| Topic Name: |
Houston's ratings race |
| Message Name: |
Mgr and "Nice Things" |
| Date Posted: |
06/03/2005 |
| In Reply To: |
Freemantle,
thank you for your considerate response.
I think a lot can be learned from what you said. I can guarantee that there will be no retaliation for there is no way of knowing who you are. plus you are trying to help so why retaliate?
i would ask you to be a bit more specific.
what is it that really concerns you? you are very broad and I want you to narrow it down to an example or two. you don't have to give names and you can change the subject a bit if you think it will give away your identity.
again, i appreciate what you have said and i can guarantee it will be discussed among the managers.
i am sorry it has taken a forum to get this addressed but we are serious at making ktrk a better place to work.
what ever it takes right? |
| Message: |
My spouse doesn't want me to post anymore, saying I'm risking my job. With a mortgage, 2 car notes, and kids underfoot, I can't blame her.
But at least one last one before I reel it back in.
ktrkmanagerrr, if I gave specifics, you would sooooo know who I am. But, myself and others have been coming to you with specifics all along...in person. These days, you don't want to hear it. Not just "trivial" matters, mind you, but important matters of style and content as well. You've asked certain people for their opinion on things, and if they give the wrong (honest) opinion, they're painted as troublemakers, disloyal, or harmful to morale...and this paint doesn't come off.
"I don't want to hear it" led to Longoria's demise.
There's an expression heard in the newsroom: F.O.D. which means Friends of Dave. If you're FOD, you're golden, if not, you're insignificant. This is polarizing, divisive.
Personally, I want the old Dave back. I liked Dave's attitude, news judgement, his hands on approach, and the fact that he would look you in the eye when talking to you. Nowadays we do whatever the consultant wants, and if you pass Dave in the hall, he doesn't even acknowledge you.
I want to be able to go into Dave's office with an idea, comment, suggestion, or issue, and feel that it will be realistically addressed. Too many people are afraid of the "grumpy old man" Dave is turning into.
My suggestion to Mr. Stickland is to come down into the bowels of the ship, where we're rowing. As captain, you don't need to row, but talk to your people...they may have ideas on more efficient ways to row...and put the whip away.
From now on, I want to give my ideas, etc. IN PERSON. FACE TO FACE. This anonymity is frustrating bull----.
New leaf. Bury the hatchet. Bygones be bygones. First day of the rest of your life. What's done is done. Choose your idiom, and let's all get back to work. We have the talent, we just need the coach.
"Nice Things"
I agree with many of the things 11:11 said about the working at ktrk. Onlookers may think that I think it sucks, but I'm only trying to affect change for the things that do suck. The great things about ktrk don't need changing!
In that spirit...
Overtime does NOT flow like water for everybody...and if you work 24 hours straight out of state, it's like pulling teeth to get a comp day for it, and nearly impossible to get to choose a day YOU want.
The edit staff DOES slap and paste...but they've been instructed to do so. They've been told by RPM, in all seriousness, to just 'make sausage.' "It's just sausage." Don't worry about quality, just make the sausage. This is not just for a breaking story that needs to get on the air immediately, but for everything they edit. I was absolutely stunned when I heard about this. Just shocked. I thought, this is completely the wrong attitude, especially for a manager. This is devastating to our product, shows a disrespect for our viewers, and is an insult to the editors. This must be addressed by any means necessary.
To givemetheremote:
First, if you don't 'get' that news is personality driven, get out of the business. I do agree that our writing is pathetically bad, and our teases are worse. But the problem is that we listen to the consultants who are doing nothing but making us look like everybody else,
***giving viewers no reason to specifically choose us.***
We are NOT like the 1980... but we would be better off in some respects if we were. We had GOOD writing in the 80's. Not a bunch of flash and trash and hype. Our teases told viewers what was coming up, not that if they didn't stay tuned, they risk death. And our stories were clear and concise.
Said too much already, could say so much more. I'll see some of you this weekend. If you know me, give me your feedback.
Any other ideas I hope to express non-anonymously without retaliation.
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