Today's fun phonecall

I had phone calls like that as a cops and courts reporter. It's really not uncommon. I usually got them because I would print a DWI or a meth bust in the cop shop area. People get real testy when they or family members get arrested.

 

Oh, yes, because we all know that having your name in print is a thousand times more damaging than getting busted by the cops.

Notice how nice and vague the call is. No real facts to be disputed, only someone bitching ... oh, wait, I'm thinking of the time my balls got busted over something like this.

Carry on.

 

That's par for the course for being a cop reporter.

 

That call sums up my career. Got goosebumps listening to that because I've listened to such calls over and over.

 

The last time I got chewed out by a reader was at a basketball game. Some guy I didn't recognize very well is leaning over a railing calling my name nicely and with a smile on. I thought he was harmless. He asks me to come and talk to him and I do. We shake hands and he proceeds to unleash a stream of profanity on me for trying to ruin his life because I wrote a story three years earlier about a kid that got kicked off the high school basketball team he coached. He ended his tirade with a "and you know that kid? he's in jail now for molesting some kids."

All I could do was say "OK, have a nice night and enjoy the game" while giving him a sarcastic thumbs up while I turned around to go back to press row.

at least the dude had the stones to scream at me in person.

 

I'm OK with posting it on the website, though maybe not as the first story.

I've never told my dentist that she should choose a different career because I don't like the drill.

I've never called an accountant a liar because she didn't get me a giant tax refund check.

I've never accused a police officer of ruining my life because she issued me a speeding ticket.

And I've never understood why it's perfectly acceptable to make such personal attacks on reporters who do their jobs properly. Hopefully publishing the call will help people think twice about verbally attacking professional journalists.

 

You NEVER, NEVER post that on your Web site! What purpose does that serve?

 

I agree with you, CI. If you post it on the site, then you're scaring off people who in the future might have a very legitimate beef with a reporter's story.

And, I think she sounds like she is a phone sex operator.

 

Um, because it's not about us and we need to not piss off people who care enough about the paper to read it? Maybe because we should be better than petty, and accept that people won't always love us? I could go on.

 

Naw, there's a difference between complaining about coverage or bitching about a story and making personal attacks on another human being.

I expect any professional to be able to handle whiny complaints on a daily basis -- that IS part of the job, and you've got to have thick skin dealing with petty people. However, no one should have to deal with another adult (supposedly) unleashing invectives on you, your family, etc., someone stepping over the line personally because they don't like the way you do your job.

I do think that line has to be drawn a little farther out in the sand for us than for other professions, because we're often in the public eye. But not *that* much farther. We're not sub-human, and just because you're a reader/customer doesn't mean you can treat us as such.

 

My thoughts to, I kept waiting to hear you fucking dumb ass get your fucking facts fucking stright you son of a bitch. And I won't be reading what you fucking writh anymore you ass wipe.
Now that might have made it better.

 

But you don't put the audio on a Web site. You just don't. We have enough problems without coming off as whiny little bitches. Usually, when someone bitches, when you calm them down they usually have insight to offer.