Memo puts WGN news staffers at a loss for words
Sure, you’d think the chief executive officer of a company struggling to emerge from bankruptcy and desperate to salvage an $8 billion buyout-gone-bad would have better things to do than pester his underlings with crazy proclamations. But in the case of Tribune Co. CEO Randy Michaels, you’d be wrong.
Randy Michaels (photo from Los Angeles Times)
The man at the top of the troubled media empire took time out of his real job this week to issue a list of words and phrases — 119 of them, to be exact — that must never, ever be uttered by anchors or reporters on WGN-AM (720), the news/talk radio station located five floors below his office in Tribune Tower.
Believe me, I’m not making this up.
WGN news director Charlie Meyerson, good soldier that he is, passed on what he identified as Michaels’ “list of forbidden ‘newsspeak’ words and phrases” in a memo to his staff Monday, with the explicit warning: “Don’t say them on WGN.”
Meyerson, a veteran Chicago newsman, has long championed the idea of delivering the news in a down-to-earth, conversational manner. That’s all well and good. As Meyerson explained in his memo:
“The real goal here is to avoid using words that make you sound like you’re reading, instead of talking — that shatter the image you’re speaking knowledgeably to one person. By not using ‘newsspeak,’ you enhance your reputation as a communicator.”
But Meyerson takes it a step further, directing his staff to keep tabs on each other’s compliance: They’re to report any on-air infractions by their co-workers, making sure to note the precise time and date on “bingo cards” he provided that contain a random assortment of Michaels’ forbidden words. If you ask me, that’s just plain creepy.
What’s even more disturbing is that the CEO of a major institution would engage in such petty and insulting micromanaging of subordinates. Here, without further ado, is Randy Michaels’ complete list of unacceptable expressions on the Tribune Co.’s flagship radio station:
- “Flee” meaning “run away”
- “Good” or “bad” news
- “Laud” meaning “praise”
- “Seek” meaning “look for”
- “Some” meaning “about”
- “Two to one margin” . . . “Two to one” is a ratio, not a margin. A margin is measured in points. It’s not a ratio.
- “Yesterday” in a lead sentence
- “Youth” meaning “child”
- 5 a.m. in the morning
- After the break
- After these commercial messages
- Aftermath
- All of you
- Allegations
- Alleged
- Area residents
- As expected
- At risk
- At this point in time
- Authorities
- Auto accident
- Bare naked
- Behind bars
- Behind closed doors
- Behind the podium (you mean lecturn) [sic]
- Best kept secret
- Campaign trail
- Clash with police
- Close proximity
- Complete surprise
- Completely destroyed, completely abolished, completely finished or any other completely redundant use
- Death toll
- Definitely possible
- Diva
- Down in (location)
- Down there
- Dubbaya when you mean double you
- Everybody (when referring to the audience)
- Eye Rack or Eye Ran
- False pretenses
- Famed
- Fatal death
- Fled on foot
- Folks
- Giving 110%
- Going forward
- Gunman, especially lone gunman
- Guys
- Hunnert when you mean hundred
- Icon
- In a surprise move
- In harm’s way
- In other news
- In the wake of (unless it’s a boating story)
- Incarcerated
- Informed sources say . . .
- Killing spree
- Legendary
- Lend a helping hand
- Literally
- Lucky to be alive
- Manhunt
- Marred
- Medical hospital
- Mother of all (anything)
- Motorist
- Mute point. (It’s moot point, but don’t say that either)
- Near miss
- No brainer
- Officials
- Our top story tonight
- Out in (location)
- Out there
- Over in
- Pedestrian
- Perfect storm
- Perished
- Perpetrator
- Plagued
- Really
- Reeling
- Reportedly
- Seek
- Senseless murder
- Shots rang out
- Shower activity
- Sketchy details
- Some (meaning about)
- Some of you
- Sources say . . .
- Speaking out
- Stay tuned
- The fact of the matter
- Those of you
- Thus
- Time for a break
- To be fair
- Torrential rain
- Touch base
- Under fire
- Under siege
- Underwent surgery
- Undisclosed
- Undocumented alien
- Unrest
- Untimely death
- Up in (location)
- Up there
- Utilize (you mean use)
- Vehicle
- We’ll be right back
- Welcome back
- Welcome back everybody
- We’ll be back
- Went terribly wrong
- We’re back
- White stuff
- World class
- You folks
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About The Author
Robert Feder
has been keeping tabs on the media in Chicago for 30 years. A lifelong Chicagoan and graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, he was television and radio columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times. At age 14, he founded the first and only Walter Cronkite Fan Club.
Other posts byRobert Feder
10
03 2010
169 Comments Add Yours ↓
Kent Brockman #03.10.2010 00:231Who the hell would want to work for this idiot or WGN? But in this economy the bosses have employees over a barrel. Encouraging snitching on co-workers creates a hostile work environment. Kinda reminds me of the office scenes in Terry Gilliam’s “Brazil”. The news people use “newsspeak” because they’re in the news biz! Imagine trying to deliver the days events and worry about being reprimanded for slipping up on every word. Maybe Michaels will have a “newsspeak swear jar”. So stupid. Where’s the list of words for fat, brain-dead CEOs to avoid??
It would be awesome if the staff got fed up and just rose from their desks and walked out in protest.
BTW… Randy Michaels photo caption: “I wanna pizza THIS big!”
Thomas Eltrain #03.10.2010 00:362To be fair, the guy is a world class certifiable idiot.
In other news…just forget it. Get outta town.
Great that you lent him a helping hand and put it out there, Feder.
03.10.2010 00:363Wait… If this is not a joke, why is it so damned funny? TribCo execs can’t be clever! What’s going on over there, er, up there… is there no there there?
Garry #03.10.2010 00:465Several of them are actually intelligent & do need to be enforced.
Shower activity is diarrhea of the mouth & can be replaced by the far more sensible & shorter “showers”.
Undocumented alien is just PC speech for illegal alien.
Senseless murder implies that there are sensible murders.
Auto accidents are really crashes or wrecks.And the pronunciation guide ones make sense, but then why would you hire someone to be a on air newscaster if they say hunnert or eye-rak?
But I fail to see the dislike for flee or pedestrian.
