Suddenly there are a number of broadcast media stories about the effects of bullies in offices.
While I don't usually go for trend stories, this would be a great one for the Flint Journal.
The paper usually can't wait to report the latest story trends and this one, especially in these difficult financial times, seems to be a natural.
But just where would they find a bully to profile? Or victims of an oppressive office bully boss to interview? Hummm, let me think.
6 comments:
A story on office bullies? The editor in charge of corrections (eicoc) would make a great subject-matter expert for that story. His abuse is so legendary that even people The Journal didn't want to get rid of in the buyout bailed out. But perhaps the worst and most dishonest bully is the editor-in-chief himself, because he puts on a show of being a nice guy while letting his lapdog flog and threaten the troops, especially women.
Jim
Just wanted to say thanks for your support on my blog. And to ask, is this sign for real? Is there really a corner of Mean and Boss?
John
John,
Not sure where it is. I use these pictures off a copyright free sight provided by Blogger or Flickr or something like that.
In Flint, it should replace the First and Harrison Street signs as that is the current location of the Flint Journal.
Jim
This blog has a lot of useful criticism of The Flint Journal and the media.....I find myself, at times, nodding my head knowingly.
But the blogger diminishes his message by seeming to be a bitter ex-employee (even though I know it's not true) and this latest post is a perfect example
It's kind of like a movie reviewer who hates every movie (or loves every movie) Eventually, you tune that reviewer out because the message is always the same, even if sometimes the movie really is terrible.
I would love to read a site that had included the writer's critique of, say, the major Detroit papers, Flint, Grand Rapids, etc....Pointing out good and bad examples of journalism
Just my .02....Best wishes
Anonymous:
You make a fair point. I would point out that this blog has just recently praised the Detroit Free Press for its yeoman work on the Mayor Kilpatrick scandal.
Some of the negativity comes not just from me, but the various posters on this site.
There is much still going on inside the Journal that needs to be exposed. I don't necessarily know what's going on inside other newspapers.
I have said before the point of this blog is not to hurt, but to inform. If I have done something to hurt, then I apologize. This specific posting was really more tongue in cheek, even if some of the comments weren't.
Frankly, many of us who have left are the ones who were not able to be bullied. We often refused to bow down or do the things which we felt were wrong.
But this site is not just for my opinion alone, and I welcome yours.
Thanks for writing and I hope you keep coming back.
In case you hadn't noticed I have begun posting humorous items (check out the dueling anchor and reporter below on YouTube) and other non-Flint Journal items.
Jim
I think the criticism that anonymous characterizes as "bitter" is more of a lament for the direction of the newspaper industry in general as it is a specific indictment of The Flint Journal and its management. Let's be honest, save for rare spurts of greatness, the Booth Newspaper chain, of which Flint is a member, has been known for unremarkable, don't-stir-the-pot journalism for decades, even when it treated employees well. Flint UAW members didn't call it the "GM Journal" for nothing.
The Toledo Blade, a once-brilliant metro daily that published Pulitzer-contender stories in the past couple of years, locked out its union employees and then cut their pay and benefits. People are fleeing in droves because they don't want to be treated badly AND lose money. Another good paper in jeopardy.
Yet the Detroit papers have figured out how claw back from a bitter strike, cut costs and still do the kinds of stories that make papers relavent -- the Gannett-owned Freep management in particular deserves kudos for sticking its neck out on the Kilpatrick mess. At a time when Gannett stock is in the crapper, can you imagine what the Freep has spent in FOIAs, lawyers and reporters' time alone to bring this public corruption to light, including the interestingly timed murder of a woman who figures highly in the mayoral escapades? When this is all over, the sexy text messages are going to look like junior high school note-passing.
So, anonymous, the people who are participating in this blog aren't bitter, one-note-pony hacks who live to skewer The Journal -- they just happen to know that the paper is bleeding red ink partially because of a changing business climate but more because its managers have abdicated any notion that the local newspaper should act as a leader. If you act as though you don't make a difference and let TV clean your clock, then the readers vote with their quarters and the advertisers vote with their C-notes. It's really that simple.
The management style at The Journal will drive good, young, energetic people out of the business. That isn't good for Flint and it isn't good for print journalism.
We criticize ... because we care.
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