Newsday sports: Don't worry, be happy

Any journalist worth his or her integrity should be more outraged by the Newsday policy and less concerned with the typical sniping about having to hear about someone's heroism or defining their class.

Regardless of how Wally Matthews came across in the story, the issue here is a newspaper limiting its writers' ability to provide critical commentary. That should be a lot bigger issue than anything else. If you doubt Matthews' complaints or think he just wanted to go to ESPN, then you should ask the same question someone did when he took the job -- why would he leave a column for a beat job since he's an excellent columnist? You should also, as someone pointed out, check all the other quotes from other current Newsday employees about this policy.

It's a BS policy that instantly poisons the credibility of the section and that's the bottom line. As for the other point, I don't necessarily think Matthews acted like a hero by leaving, but he sure as hell acted like a journalist. Maybe these days, it's becoming rare enough that some folks see that as heroic.

 

Well, for every Wally Matthews, there are 100 more who will gladly tow the line.

 

Just out of curiosity, is that sports editor someone from our business, or is it a newly installed Dolan flunkie?

 

SE is a former ASE at the Daily News.

 

Maybe they can get someone from the Devils' website to write stories?

Seriously, this has Santa Barbara written all over it.

 

And those 100 more tow the line because they need the paycheck for a roof over their head.

 

Try "toe the line."

 

Does Henry Hect still work the sports desk. He never wrote an unharsh story

 

And one or two more who will keep their jobs because their editor knows the proper usage is toe the line.

 

Congratulations Mr. Matthews,
Rest assured if it ever gets like that at my shop, I'll walk as well. I applaud you. You are what true journalism is all about. I hope all people in this business also walk if it gets too bad. I really appreciate your stance on this.

 

Pravda culture is inching across our landscape. This is no exception.

If only there were many options out there for others like Matthews. That is the only kind of pull that journalists have, is to tell a paper to eff itself because there's plenty others who would hire him. Instead, as one poster mentioned, there's some mindless kissasses who would take that job and therefore, perpetuate the growth of this kind of cancer throughout American journalism.

 

Not to threadjack, just curious. So, you won't walk because your shop forces you to work 20-30 unpaid overtime hours per week. But you will walk if they tell you to present happy news?