Does he want them to say “ran away”? Or call the people in a crosswalk, “walkers”?
Or was he referring to pedestrian as an adjective?
Richard #03.10.2010 00:516He listed “Some as in about” twice. Maybe he should proof read before he hands a list of censored words to his staff.
eyeswiredopen #03.10.2010 01:087What’s the issue here? Every media organisation has lists of banned words. At The Australian nobody’s allowed to use “controversial”, for instance. Why? Because its a cliche. And most of the above are also cliches.
Johanna Cummings #03.10.2010 01:138Funny thing is, Michaels is dead on regarding most of this misused or overused broadcast vernacular. Guess when things feel out of control at the top, you look for something you can control.
OMG #03.10.2010 01:289How bizarre is this management team? Can you imagine what Brandmeier would have done with this memo? It’s no wonder he didn’t sign with WGN. Forget the fact that the money they offered him was a joke! What about these ridiculous directives?
Jimmy P. #03.10.2010 01:3210This almost smacks of the initial volley in an ultimate effort to totally eliminate all local news coverage on AM720 and just pull a network news feed at the top and bottom of the hour. I know it`s hard to conceive of the flagship broadcast property of the Chicago Tribune without any local news, but this new edict will certainly make WGN-AM reporters and anchors the laughing stock of Chicago radio. I know WGN`s numbers are very poor in the highly sought-after money demographic (25-54, male & female), but banning whole phrases of the English language are NOT going to change that.
Andre Bovee-Begun #03.10.2010 02:1111You know what, guys? In a surprise move, it’s definitely possible that I actually completely approve of this world-class list.
Meg #03.10.2010 02:2912All I have to say is… WTF? I mean, micromanagement doesn’t even come close to describing this!
Meg #03.10.2010 02:3113Oh, and this list makes me want to get on WGN and say them. How are people not laughing this guy out?
03.10.2010 03:4515As Emperor of RacketMag.com, I find it my mission to balance out Mr. Michaels’ insanity by ensuring my writers utilize these phrases as much as possible to make it seem like we know what we’re talking about. The fact of the matter is that this is definitely possible down in SoCal. We’ll be back.
-The Emperor!
karen casey #03.10.2010 04:5117It seems they are memo crazy at the Tribune. WGN radio personalities were told
not to exchange pleasant greetings with callers – who are their bread and butter.
They are censoring some very common everyday expressions and asking collegues to turn
each other in over trivial nonsense. Are we bringing back journalism McCarthyism ?
Rich Johnson #03.10.2010 05:0418You might be missing the trees for the forest here. Michels’ involvement aside, the list is excellent. It spotlights the worst cliches that radio news has offered up for years in lieu of good writing. I will be copying it and referring to it often in my radio job. My only addition would be ‘parent’s worst nightmare.’ I’ve always wondered what a parent’s best nightmare might be.
goodoldnumbernine #03.10.2010 05:5720he wants to get rid of all the radiospeak, but he goes by two first names
Martin #03.10.2010 06:0121Wow, Micheals. Seriously? Maybe your free time would be better spent at the gym working off that fat gut instead of in front of a computer slowly pecking with two fingers, a list of words you don’t want the news staff to use.
03.10.2010 06:0622As a working broadcaster, I agree that most of the phrases are cliche and can and should be avoided.
Ratting out your co-workers, that’s a different topic.
Jim Mueller #03.10.2010 06:1423Impossible to monitor and enforce. No self respecting in-house snitch could write fast enough to catch all of those constructions as they’re used each hour of the broadcast day. A few on his list do need to go away (“senseless murder” When does a murder ever make sense?). But “alleged” needs to stay for obvious reasons. I understand what the guy is trying to do. He wants better use of language. Not so much reliance on battered cliches. Unfortunately, he’s making his argument about 25 years too late. We’ve all gotten lazy in the way we write and speak. That’s a cultural shift. His list of words won’t change any of the people he’s targeting. He’s being a fussy old jerk. He should shrug and walk back into his office and close the door.
James Edwards #03.10.2010 06:3924To be fair,the best kept secret is that the legendary Dr Milt Rosenberg would utter the phrase bare naked usually after a commercial break. Really. That’s every parent’s nightmare.
Doug Griffin #03.10.2010 06:4025He gets paid for this? Maybe WGN shouldn’t allow their exec’s to smoke that stuff in the building.
03.10.2010 06:5727Why does the World’s Greatest Newspaper keep this piece of crap? Water seeks it own level, just look at his new hires. What a shame to see such a great station fall into the toilet. Parent company needs to flush them all away……
03.10.2010 07:0328WGN has become the Goldblatt’s of Chicago radio. Soon they will suffer the same fate as the once proud, yet incredibly low end, department store. The list of people rolling over in their graves is far too long to post.
Nick Nixon #03.10.2010 07:0929Frankly, Michaels is dead-on and I laud Charlie Meyerson (oops!) for trying to do a good job. The broadcast news outlets in this town are embarrassingly sloppy and ill-informed. Most on-air personalities are regarded as ignoramuses who probably could not hold a job were it not for their looks and ability to read a script on air. Even the latter is apparently not that big of a job requirement. Hats off to Charlie Meyerson, one of the few outstanding broadcast journalists left in this great city.
Freddie #03.10.2010 07:1830For real? Alleged and Allegedly? I mean, aren’t these words of journalistic fairness? Hell, fairness!
Anonymous Source #03.10.2010 07:1831I agree completely with the list. And while we’re at it can we demand that all TV reporters stop doing the “vagina pose” with their hands? Putting your hands together at the finger tips does not make you look sincere – it makes you look like a douche-bag!
Frank #03.10.2010 07:2232The list is one thing, one paragraph is what made me shake my head:
>>But Meyerson takes it a step further, directing his staff to keep tabs on each other’s compliance: They’re to report any on-air infractions by their co-workers, making sure to note the precise time and date on “bingo cards” he provided that contain a random assortment of Michaels’ forbidden words. If you ask me, that’s just plain creepy.<<
To be honest, I would be looking for another gig if I did news at WGN. What is he (Myerson) trying to do? Make everone on his newsteam have to look over thier shoulders? These people are professionals and don't need that.
Bob Rutkas #03.10.2010 07:4233Puleeeeazzeeee.
