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More from J. Todd Foster

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!, May 17, 2010.

  1. JJHHI

    JJHHI Member

    To be fair, his newspaper has had a pretty awful reputation in recent years, and now it has a Pulitzer. Say what you will about the guy -- and I don't know him a bit, so I won't say anything -- but I certainly don't think it's fair or accurate to say he has damaged his newspaper's reputation.
     
  2. Drip

    Drip Active Member

    This guy is fast becoming EVERYTHING that is wrong about this business. I've talked to a few folks who knew of him prior to Bristol. They thought highly of him. Now, he's letting his ego make a fool out him.
     
  3. novelist_wannabe

    novelist_wannabe Well-Known Member

    Based on the content of said message -- the suicidal reference -- yes.
    As a matter of philosophy, no. No one leaving a message on a newsroom voice mail should ever assume it won't be published. A school superintendent, who presumably deals with the media on at least a semi-regular basis, should know that.
     
  4. armageddon

    armageddon Active Member

    I'd never just take a phone message and run with it in any story. I'd call the person/source back to discuss the matter and also verify it was indeed the person who left the message.

    I'm assuming Foster recognized the voice of the super but wouldn't it have been a hoot if Foster ran with the comment and the super wasn't the one who left the msg?
     
  5. novelist_wannabe

    novelist_wannabe Well-Known Member

    Of course not. That wouldn't be professional. But from the other side -- the side of the superintendent -- operating on the assumption you would should be a matter of enlightened self interest. Once he leaves that message, he's abdicated control over his own words.
     
  6. spnited

    spnited Active Member

    No freaking way do you run someone's phone message without talking to that person first. Totally unprofessional and unethical.
    A phone message is not public comment for print until you call the person, verify that it actually was him and tell him he's now fair game.
    Anything less is inexcusable.
     
  7. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    *Everything* that is wrong about this business? Foster is laying off people, shipping the copy editing duties to China and cashing huge bonus checks? Please.

    This small paper won a Pulitzer under his watch, and he's making gutsy calls and sticking up for them. For people who say newspapers aren't relevant anymore, this is a breath of fresh air. Agreeing or disagreeing with his methods is fair game. And his ego is obvious. But he sounds like a damn interesting guy to work for in a biz where, sadly, there aren't many of his kind left--many have either jumped ship, been pushed or have been rendered vanilla by corporate morons.
     
  8. Drip

    Drip Active Member

    Play, in my opinion, there is no way you can honestly defend what he did with a straight face. There wasn't anything gutsy about this move. He needs to check his ego at the door.
     
  9. armageddon

    armageddon Active Member

    Novelist, not trying at all to get into a pissing match. But I suspect if we took 100 members of the public -- superintendents, cops, teachers, parents, etc. -- and asked them if they anticipated a reporter would take such a message and publish the contents w/out calling back we'd get a high number of folks who would say NO WAY.

    I can understand why such folks, even those who interact with the media, would think the only way their words get into print is when a reporter interviews them. Right or wrong, I suspect that would be the view of many.

    Yet if you take 100 reporters/editors, I would hope every damn one of them would realize doing what this tool did was unprofessional and instead would choose to call the subject back and attempt to interview them.

    I don't put the onus on the public. It's on us to do the right thing, not what we just what we have a "right" to do.

    Not angry with you or anyone else here. It's just that more I think of what this guy did the more pissed off I get and I'm venting.

    It's like this guy is practicing gotcha journalism. Leave a nasty msg? We get the last word and last laugh.
     
  10. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    Eye of the beholder. But saying he represents everything that is wrong with this business is a ridiculous blanket statement.
     
  11. Don't argue with a man who buys ink by the gallon and paper by the ton.
     
  12. Drip

    Drip Active Member

    You're right, he's not everything wrong with the business. But his actions don't endear many people to sympathize with the plight of the industry.
     
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