Redemption for Vlad?
A slightly edited version of a topic suggestion from worker bee -- thanks for the idea!
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Reading the excerpts of Craig Smith's conversation with Vlad Kogan, in which Kogan expresses remorse for his role in feeding the anti-Jerry Roberts and anti-union machine, changed my view of the guy completely. I was all up for bashing on him on the blogs. He deserved it. But look what happens when you own up to mistakes. Look what happens when you offer apologies and express that you've at least learned from your mistakes. People are willing to forgive and move on to better things.
Ultimately McCaw, Nipper, Armstrong, Steepleton, etc., have a valueable lesson to learn from this young man - it takes courage to admit when you're wrong - especially in a public forum. The upside is the public will accept you back into the fold quickly for such action.
Funny how the key ingredient missing from the News-Press management's tactical buffet is the expression of apology and remorse. You'd think a skilled and wise sage such as Dr. Laura would have mentioned this base honorable principal to them. I wonder how she missed it?
Anyways, I'm curious to know if McCaw has gone past the point of redemption. What if she just gave Melinda Burns her job back? What if she owned up to all of this - all the lawyering and the fighting just to fight. What if she admitted defeat, apologized for everything, dropped all lawsuits, and truly took a turn. How far do think apology and remorse goes in a situation like this?
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Reading the excerpts of Craig Smith's conversation with Vlad Kogan, in which Kogan expresses remorse for his role in feeding the anti-Jerry Roberts and anti-union machine, changed my view of the guy completely. I was all up for bashing on him on the blogs. He deserved it. But look what happens when you own up to mistakes. Look what happens when you offer apologies and express that you've at least learned from your mistakes. People are willing to forgive and move on to better things.
Ultimately McCaw, Nipper, Armstrong, Steepleton, etc., have a valueable lesson to learn from this young man - it takes courage to admit when you're wrong - especially in a public forum. The upside is the public will accept you back into the fold quickly for such action.
Funny how the key ingredient missing from the News-Press management's tactical buffet is the expression of apology and remorse. You'd think a skilled and wise sage such as Dr. Laura would have mentioned this base honorable principal to them. I wonder how she missed it?
Anyways, I'm curious to know if McCaw has gone past the point of redemption. What if she just gave Melinda Burns her job back? What if she owned up to all of this - all the lawyering and the fighting just to fight. What if she admitted defeat, apologized for everything, dropped all lawsuits, and truly took a turn. How far do think apology and remorse goes in a situation like this?
posted by Sara De la Guerra | 1/23/2007 01:17:00 PM
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9 Comments:
Melinda Burns also needs backpay besides reinstatement.
Vlad now may have realized how he was manipulated, but he still was often factually incorrect in many of his articles. That reflects far more on the editors or lack therof than on the actual writer.
Making fun of Vlad mostly was about his opportunism and how his inaccurate work slipped through, all the responsibility of the editors and management at the Newspress.
Wendy needs a way out that will let her save face.
If you have a good idea, please DO NOT bring it to the blogs, where it can be viewed -- and UNDERMINED -- by her "cabal."
You folks out there know how to contact one another. Go for it.
The only bashing Vlad deserved was for allowing himself to be manipulated.
He followed the blogs and learned from his mistakes.
He was a better reporter than some of the people we're now stuck with -- Wendy's unqualified hires she hoped would be so happy for jobs they wouldn't vote for the union.
Vlad got very little editing help since newsroom editor Scott Steepleton was -- and still is -- spending much of his time working in concert with Millstein to bully, belittle, threaten, falsely accuse and ultimately fire most of the newsroom employees.
(With a vote of 33-6 for union representation, Scott has been pretty busy.)
Good luck, Vlad.
Odd how when he changes his tune and we don't think he is anti-union everyone loves him.
My guess is the Vlad will be sued now. Good thing cement shoes aren't in vogue any longer...
One problem is that Wendy doesn't seem to talk to anyone who is not a "yes" person, and she doesn't speak to her lawyers much either, apparently, whether or not they're willing to give her accurate prognoses. I doubt she's interested in reaching an accord yet; she's still in the mode thinking she can win the war of attrition, that sooner or later the Jerry Roberts-fueled "conspiracy" against her will tire of the fight, the momentum that started in July will dissipate, more employees will leave, and eventually the "transition" period will be over and she will have regained complete and utter control.
That's too bad, because she's wrong, and she's not really temperamentally suited to handle the continued embarrassment and public humiliation that will persist as her minions keep making ludicrous p.r. moves and losing litigation, and she just keeps offering nothing but belligerence and recalcitrance. She wouldn't even have to apologize or admit wrongdoing if she were simply willing to engage in a truly good faith dialogue. So far no one in her entourage seems to both have her ear and have the inclination to resolve anything substantive.
Hey redemption is a good thing and if Vlad found it all the better for him.
I am a working journalist and really dont blame him, he was new to the profession and needed a job since getting said job, he became aware of the situation and moved on.
Starting wages in journalism suck and the news press was probably paying better than others and we can all agree its a nice place to live. The fact he moved on says more about his character than most would give him credit for. And the fault for any misreporting lies with his editors.
When I started out I got jumped on every time to check facts and then double check them, and then do it again. I had a former UPI exec breathing down my neck and 2 others who vetted every story before it got to air and because of that became a better journalist. Vlad was ill served by the news press and as good a laugh as many got at his expense (me included) the blame really rests with his editors.
If he peeks into the Blogs best of luck in your new position and congrats to Craig Smith for again getting a good scoop in the NP battle.
And before I get flamed I work in tv news and spelling and grammer are not as important.
One traditional way to avoid lawsuits like Wendy's is to use slang... folks have been doing that forever to evade claims of obscenity, libel, slander, etc.
A rhyming slang occurred to me...
`McCaw, saute the slaw'.
But I'd love to hear others more clever ideas...
Showings Added for Video on NLRB Hearing, new schedule below
This video features interviews and long legal analysis by Craig Smith, as held outside the Federal Court for the recent National Labor Relations Board hearing on the News-Press claims that 85% of the new Teamsters really were just confused and did not mean to form a union.
The original EDHAT article about this is here (copy and paste the URL):
http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?id=1400&nid=2006
According to their schedule, Santa Barbara Channels has scheduled these new showings of this video by Larry Nimmer, shown on cable TV channel 17.
Thursday, Jan. 25 at 2:30 PM
Monday, Jan 29th at 9 PM
Tuesday, Jan. 30th at 9 AM and 5 PM
Thursday, Feb. 1st at 11 AM
Friday, Feb. 2nd at 2 PM
Sat. Feb 3 at 10:30 AM
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