Newspaper or yearbook?

This appeared in a former paper of mine, and it hacks me off. The woman in the photo is the frickin' ad director of the paper, and it's clearly a house ad. I don't care what constraints the paper is up against today versus 10 years ago, but this shit shouldn't happen. I can only hope to God the publisher called a staff meeting and blasted everybody for this. This just shouldn't happen, even in an 8K daily. Cover your town and county, and leave the yearbook stuff for Facebook.

http://38threes.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/catsad.jpg

 

If she paid for the ad, I have no problems. If she didn't, I have many problems, and I think her bosses would, too.

 

Which one of you posting on the Family Secrets thread is related to this nutjob??

We're talking about an adult woman who took out a newspaper ad so she could quote Sonny & Cher to her cats (who are named for Willie and Waylon) on their first birthday? Do I have that right?

 

Part of my worry is whether the staff did it, even as a joke. Probably just typical ad dept. stuff, but it still pisses me off. No place for it.

 

You know, Yearbook always had the hotter chicks in high school, but I went with Newspaper anyway. I'm still happy with that choice. (The arts editor and her twee glasses was pretty hot too.)

 

As long as she paid for it, what's the damage? I've seen far more cringe-inducing stuff in print.

Wingnut money deposits just as easily into the paper's bank account as normal folks'.

 

Hold onto the picture for years from now when she is eaten by her cats.

 

I know of one paper on the coast that will run rememberances for dead pets. Hey, if it's putting money in our pockets, who are we to complain?

 

Our publisher once suggested the staff ghostwrite a column by his dog. So there's that.

 

As long as she paid for it, I don't see the problem either. I mean, it's awful, but folks can buy a lot of awful ads ... as long as they're paying.