i scratch your back, you say get lost

how would you handle this one?

about a week ago there was a prep game quite a distance away where we (paper a - small daily) sent a reporter but no photographer. sports editor called larger (not a big metro - paper b) daily where game was at 2 days before game to see if they could snap a photo for us and was told by photo editor, "no problem."

no photo ever comes so next morning sports editor calls back and photo editor there sez "exec. editor sez we can send a photo to "paper c" but not you.

i'm really pissed because photo editor there told us yes, never got back to us to tell us the change of heart (and allow us the chance to send reporter w/ a camera), was willing to help "paper c" and to top it off, we had previously helped them out on some info they needed for a story, no problem at all.

 

I pulled kind of a fast one about 10 years ago. I called a paper in the next state to arrange a photo, knowing full well that they and our competition were owned by the same company. Guy says sure, no problem. Night of the game he sends photos, we use some, he calls me a couple hours later and says you can't use them, I thought you were Paper X, not Paper Y. I say, geez, sorry about the confusion, but the presses have already started ...

It was kind of mean of me, but understand that the competition was basically a war and the other side didn't always play fair either.

But I imagine that they may have common ownership with the other paper they were telling you about. Nothing you can do about that, just don't help them again.

 

nope, wasn't a common ownership thing with "paper c."

 

I have a small list of papers that I would never help, under any circumstances, on the basis of previous non-support.

The Memphis Commecial Appeal is at the top of that list.

"Does not play well with others."

 

Maybe the editor is friends with your competitor's editor?

 

There are few things I'll remember longer than a newspaper which won't play ball on a file photo. A real pet peeve.

 

I met another reporter from a regional paper a few weeks ago. In the spirit of being friendly, I offered that he could call me if his teams were ever in my town and I'd help him with a gamer or photo or whatnot. He looked at me like I had just offered to barbecue his dog. I think it was big paper stuck-upness at work... as in, what could small-paper me ever have to offer him?

 

I've received more help from the paper 200 miles away than our "sister" publication that's 60 miles to the north.

(Plus, the SE publishes "Chuck Norris facts" in the paper, I shit you not.)

Totally useless.

 

Chuck Norris will grab your shit and squeeze it so hard with his bare hands that it will become a diamond.

 

Shotty, I've agreed with about the last 47 things you've said on the JTO board.

We're not always competing with every single media outlet on every single issue. Sharing a score, sharing a photo, sharing a story, even, is perfectly acceptable, in most cases. Just be fair about your request and don't ask me to go too far out of my way (esp. if it's on deadline.)

But if you'll help me, I'll be glad to help you.

 

I think this is a perversion of the idea of karma, but this is akin to my concept of Beer Karma. The beers you buy for others will come back to you, maybe not from those who you bought for, but the Big Refrigerator will dispense you a cold one somewhere down the line for you.

Same goes with newspapers. Help one out and you'll get help somewhere down the line, maybe not from that same one, but do the right thing. Does mess with karma.

 

And then he'll gouge out your eyes with it and gut you like a pig. Just for fun.