Doesn’t Micheals have more important things to do than to make up a list of clichés? Perhaps he needs more paperclips to count.
If Zell had a bigger “set” he would fire Micheals and the rest of the management idiots running loose at the “Tower”before all is lost.
What was Micheals thinking? Of course this would get out. And yes, it make him look like a micro-managing despot and major idiot!
Has anyone brought this to the attention of Ricky Gervais? We have some great material he for the next “Office!”
Norm Thomas #03.10.2010 07:4334Thank goodness DIVA is on the list…..I was just thinking last week that Judy Pielach really over uses that word in her reports.
Robe4rt #03.10.2010 07:4435Living in Cincinnati I know how ole Benjamin Humel (Randy’s real name) trashed a local 50,000 stations named 700 WLW. Pure junk when he finished with it. Also, when at WFLA in Tampa, he once thumb tacked a female on-air personalities panties to the bulletin board. Nice guy? No way. WGN will be junk when he is finished carving!
Jim #03.10.2010 07:4536The untimely death I can understand. I have never heard of a timely death. Some of the things the pig is asking for is dumb.Such as”white stuff”. I have lived hear all my life and I’ve heard people use that all my life. Maybe he can get Murru Slaughter to write the news and he would use “raging inferno” instead of fire.
Steve L #03.10.2010 07:4937This must be a joke.
Or just another preposterous example of poor management. Whatever merit exists with regard to the list itself is obscured by the way the message is being presented to staff.
Here’s a question….if this is so important to him, why doesn’t he just watch the shows and police the situation himself instead of having the employees tell on each other??
tina smith #03.10.2010 07:5138Let’s hope that Randy is also working on a “do not use list” for Greg Jarrett that includes every word that could be pronounced with a Spanish accent! He is so annoying when he breaks into his “I am fluent in spanish” speak!
The Alleged Homer Geneity #03.10.2010 08:1139If WGN reporters were already giving 110 percent, they wouldn’t be putting themselves at risk here, would they? The bad news…they can’t seek other employment…because, fact of the matter is, there are no radio news jobs left in this market. It’s really too bad. They’re plagued by lard-enhanced micromanagers (not a complete surprise). Going forward, you watch. We only have the sketchy details. The whole staff is in harms way. It’s a no brainer. Allegedly and reportedly the place is run by the mother of all doofuses and it’s definitely possible major changes will come in close proximity to publication of this senseless list.
James Edwards #03.10.2010 08:1540Didn’t Johnny Sunshine get in trouble at an LA radio station for using the word “booger?” Shouldn’t that be on the WGN list or is it ok to use it?
db #03.10.2010 08:1541He missed one. Most of these had me chuckling, but the one that REALLY needs to be enforced at every tv/radio in town is the use of the term “all but” — NONE of them use it correctly. Following ‘all but’ should be the one thing that did NOT happen, but instead they follow it w/what did happen. For example, reporters would incorrectly say “the WGN CEO all but sent out a riduculous memo” when in fact it should be “the WGN CEO all but wore a shirt that read ‘kick me, I’m an idiot’” Oh well, enough of my muttering – I’m off to look up the definitions of podium and lectern.
DanCampana #03.10.2010 08:1642After nine years in newspapers, I don’t entirely disagree with some of the suggestions on this list — some of these are Associated Press style, a media bible of sorts. What I do agree with is how ridiculous it is that the CEO is focused on this stuff instead of figuring out how to keep the company alive. If the STMG higher-ups had been doing this during our bankruptcy last year, I probably would have “completely destroyed” something “in the wake of” their stupidity.
emacee1701 #03.10.2010 08:1743Robert, I am surprised that a writer as good as you would take issue with a media executive demanding good use of the mother tongue. Now, if somebody can get broadcasters to stop splitting infinitives, ending sentences with prepositions and using “who” as an object we might be getting someplace.
I notice Michaels left off my pet peeve: “Span” meaning “bridge.” Who the says “span?”
The vehemence with which so many of your other readers denounced Michaels and his list shows high school English teachers have not been doing their jobs for at least the past two generations.
Agree with this action or disagree, Michaels’ lists is generous compared to some of the stylistic dictates Colonel McCormick used to impose on print writers in the same building.
I will agree this is something the news director should have done, not an executive at Michaels’ level.
Mike G #03.10.2010 08:2044I had a boss like this in advertising. On the one hand, it’s nice to see management show some reflection of the actual craft of the business, and challenging people to abandon their crutch cliches is good. On the other hand, if all it does is remind you of the 58 problems that management isn’t making better, it’s maybe the right answer at the wrong time.
Ummmm #03.10.2010 08:2545I have to say that I agree with most of the list. It adds little to your typical conversation or news report.
There are two problems:
1. It shouldn’t be coming from the CEO. Doesn’t he have better things to do?
2. It’s disturbing that fellow journalists are expected to rat one another out. Like the CEO, they have better things to do.
william caminiti #03.10.2010 08:2746Almost makes me want to tune in again just to hear those poor sob’s try to do their jobs with this jerks sword hanging over their heads…
I resent that they had to ruin my radio station….stopped listening months ago and will now only listen on cub days.
Hope the cubs leave for another outlet soon!To Dean Richards, Steve Cochran, Steve Bertrand, and John Williams, …you guys have talent and poise….you will find employment elsewhere…
sorry for your loss..
Ross #03.10.2010 08:4047On one hand, he is micromanaging. On the other, he’s right. Television “journalists” also would do well to drop these words from their “reports.”
Media Mogul #03.10.2010 08:4148He is absolutely right. He even came up with a few I hadn’t thought of. These are purely crutch words.. and his newscasts (and the anchors) will be better off without them.
Not a big fan of ratting out coworkers.. but it seems more intended to keep everyone in check as opposed to some kind of disciplinary action.
Myeyesarerolling #03.10.2010 08:4150Ma nish ta na ha lilah ha zeh ? (Why is this night different from all other nights?
By the way, how did he manage to omit the misuse of the word “unique”?
Mr. Palsgraf #03.10.2010 08:4652This isn’t odd or unusual in radio. Program Directors I worked for in the Chicago area and beyond have all been complete buzzkills. And people wonder where the “new talent” is? Radio doesn’t embrace talent, it kills it.
