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Interesting exchange about LA Daily News

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Moderator1, Apr 6, 2008.

  1. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    Sent to me via the Pipeline. I can't imagine how ugly things may get out there:

    Dave:
    My statement that you are the worst newsman I've known is fact in
    that it is limited to the ones I have worked with. There maybe
    someone worse out there, God help us, but I haven't come across him
    or her yet. And my statement is supported by the factual points that
    follow it.
    As for not knowing who controls hiring and firing of editors, are
    you suggesting you actually fought to keep Ron in the position? Or
    that you are totally powerless because your move to the Mercury News
    was a demotion? You used to be over DN editorial.
    If you had nothing to do with it, why were you the messenger to
    Ron? Because he would take it better from you? Or because the
    publisher who ordered the mass slaughter in February didn't have the
    nerve but you did? And with your personal ties to the DN, why didn't
    you see to it that the newsroom was informed?
    I stand by everything I wrote.
    vk

    >Val:
    >
    >Thanks for your insulting and unprofessional note. Think want you
    want
    >of me I do believe you have forgotten that I recommended Ron to be
    the
    >editor of the paper and supported his many efforts to do something
    >different, because the paper has and continues to suffer financially.
    >But get this straight: I do not control the fate of editors. The
    >publisher of each newspaper does. You are making the worst mistake
    that
    >a reporter can make -- though that's not surprising to me -- in
    assuming
    >what my role may or may not have been in terms of Ron. You don't have
    >the facts, mam.
    >
    >-Dave
    >
    >
    >Dave:
    > When you took over the San Jose Mercury News, I bemoaned the loss
    of
    >a great paper to the hands of the worst newsman I've ever known. The
    one
    >who ran Bush's 2000 convention nomination acceptance speech on page 1
    >with a Bush byline. The one who thought "Big Brother" was worth
    >round-the-clock coverage just because it was being shot in the
    Valley.
    >The one who paid for the most pandering and least probing interview
    with
    >the president ever published anywhere, with cleaned-up quotes to
    boot.
    >The one who was giddy as a schoolgirl over the fact that the Daily
    News
    >scored a photo op with the president and vice president. Woohoo.
    > This week I can say with certainty that you are also the worst
    boss I
    >ever have worked for, and with my long and varied career that puts
    you
    >at the top of a very long list.
    > I had my differences with Ron, but I appreciated that he was
    trying
    >to make the paper different and more accessible to an ever-changing
    >audience, unlike his predecessor who held an endless number of
    brown-bag
    >meetings in the zebra lounge that amounted to absolutely nothing. "We
    >need to do something different" was about the most concrete guidance
    you
    >ever offered.
    > Making him let go 22 employees, which clearly took an emotional
    toll,
    >so you could return just four weeks later and do the same to him (I
    >suspect without batting an eye) is very low indeed. I have learned
    since
    >that the newsroom was informed of the change by laobserved.com
    because
    >you apparently lack the cojones to face the staff in person and
    inform
    >them of what you did.
    > There is some cathartic pleasure for me in being able to be so
    blunt
    >with you, and I feel certain at least some of my former colleagues
    share
    >my views. I have nothing to lose by expressing them because I can say
    >with great conviction that I will never again, under any
    circumstances,
    >work for someone as incompetent, arrogant, self-serving and
    heartless as
    >you. Life is too short.
    >
    >Very sincerely,
    >Valerie Kuklenski
     
  2. PHINJ

    PHINJ Active Member

    That's awesome stuff. LAObserved would have killed for this.
     
  3. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    They got nothing on The Pipeline, I'm telling you, nothing.
    Though they may be ahead of me in St. Louis. Talking about a Pipeline drying up.
     
  4. Ben_Hecht

    Ben_Hecht Active Member

  5. Frank_Ridgeway

    Frank_Ridgeway Well-Known Member

    That'll accomplish, well, nothing.
     
  6. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    But my guess is she at least felt better after sending it.
     
  7. dragonfly

    dragonfly Member

    Val was one of the 22 let go in February. She can say what everyone else is thinking. And yes, I can confirm the staff was informed of Ron's departure by laobserved.com

    The editors were told a few days earlier, but asked to keep it quiet.

    New editor is some lady from Monterrey, supposedly.
     
  8. Steak Snabler

    Steak Snabler Well-Known Member

    Reminds me of this ...

     
  9. MMatt60

    MMatt60 Member

    If the new editor is Carolina Garcia, she will be a 180-degree turn from Ron Kaye in personality and approach.
     
  10. Tucsondriver

    Tucsondriver Member

    Calling out The Butler is a great public service. Val scores points for that, and even more for striking some pretty raw nerve tissue. Hey Butler, if you really had nothing to do with Ron Kaye's ouster, why's are you squirming? Why are you even responding?
     
  11. pallister

    pallister Guest

    I couldn't get past the typos.
     
  12. MMatt60

    MMatt60 Member

    Of course there were typos. He laid off all the copy editors.
     
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