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I've been informed by my boss we don't need ethics ...

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Rhody31, Apr 30, 2008.

  1. Rhody31

    Rhody31 Well-Known Member

    I put together what was supposed to be a local golf tab that turned into a two-page spread because our ad reps are retards and couldn't sell cold lemonade on a July afternoon.
    So I ran a story on the best course in our coverage area (IMO) pointing out the good and the bad, then ran breakout boxes of the other four best courses. Four of the five advertised with us, which was purely coincidental.
    In the boxes, I quoted prices gathered from the courses web sites.
    One of the course owners called our publisher upset because the prices I wrote down weren't the "specials" they were running. I did note in the boxes that there were special prices at certain times of the season.
    Monday, I got called in the publisher's office about this. She said I was wrong. I politely informed her the prices were from the course's web site. She checked them. I was correct.
    Now that golf course owner wants an apology. Our publisher wants it in the form of a golf course review and by review, she means newsprint blow job.
    My executive editor, who has become a two-faced stabbing dickwad, told me I have to play the course and write a story. I told him that's no problem, but if the place sucks, I'm going to mention that it sucks. He said not to mention that. I told him if I'm putting my name and reputation on this story, I'm telling my readers what I see so if they go to the course, they aren't misinformed.
    Then he said that that's not how this business works and that's why we don't have a sports editor.
    I can't wait to see how this ends.
    If anyone needs a writer, let me know, because I may be getting canned very soon - but probably not, because then this paper would have one guy to put out seven papers in three days.
    Rant over.
     
  2. TheSportsPredictor

    TheSportsPredictor Well-Known Member

    Tell them to fuck off.
     
  3. SixToe

    SixToe Well-Known Member

    Stand your ground and good luck.
     
  4. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    Quit yer bitching. In fact, I'm going to do the exact same thing so I get a free round of golf.

    (Seriously, I would strongly suggest you pitch that they get or hire someone else to do the golf course review because you would not want to go into it biased).
     
  5. Bullwinkle

    Bullwinkle Member

    If you shoot in the 70s, how can you not write a glowing review? :D

    On a more serious note, tell your executive editor you do not have clubs, borrow some from him, hack it around, snap the clubs over your knees or on tree trunks, return the clubs to him--or what's left of them--then quit.

    Then go find another newspaper job. There's tons of them out there.
     
  6. three_bags_full

    three_bags_full Well-Known Member

    I'd mosey on over to the jobs board, if I were you.
     
  7. fremont

    fremont Member

    Get out as soon as you can. And no, I won't be applying to take your place.
     
  8. MU_was_not_so_hard

    MU_was_not_so_hard Active Member

    Make sure you take a huge shit in his bag before you give it back.
     
  9. Rhody31

    Rhody31 Well-Known Member

    Can't take his clubs. Our EE and Publisher don't play. I found this out when they were asking me why I said one course gets a ton of play and turns into a dump in July and August. I asked them "have you ever seen the course? Do you play?"
    No and no.
     
  10. Bullwinkle

    Bullwinkle Member

    Surely the company can purchase you a set?
     
  11. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    Make the first letter of every paragraph read "THIS PLACE IS A DOG TRACK" Put some effort into it. Make them proud of it, until someone reads it to them...
     
  12. Fuck them.
    And good for you for standing your ground.
     
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