Myeyesarerolling #03.10.2010 08:4753Randy Michaels ?? See all of you were short sighted when you thought that ‘Bozo’ was let go by WGN..
SUSIE #03.10.2010 08:5154They forgot a forbidden phrase on the list..”This is Greg Jarrett”. The reason he has someone else monitoring the radio for infractions is because Randy Michaels won’t listen to his own station. Someone writes, look at his new hires. Don’t have to go that far, look at the new fires. When you let go the high caliber people he’s told to hit the road, that speaks volumes. If I had to follow that list, I’d be let go the first newscast. They’re going to sound like robots. It keeps getting worse.
03.10.2010 08:5255WGN has got to come alive – do watch the Noon news everday in my office – In my opinion, great reporters, but who is responsible for their syle of dress?? – Allison Payne is a beautiful woman who consistently wears fabric that I would have on my couch, or a carpet – Robert Jordan has no idea how to look classy, and Julian and Muriel speak in such a monotone, that it is time to snooze – Steve Sanders at least relates, as does Skilling.
WGN should represent Chicago – not Des Moines. A decent newscast, but if the reporter’s attire doesn’t represent this great city, what’s the point?
Mary Prodler #03.10.2010 08:5456It’s not just that the list is asinine. It’s not just that tattle-telling is perverse. It’s that this numb-nut offers no SOLUTIONS. Any management leader knows that you don’t just present the problem, you offer a SOLUTION. This is nothing but harassment to get the staff to quit, so they can hire people at $11 an hour. I’d like to see someone follow Michaels around for a week, and do some cliche-counting. Perhaps there’s a memo or two that discusses “growing” the business, etc.
Emerson Bigguns #03.10.2010 08:5457Check his record on turning aging-demo AM stations around and argue with the success.
03.10.2010 08:5658Yes, some is this basic announcer school stuff, but shouldn’t it be coming from the program Director or news Director instead of top management. I had a station owner who wrote us up for letting the dreaded “Dubba-you” slip out; even though politically, he’d've thought “Dubya” was the name of a great leader. He also insisted on pronouncing “coo-pon” instead out “Q-pon.”
But in my lexicon, “white stuff” is vital! It’s the mysterious fifth food group of the working broadcaster, right after Sugars, Salts, Greases and Caffeines. White Stuff is ususally found in the filling of Oreos and Twinkies, in marshmallows, and in instant mashed potatoes. Oh, wait… it means “snow?” Never mind.
liveandlocal #03.10.2010 08:5859I guess there isnt much else going on WGN these days. No wonder this station (and others) are in such a state of dis-repair. I’m sure Wally or Uncle Bobby would drive Randy nuts for showing some personality on the air.
Jack Brickhouse's Shorts #03.10.2010 08:5960Perhaps WGN is trying to gain some “traction” in an effort to change their “corporate culture”. Hey, I’ve “been there, done that” and I’m sure Michael’s is simply trying to take a “Pro-active” approach to improving WGN’s “Core Competencies”. “Thinking outside the box” is obviously part of his “Skill Sets” and the reason he is the “top dog”. He may appear to be “Playing hardball”, but he is actually a “Square peg in a round hole”. WGN should be planning his “Exit Strategy”.
Get with the program and hey, Let’s do lunch
Lynn Patterson #03.10.2010 09:0161Just try listening to Greg Jarrett and not fill in the bingo card! All he does is read stories in the morning because he doesn’t have a clue about Chicago! WGN should start by fixing that!
I.J. Poole #03.10.2010 09:0162The fact of the matter is that some of these entries are completely sensible, and the best-kept secret is that some of the carpers in this comment thread would agree with at least a few of them. To be fair, we’re reeling from the death toll that divas such as Randy Michaels have inflicted upon journalism, and that’s having a bare naked impact on the judgment of all of you world class folks out there.
Tom #03.10.2010 09:0263Know what?
As a former tv new director, I am in sympathy with the CEO’s directive. Insulting?
Yes.
Micromanaging?
Oh yeah
But if you heard this kind of hackneyed swill day after day from people who should know something about good writing, but are just plain lazy, you might be driven to desperate measures yourself.
At least he didn’t fire the news director who evidently lets this kind of lousy, cliched writing foul the airwaves.
Boris #03.10.2010 09:1364@emacee1701: “Robert, I am surprised that a writer as good as you would take issue with a media executive demanding good use of the mother tongue. Now, if somebody can get broadcasters to stop splitting infinitives, ending sentences with prepositions and using ‘who’ as an object we might be getting someplace.”
.
I really hope this is brilliant satire.
Mr Levi #03.10.2010 09:1565Yeah, some of it is PC, some overused and misused. But, it’s is STUPID MANAGEMENT
03.10.2010 09:1966It’s a style guide. Don’t tell me the New York Times doesn’t have a list of words writers are supposed to avoid and copy-editors are supposed to remove. In fact, a good chunk of these are just simple grammar issues.
BTW, a person isn’t an “alleged bank robber”, they’re an “accused bank robber”. Facts are alleged, people are accused. You can’t ban the word completely, but it’s used wrongly more often than not. You’re more likely to have an “accused bank robber” than an “alleged bank robbery” and in the latter case, you can have an “apparent bank robbery” or an “unconfirmed bank robbery”.
Mr Levi #03.10.2010 09:2167(Sorry)…that is just trying to justify a salary and position. Radio is known for some of the stupidest ways to communicate. The more mgmt tells air staff what to say and how to say it, the quicker I guess the real question is: Is WGN a better radio station now or before Michaels arrived? I’ve been listening to WGN for 50 years and it is at best, not interesting.
03.10.2010 09:2369This really isn’t that bad. Yes, it’s micromanagement. But, with regard to many of those banned phrases, he’s absolutely right. In essence, he’s just reminding anchors to avoid cliches and constipated wording, which is fine. Print reporters get hammered with e-mails like that all the time. Many reporters, in fact, are sticklers for that kind of stuff by themselves. The fact that he’s banning those phrases and words — for the most part; some are dumb — is not the problem. It’s the insane accountability measures on which he insists. That’s a lot of needless work, and it should be up to the station chiefs to keep note of that, not the Tribune administration.
