Thursday, August 28, 2008
Oh, the signs are everywhere
So, I should have said something.It's election time and everything is coming up screwy in the town I cover. A few weeks ago, one candidate had some signs stolen. Another supporter got his car egged and some signs stolen -- then called the police.
I wrote the initial story saying the signs had been stolen. The supporter told me a tip -- the car likely belonged to the former police chief and it was his daughters and another candidate's son who were in the car.
Okay. Here's where I messed up.
I took the tip and that's pretty much it. I didn't want to write about the signs and dragging these kids through the mud didn't seem like my idea of fun. So I didn't tell my boss.
*Gasp* *Shock* *Horror*
I know. Not the best move.
Fast forward a week.
Said supporter calls the main newsroom and gets the ear of another reporter. Said reporter tells his boss, who tells his boss, who calls my boss asking why we didn't know about this.
Well, we did. I just didn't say anything.
My boss agreed that the story didn't need to be reported, but today, said that regardless, I've got to be more transparent with information I have.
Yeah. I guess she's right.
Oh, and said reporter wrote the story. It ran in today's paper.
No one is pressing charges, it seems.
Labels: office politics, political coverage, relationships
continue...
Read or Post a Comment
I'm the exact opposite when it comes to bad kids, because it starts with the parents. If they want to call after the fact and say I'm dragging their kids through the mud or that it was no big deal, I just tell them well the police thought it was a big deal, so call them.
V -- you are definitely write. I guess that gave the wrong impression. I have no problem writing about kids who do something wrong -- I've done it before. I guess I just really don't like politics and anything even slightly tainted with it turns me off. But either way, I didn't want to write this story.
right*