Friday, February 18, 2011

A little something until I get home from Florida: Kzoo Gazette getting sued

I know I have been absent from the blog for a month. We are traveling and in Florida (grandmasrecess.blogspot.com if you are into other people's vacations). I promise to get back up and running when I get home, but for now this article about the Kalamazoo Gazette being sued by the city for back taxes may interest you.

It is terrible that the publisher chose a stupid "no comment" when certainly something could be said.

The same people who want everyone else to respond to reporters should never use a "no comment" for its own business.

How about this:

"We have been forced into difficult business decisions based on emerging technology and a difficult recession. Our attorneys will vigorously defend those decisions."

That says basically nothing, but isn't the stupid "no comment" we all hate.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

To be fair, the story reads: "Jim Stephanak, the Gazette's publisher, declined to comment until he sees the lawsuits, which have not been filed." I don't see this as a no comment. How can he comment without actually reading the lawsuits, yet to be filed? Your post is a little misleading.

inky said...

"We haven't reviewed the lawsuit yet" is the oldest stall tactic in the book. In 20 years of practicing journalism, I never had someone ring me back with a comment after reviewing the lawsuit.

Anonymous said...

Gee, bet I know the Anon that posted that, just wish I had seen this earlier. The family can't wait to get out from under the tax breaks they got at many, if not all of their properties in Michigan. Once that is accomplished then the vultures from the east cost can swoop in and remove the valuable production assets at these plants. Oh right, "we hope to restart production soon".

Judge Judy said...

So many businesses -- like Advance -- got tax breaks with the promise of preserving and growing jobs, yet gutted their workforces. That is why I am highly skeptical Snyder's business tax breaks (balanced on the backs of school children and the poor) will result in a wave of new jobs.