03.10.2010 09:2370I don’t like micro-managers but this reads as more of a ’style guide’ for news copy which, as owner, he’s entitled to issue. The bingo cards and informants are another matter. I agree with almost everyone of these. News writing can be incredibly cliched.
Ryan A. #03.10.2010 09:3271I didn’t see “douche bag” on that list…fair game, Randy? I’ll wait for another memo.
WGN Fan #03.10.2010 09:4774I don’t know wbout this; it doesn’t sound too extreme. Many people have commented above in defense of the elimination of cliches, and I think they’re right.
The memo seems a little heavy-handed coming from the CEO, but it sounds like Charlie, and the rest of the great personalities in that news room, will find a productive way to address the (legitimate) core concern.
Come on, a bingo card? Could you imagine Steve Bertrand yelling out “Bingo!” right after Jim Gudas reports sketchy details on a fleeing perpetrator?
All of us are fans of good news writing. Michaels’ methods should probably be questioned, but I applaud Charlie Meyerson for playing ball against ugly management and a tough economy, and the entire news room for being real professionals.
David Wells #03.10.2010 09:5075I do not understand the objection you are making. News organizations have used style books for many years to ensure that news writers (and news readers)adhere to standard forms of usage that represent either proper grammar, locally accepted conventions or a combination of the two. Such practices were thought to enhance both the gravitas and credibility of news reports.
James Dvorak #03.10.2010 09:5176Hey Randy and Charlie. Did Legal vet this list?
I always thought it was the lawyers who preferred using “alleged” and “reportedly” to help avoid having to use terms like “slander lawsuit” and “millions of dollars in damages.”
Silly me.
I would also think that a news manager with real proficiency in the language would suggest replacements for the words he orders his people not to use. For example, “coaching” and “encouraging” are always better than “demanding” and “threatening” when it comes to improving a subordinate’s skills.
For that matter, the phrase “encouraging co-workers to comply” or even RFeder’s own, “keep tabs on others compliance” certainly is preferable to the word “snitch” although the latter is far more applicable.
Speaking of useful terms, I wonder if the editors of this blog will allow me to use the one I think is most appropriate: “corporate masturbation.”
Been there #03.10.2010 09:5477What? A media CEO with a crappy financial outlook who micromanages? That’s never happened!
While having control over grammar is one thing, having “bingo cards” to rat out your coworkers is awful. What a terrible work environment that promotes.
Don’t be surprised when your favorite on air personalities leave and start showing up in car ads or as a hospital spokesman.
jarb #03.10.2010 09:5578The list is solid; it’s good journalism. The problem here isn’t in creating the list — that’s a very good step — it’s the way he’s instituting it.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Must read: E.J. Dionne Jr. - The Republicans' big lie about reconciliation #tcot #hcr
Obama's critics have regularly accused him of not being as tough or wily or forceful as LBJ was in pushing through civil rights and the social programs of his Great Society. Obama seemed willing to let Congress go its own way and was so anxious to look bipartisan that he wouldn't even take his own side in arguments with Republicans.
Those days are over. On Wednesday, the president made clear what he wants in a health-care bill, and he urged Congress to pass it by the most expeditious means available.
He was also clear on what bipartisanship should mean -- and what it can't mean. Democrats, who happen to be in the majority, have already added Republican ideas to their proposals. Obama said he was open to four more that came up during the health-care summit. What he's (rightly) unwilling to do is give the minority veto power over a bill that has deliberately and painfully worked its way through the regular legislative process.
Republicans, however, don't want to talk much about the substance of health care. They want to discuss process, turn "reconciliation" into a four-letter word and maintain that Democrats are "ramming through" a health bill.
It is all, I am sorry to say, one big lie -- or, if you're sensitive, an astonishing exercise in hypocrisy.
In an op-ed in Tuesday's Post, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) offered an excellent example of this hypocrisy. Right off, the piece was wrong on a core fact. Hatch accused the Democrats of trying to, yes, "ram through the Senate a multitrillion-dollar health-care bill."
No. The health-care bill passed the Senate in December with 60 votes under the normal process. The only thing that would pass under a simple majority vote would be a series of amendments that fit comfortably under the "reconciliation" rules established to deal with money issues. Near the end of his column, Hatch conceded that reconciliation would be used for "only parts" of the bill. But why didn't he say that in the first place?
Hatch grandly cited "America's Founders" as wanting the Senate to be about "deliberation." But the Founders said nothing in the Constitution about the filibuster, let alone "reconciliation." Judging from what they put in the actual document, the Founders would be appalled at the idea that every major bill should need the votes of three-fifths of the Senate to pass.
Hatch quoted Sens. Robert Byrd and Kent Conrad, both Democrats, as opposing the use of reconciliation on health care. What he didn't say is that Byrd's comment from a year ago was about passing the entire bill under reconciliation, which no one is proposing. As for Conrad, he made clear to The Post's Ezra Klein this week that it's perfectly appropriate to use reconciliation "to improve or perfect the package," which is the only thing that Democrats have proposed doing through reconciliation.
Hatch said that reconciliation should not be used for "substantive legislation" unless the legislation has "significant bipartisan support." But surely the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts, which were passed under reconciliation and increased the deficit by $1.7 trillion during his presidency, were "substantive legislation." The 2003 dividends tax cut could muster only 50 votes. Vice President Dick Cheney had to break the tie. Talk about "ramming through."
The underlying "principle" here seems to be that it's fine to pass tax cuts for the wealthy on narrow votes but an outrage to use reconciliation to help middle-income and poor people get health insurance.
I'm disappointed in Hatch, co-sponsor of two of my favorite bills in recent years. One created the State Children's Health Insurance Program. The other, signed last year by Obama, broadly expanded service opportunities. Hatch worked on both with his dear friend, the late Edward M. Kennedy, after whom the service bill was named.
It was Kennedy, you'll recall, who insisted that health care was "a fundamental right and not a privilege." That's why it's not just legitimate to use reconciliation to complete the work on health reform. It would be immoral to do otherwise and thereby let a phony argument about process get in the way of health coverage for 30 million Americans.
It's really important that we share the FACTS about the mess in Washington with friends, neighbors, family, everyone. Let's get the debate back to substantive issues -- and stop the Obama-haters from spreading more lies and getting away with it.
