over it. Got to be careful. Boss of mine explained it best to me as far as opinion: "Write on Twitter like you're writing for print, because even more people could see it."

 

I will rephrase. Should he have been removed from the beat?

 

Yes. If he wants a column, he should ask for one. Until hat happens, be careful what you say or write.

 

I can totally see it happening. I have sent stuff out to the Twitterverse when I meant to send a text message to someone but typed it in the message link to the 404-04 Twitter feeds.

 

"Last night there was a comment attributed to me on my Twitter account."

Um, you wrote it, right?

 

Yes. Wouldn't want readers knowing what journalists actually think, now would we? Better to maintain a facade of "objectivity".

 

I wish the best for Tony, who is a good guy.

This raises an interesting question, though. Yes, we're all supposed to be objective, blah, blah, blah.
But if you've covered anyone for very long, you've formed opinions about them. Do these opinions REALLY disqualify you from covering your beat, if one of them becomes public? Do we honestly believe that? Again, I'm not talking about the answer you would give to get an A in journalism class.