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Response to nasty emails

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by hackhack, Sep 28, 2006.

  1. rgd

    rgd Guest

    What's also good is if someone leaves a phone number and then you call it. I'd have several cases when the person is so glad to get a phone call that they seem to have forgotten why they were mad in the first place. People just want to be heard.
     
  2. DisembodiedOwlHead

    DisembodiedOwlHead Active Member

    "The jerk store called, and they're outta you!"
     
  3. Smasher_Sloan

    Smasher_Sloan Active Member

    1. Anytime you reply, assume the person will post it on every fan message board. Don't think it's a private message.

    2. If you write something nasty/obscene, the idiot will send it to every editor at your paper and as many advertisers as he can find. It's not worth it.

    3. Always wait a full day before responding to any e-mail from a reader. That snappy answer that seems so perfect now might not be quite as good tomorrow.

    4. Ignore all the unsigned ones and the ones hiding behind "WolfpackFan1" and the other obvious fake/bullshit names.

    5. If someone sends a well-reasoned, intelligent, respectful comment, answer in kind. I've gotten some reader e-mails that were helpful.

    6. When in doubt, ignore it. You'll never get in trouble for not replying.
     
  4. Trey Beamon

    Trey Beamon Active Member

    Bingo.
     
  5. Claws for Concern

    Claws for Concern Active Member

    :D
     
  6. TheSportsPredictor

    TheSportsPredictor Well-Known Member

    I'm gonna write that guy a rude email and see if I get that form letter back!
     
  7. joe king

    joe king Active Member

    Except spell-check it (receive).
     
  8. publicenemy

    publicenemy Member

    i do the same thing. i go out of my way to thank them for their thoughts and for taking time to write. i try to explain why we did what we did and that we know that we can't please everyone every day. all this is typed while i'm thinking, "you sorry @#$%^&*". it's remarkable the high percentage of responses i get thanking me for writing back and there's usually an apology attached.
     
  9. Smallpotatoes

    Smallpotatoes Well-Known Member

    When I started out I replied to nasty e-mails, as politely as possible but eventually saw the futility in trying to debate these people via e-mail, especially when God only knows who else ended up seeing my replies.
    I went through a phase where if somebody had a beef and wanted to discuss it, I invited them to call me. They usually didn't, but once somebody did and it was 40 minutes of my life that I never back. I like to think I "won" the argument when she got her cell phone bill for that month.
    I usually just try to respond in a way that cuts off all debate as firmly and politely as possible and if they really have a problem with the way I'm doing my job, I leave them my boss's number.
    With unsigned e-mails I have from time to time replied "I'm sorry, you have me at a disadvantage. You know who I am, but I don't know who you are. That doesn't seem fair, does it?"
    I get a lot of e-mails using the word "disappointing" or "disappointed"
    I feel like replying "Life is full of disappointments; get used to it."
    But I guess I could lose my job for that.
     
  10. Double J

    Double J Active Member

    Dear Reader,

    Suck my dick.

    Sincerely,

    (insert name of co-worker you hate)
     
  11. Gomer

    Gomer Active Member

    I'm hurt and honoured at the same time.

    As for replying, I think it's important to note who the complaintant is. I often get into e-mail jousting of this nature because the person complaining is involved with the sport I'm writing about (manager, coach, etc.). I don't think I'd spend much time replying if it were just "looser fanboys."

    Often I find it useful to find out exactly what sets someone off, and to work the situation in my favour so they end up with a better understanding of how and why I do my job the way I do. (And yes, sometimes I gain a better understanding of why they're pissed off that helps my own writing as well.) Down the road, that makes them better sources to deal with.
     
  12. Tom Petty

    Tom Petty Guest

    genius. but now i know it's one word, it might turn into "suck my dick, motherfucker."

    signed shotty
     
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