Let's end the gridlock in Washington and get on with the business of making our nation better, stronger and healthier.
Another good reason to avoid processed foods: FDA warns of Salmonella risk from common flavor enhancer
FDA warns of Salmonella risk from common flavor enhancer
Thousands of types of processed foods -- including many varieties of soups, chips, hot dogs and salad dressings -- may pose a health threat because they contain a flavor enhancer that could be contaminated with Salmonella, the Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.
Salmonella was detected in one lot of hydrolyzed vegetable protein made by Basic Food Flavors Inc. as well as inside the company's Nevada manufacturing facility, according to the FDA. Basic Food Flavors Inc. is one of only a handful of companies that makes hydrolyzed vegetable protein, but its customer list is extensive
The FDA has posted on its Web site a list of products that are being recalled by their manufacturers. The list contained 56 products as of midafternoon and is expected to balloon. It can be found at http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/HVPCP/.
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein is widely used by food processors to boost flavor in ways similar to monosodium glutamate. A company that bought the tainted protein from Basic Food Flavors notified the FDA after it found Salmonella in the lot, according to federal officials.
Federal officials say they have no evidence that anyone has fallen ill from tainted hydrolyzed vegetable protein. Most healthy people recover from Salmonella infection, but it can cause serious problems and even death in the young and elderly and those with compromised immune systems.
Basic Food Flavors Inc. did not immediately return a call for comment.
Thursday, March 4, 2010; 4:26 PM
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Calif. Lawmakers: Cut The Foul Language, Please - @KTVU San Francisco
Calif. Lawmakers: Cut The Foul Language, Please
Posted: 3:25 pm PST February 25, 2010
SACRAMENTO -- Californians had better start watching their mouths. The state Assembly passed a resolution Thursday that would establish the first week of March as "Cuss Free Week" throughout the state. If approved by the Senate next week, the measure would take effect immediately. The resolution includes no enforcement mechanism and is simply meant to promote greater harmony and connectedness, said Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, a Democrat from La Canada Flintridge and co-author of the measure. "I've always wondered why we behave differently when grandma is watching than when we're on our own," said Portantino, who owned up to his share of four-letter words. Portantino said the California Legislature -- known for imposing strict clean air and clean water laws -- is the first state legislative body in the nation to consider a statewide profanity-free week. The resolution was inspired by a South Pasadena teenager, McKay Hatch, who started a No Cussing Club at his junior high school in 2007. Similar clubs have since cropped up in every state and 20 countries. Hatch, who traveled to Sacramento with his family to support the resolution, said he sees a link between foul-mouthed incivility and other forms of problem behavior, such as drug use and bullying. Next up for the 16-year-old? Promoting no-cussing measures in other states and internationally. "Next year I want to do a world tour," he said. "Cussing is a hard habit to break, but anyone can do it."Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Interesting idea. Could it work?
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Good on McCain for calling out "birthers" in campaign spot
CBS News' Political Hot Sheet Blog reports that Arizona Sen. John McCain's latest video spot takes on his opponent and "birther" J.D. Hayworth for focusing on "conspiracies" instead of the serious issues facing the nation. (Birthers are people who deny that President Obama is a United States citizen, despite what the CBS blog calls "copious" evidence that he is.)
More at http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/02/24/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry6239856.shtml.>
Captive whale in this week's trainer death implicated in 1991, 1999 deaths
The nude body of a man was found at SeaWorld Orlando on Tuesday lying across the back of an 11,000-pound killer whale that was moved to Florida after it was involved in the death of a trainer.
Police were still trying to contact relatives of the 27-year-old Miami victim, whose name was not disclosed.
One expert said the 22-foot whale named Tillikum, the largest killer whale in captivity, could have mistaken the man for a toy.
If this article is true, and another one that I found indicating this same whale had issues when in a Canadian facility, I would hope that operators of aquatic zoos like this will reconsider holding animals like this in captivity.
More detail on the whale's past is now at http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-seaworld-orlando-shamu-injury-20100224,0,942688.story.
It's on a slightly different subject, but if you haven't seen The Cove, please do. The massive slaughter of marine mammals occurs as a direct result of our desire to see them perform on command in captivity.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
NIH stem cell guidelines should be modified, UCSF team reports
From UCSF (my former employer):
A UCSF team, led by bioethicist Bernard Lo, MD, recommends that the National Institutes of Health ethics guidelines for embryonic stem cell research be modified to better protect the rights of individuals donating egg or sperm to patients undergoing in vitro fertilization.
The recommendation is reported in the February 19, 2010 issue of Science.
Third parties frequently donate sperm and egg, or "gametes," for patients attempting to create embryos in the in vitro fertilization clinic.
Under current practice in the United States, gamete donors sign a form giving the IVF patient unrestricted legal authority to determine how to dispose of any embryos that may be leftover following fertility treatments. Donor banks and IVF clinics are not required to brief gamete donors about the various options for disposition, which include donating the embryos for stem cell research, thereby enabling scientists to derive new human embryonic stem cell lines; discarding the embryos, or donating them to other IVF patients.
While many state, national, and international scientific committees and agencies have recommended that third-party gamete donors give formal "informed consent" for stem cell research with embryos remaining after infertility treatment, the NIH did not stipulate this requirement in its guidelines issued in March 2009. As these guidelines determine which human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines may be studied under NIH research grants – which are expected to play a growing role in funding stem cell research – the ethical implications are significant, says Lo, chair of the UCSF Gamete, Embryonic Stem Cell Research Committee, members of which published the Science paper.
"We urge the NIH to revise its guidelines to require that gamete donors be advised that embryos containing their sperm or egg could be used for embryonic stem cell research, before they grant dispositional authority over embryos to the IVF patient," he says. "Because some gamete donors may not approve of embryonic stem cell research, we consider this the ethically appropriate position."
In their paper, the team recommends a process that is less complex than the detailed "informed consent" process carried out when IVF patients donate embryos for research. They suggest the disclosure to gamete donors may be made through oral discussion or brochures before donors sign a form authorizing the IVF patient to determine the disposition of embryos.
Importantly, says Lo, the gamete donors' instructions would not disrupt the IVF process. IVF patients would learn of a gamete donor's restrictions in advance of selecting embryos for IVF treatment, and could select other gamete donors if not satisfied with the donors' disposition restrictions.
The recommendation is consistent with that of the National Academy of Sciences and the International Society for Stem Cell Research says Lo, a member of the ethics committee of the ISSCR, and the co-chair of the Standards Working Group of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.
"It would be highly desirable to have consistency among standards and regulations," he says. "If such harmonization were achieved, many university Institutional Review Boards and other research oversight bodies would likely allow NIH-eligible human embryonic stem cell lines to be used for any otherwise acceptable hESC research."
"It's critical that we consider all parties involved in the creation of embryos and honor their wishes," says co-author Arnold Kriegstein, MD, PhD, director of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCSF.
"The field of human embryonic stem cell research offers enormous promise for patients suffering from devastating diseases. We want to build this field on an ethical foundation of which we can be proud."
Exceptions to the guideline could be justified for hESC lines already in existence if there were strong scientific reasons to use the cell lines and the third-party gamete donor had granted rights to the IVF patient to determine disposition of the embryos.
Other co-authors of the study were other members of the UCSF Gamete, Embryonic Stem Cell Research Committee: Lindsay Parham, an analyst in the Program in Bioethics; Marcelle Cedars, MD, professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive health and director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology; Susan Fisher PhD, professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences and director of the UCSF Human Embryonic Stem Cell Center; Elena Gates MD, professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, and director of the IVF Tissue Bank; Linda Giudice, MD, PhD, chair of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences; Dina Gould Halme, PhD, formerly of the UCSF School of Medicine Dean's Office; William Hershon JD, Disability Rights California; Radhika Rao JD, University of California, Hastings College of the Law; Clifford Roberts, DVM, interim associate vice-chancellor for research; and Richard Wagner MA, associate director, Human Research Protection Program.
UCSF is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care.
Related links:
Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCSF http://stemcell.ucsf.edu/
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Baptist Pastors to Pray for Barack Obama's Death on Presidents Day.
I had thought the extremists had already sunken to the lowest possible point, but apparently I am wrong. Praying for anyone's death is a sin, as far as I am concerned.
(Newser) – While a handful of Americans might have taken a few minutes to reflect favorably on George Washington and Abe Lincoln on Presidents Day, some evangelical leaders devoted their time to praying for Barack Obama's death. The "Imprecatory Prayer" is a favorite of Arizona’s Baptist preacher Steven L. Anderson and Orange County's Wiley Drake, who told supporters in an email over the weekend that the supplication is "now your DUTY."
If "you have an evil leader above you, you pray that Satan will stand by his side and you ask God to make his children fatherless and his wife a widow and that his time in office be short," Drake told Daily Beast columnist John Avlon. Anderson has said he hopes Obama dies of brain cancer "today." To those offended by the sentiments, Wiley responds: "I’m praying the word of God. I didn’t write it. Don’t get mad at me.”
Reporter At 'The New York Times' Plagiarized From Competitors - The Two-Way - Breaking News, Analysis Blog : NPR
By David Gura
Editors at The New York Times have acknowledged that one of the newspaper's business reporters, Zachery Kouwe, plagiarized material from The Wall Street Journal, Reuters and other news sources, "without attribution or acknowledgment."
Yesterday, The Times ran an editor's note:
In a number of business articles in The Times over the past year, and in posts on the DealBook blog on NYTimes.com, a Times reporter appears to have improperly appropriated wording and passages published by other news organizations.The Times has not made a formal announcement about what will happen to Kouwe, if anything. But the tone and content of the editor's note indicates the newspaper isn't taking the ethical transgression lightly:
Copying language directly from other news organizations without providing attribution -- even if the facts are independently verified -- is a serious violation of Times policy and basic journalistic standards. It should not have occurred. The matter remains under investigation by The Times, which will take appropriate action consistent with our standards to protect the integrity of our journalism.
I just don't understand how someone who purports to be a journalist can even think about doing something as stupid as this. Another sad day for journalism. Another black eye for mainstream media.
SF Chronicle reports star chef exits Napa's innovative Ubuntu
Inside Scoop alert: Sources tell The Inside Scoop that as of 3 a.m. chef
Jeremy Fox and most of the staff came to the agonizing decision to leave
Ubuntu, Napa's acclaimed vegetarian restaurant (1140 Main Street).
Apparently, pastry chef Deanie Fox left last month. It's unclear what has
prompted the exodus.
Jeremy Fox has been lauded by The Chronicle, the New York Times and others
for his innovative and sophisticated approach to vegetarian cooking.
Although the restaurant, with its quirky yoga studio, had become a media
darling, the concept didn't seem to catch on with the general dining
public, as evidenced by an often empty dining room.
Fox declined to comment, and owner Sandy Lawrence could not be reached. We
suspect that in the next day or so Scoop will get the full story, so tune
in tomorrow. -- Stacy Finz ( sfinz@sfchronicle.com) and Amanda Gold (agold@sfchronicle.com)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2010 SF Chronicle
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
Texas Nurse to Stand Trial for Reporting Doctor
KERMIT, Tex. — It occurred to Anne Mitchell as she was writing the letter that she might lose her job, which is why she chose not to sign it. But it was beyond her conception that she would be indicted and threatened with 10 years in prison for doing what she knew a nurse must: inform state regulators that a doctor at her rural hospital was practicing bad medicine.
Skip to next paragraph
Michael Stravato for The New York TimesAnne Mitchell, left, and Vickilyn Galle, right, wrote the letter to regulators that drew felony charges.
Michael Stravato for The New York TimesSheriff Robert L. Roberts Jr., who investigated the case against the nurses, voiced confidence in it.
When she was fingerprinted and photographed at the jail here last June, it felt as if she had entered a parallel universe, albeit one situated in this barren scrap of West Texas oil patch.
“It was surreal,” said Mrs. Mitchell, 52, the wife of an oil field mechanic and mother of a teenage son. “I said how can this be? You can’t go to prison for doing the right thing.”
But in what may be an unprecedented prosecution, Mrs. Mitchell is scheduled to stand trial in state court on Monday for “misuse of official information,” a third-degree felony in Texas.
The prosecutor said he would show that Mrs. Mitchell had a history of making “inflammatory” statements about Dr. Rolando G. Arafiles Jr. and intended to damage his reputation when she reported him last April to the Texas Medical Board, which licenses and disciplines doctors.
Mrs. Mitchell counters that as an administrative nurse, she had a professional obligation to protect patients from what she saw as a pattern of improper prescribing and surgical procedures — including a failed skin graft that Dr. Arafiles performed in the emergency room, without surgical privileges. He also sutured a rubber tip to a patient’s crushed finger for protection, an unconventional remedy that was later flagged as inappropriate by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Charges against a second nurse, Vickilyn Galle, who helped Mrs. Mitchell write the letter, were dismissed at the prosecutor’s discretion last week.
The case has been infused with the small-town politics of this wind-whipped city of 5,200 in the heart of the Permian Basin, 10 miles from the New Mexico border. The seeming conflicts of interest are as abundant as the cattle grazing among the pump jacks and mesquite.
When the medical board notified Dr. Arafiles of the anonymous complaint, he protested to his friend, the Winkler County sheriff, that he was being harassed. The sheriff, an admiring patient who credits the doctor with saving him after a heart attack, obtained a search warrant to seize the two nurses’ work computers and found the letter.
Both sides acknowledge that the case has polarized the community, and the judge has moved the trial to a neighboring county.
The state and national nurses associations have called the prosecution an outrage and raised $40,000 for the defense. Legal experts argue that in a civil context, Mrs. Mitchell would seem to be protected by Texas whistle-blower laws.
“To me, this is completely over the top,” said Louis A. Clark, president of the Government Accountability Project, a group that promotes the defense of whistle-blowers. “It seems really, really unique.”
Until they were fired without explanation on June 1, Mrs. Mitchell and Mrs. Galle had worked a combined 47 years at Winkler County Memorial Hospital here, most recently as its compliance and quality improvement officers.
The nurses, who are highly regarded even by the administrator who dismissed them, said the case had stained their reputations and drained their savings. With felony charges pending, neither has been able to find work. They said they could feel heads turn when they walked into local lunch spots like El Joey’s Mexican restaurant.
“It has derailed our careers, and we’re probably not going to be able to get them back on track again,” said Mrs. Galle, 54, a grandmother who is depicted around town as the soft-spoken Thelma to Mrs. Mitchell’s straight-shooting Louise. “We’re just in disbelief that you could be arrested for doing something you had been told your whole career was an obligation.”
It was not long after the public hospital hired Dr. Arafiles in 2008 that the nurses said they began to worry. They sounded internal alarms but felt they were not being heeded by administrators.
Frustrated and fearing for patients, they directed the medical board to six cases “of concern” that were identified by file numbers but not by patient names. The letter also mentioned that Dr. Arafiles was sending e-mail messages to patients about an herbal supplement he sold on the side.
Mrs. Mitchell typed the letter and mailed it with a separate complaint signed by a third nurse, who wrote that she had resigned because of similar concerns about Dr. Arafiles. That nurse was not charged.
To convict Mrs. Mitchell, the prosecution must prove that she used her position to disseminate confidential information for a “nongovernmental purpose” with intent to harm Dr. Arafiles.
Mari E. Robinson, executive director of the Texas Medical Board, has warned in a blistering letter to prosecutors that the case will have “a significant chilling effect” on the reporting of malpractice.
The nurses’ lawyers, John H. Cook IV and Brian Carney, have filed a civil lawsuit in federal court charging the county, hospital, sheriff, doctor and prosecutor with vindictive prosecution and denial of the nurses’ First Amendment rights.
Nonetheless, the sheriff, Robert L. Roberts Jr., and the prosecutor, Scott M. Tidwell, express confidence in their case.
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A picture caption with an earlier version of this article reversed the identification of Vickilyn Galle and Anne Mitchell.
Recommend More Articles in US » A version of this article appeared in print on February 7, 2010, on page A18 of the New York edition.
When I reported for USA Today, I wrote about health care workers prosecuted for providing pain medication to dying patients, questionable civil suits between physicians fighting over hospital privileges, and laws, policies or regulations that thwarted reporting of patient safety risks.
Never would I have imagined that a prosecution like this would happen. Read the story and let me know what you think -- and what you think we can do about it. Patient safety is possible only when health care workers of all levels and in all professions are able to make good-faith reports about potential problems without fear of losing their jobs -- or going to jail.
Your thoughts?
Friday, February 5, 2010
Politics of hate alive and well: How can anyone on either side -- tolerate this? #teaparty #tcot #obama
From CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser
Tom Tancredo opened what's being billed as the first Tea Party Convention with a bang.Nashville, Tennessee (CNN) – Tom Tancredo opened what's being billed as the first Tea Party Convention with a bang.
The former congressman from Colorado and 2008 Republican presidential candidate blasted President Obama, saying "people who could not even spell the word 'vote', or say it in English, put a committed socialist ideologue in the White House. His name is Barack Hussein Obama."
Tancredo made his comments as he gave the kickoff speech for the convention, which is being held at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville.
Tancredo's speech received polite applause among the 600 attendees at the convention.
"So the race for America is on right now. The president and his left-wing allies in Congress are going to look at every opportunity to destroy the Constitution before we have a chance to save it. So put your running shoes on. Because I'll tell you, I've heard we need a revolution. My friends, we already had it. We lost. I mean, what happened to us in that last election was a revolution," said Tancredo, discussing the 2008 presidential contest.
Tancredo also slammed that election's Republican presidential nominee, saying "thank God John McCain lost the election."
The former congressman known for his strong opposition to illegal immigration also attacked "the cult of multiculturalism, aided by leftists, liberals all over who don't have the same idea about America as we do."
A spokesman for the Tea Party Nation, the group that organized the convention, said Tancredo's speech may provide some red meat but termed it problematic.
"It doesn't further the dialogue," said Mark Skoda, a businessman and founder of the Memphis Tea Party, who is also serving as spokesman for the convention.
Tancredo ended his speech telling the crowd that "this is our country" and urged them "to take it back."
– CNN Correspondent Mary Snow contributed to this reportFiled under: Tea party
