Ha! Had me going for a second!

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Thu Apr 15, 2004 5:20 pm

The Chicago Tribune's Don Wycliff writes about how even a mention of Bill Clinton gets some readers angry. Ho-hum. But then, he writes: William Parker, associate managing editor for news editing, said there was a lively discussion of the pros and cons before it was decided to add Clinton, whose appearance before the commission that day had been unexpected, to the headline. Parker noted in particular that Vickie Walton-James, the Tribune's Washington bureau chief, had dissented from the consensus, but was outvoted.***I'm assuming this is an exaggeration. Headlines, of course, are not subjected to votes. And if they were, of course a bureau chief wouldn't be consulted.***[ April 15, 2004: Message edited by: blanp ]

Matthew Grieco · **Posted:** Thu Apr 15, 2004 6:55 pm

Legend has it that before my time and under the EE's predecessor, the 1A lineup at my erstwhile paper was put to a vote, with all participants in the afternoon budget meeting having equal franchise.I've always wondered how long those meetings must have taken.

Bumfketeer · **Posted:** Thu Apr 15, 2004 8:22 pm

When I worked in Milwaukee half an age ago, there was a "tradition" regarding the lede hed in the paper, which "traditionally" was called The Ribbon.Let's see if I can remember the drill, which was conducted with ridiculous pomp.1. Rim editor writes lede hed. Makes prinout; hands it to slot.2. Slot editor checks lede hed, tinkers if need be.
Makes another printout, gives it to the news editor.3. News editor looks at printout, calls managing editor at home, where he was, most likely, trying to enjoy a martini.4. Managing editor OKs/rejects hed. If hed is rejected...which, thanks to martinis, almost never happened...see step 1.I never understood this process at all, other than "tradition." (I was told split days off were traditional too, but that is another tale.) I couldn't see the reason for the hed to be vetted by anyone "higher" than the slot.

paulwiggins · **Posted:** Thu Apr 15, 2004 8:46 pm

Hell fire!
I'm used to the following process:
Rim writes head.
Slot approves head.
Boss chokes on martini over breakfast.
Slot promoted to Meekatharra bureau chief.The possibility of exaggeration in this post should not be overlooked.
postscript i posted that before the following announcement from the company today: MELBOURNE, April 15, 2004 -- Mark Scott, Editor-in-Chief, Metropolitan Newspapers for Fairfax, today announced that Michael Gawenda, Editor and Editor-in-Chief of The Age since 1997, will step down later this year to become senior correspondent for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. This is an unrelated matter.
[ April 15, 2004: Message edited by: Paul Wiggins ]

Bumfketeer · **Posted:** Thu Apr 15, 2004 10:09 pm

Paul:That's the way it happens everywhere else, except that when I worked in Syracuse there were far worse places to be sent than Meekatharra....like Canton, Massena or Watertown.Just ask Pete Zicari.

JPSheehan · **Posted:** Fri Apr 16, 2004 10:22 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr> there were far worse places to be sent than Meekatharra....like Canton, Massena or Watertown. <hr></blockquote>Whew! For a moment, I thought you were gonna lump Herkimer in there as well. We who have (perhaps temporarily) escaped the wilds of upstate New York are nonetheless a tad defensive about the homeland.

EMorse · **Posted:** Sat Apr 17, 2004 12:06 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Bumfketeer:
Paul:That's the way it happens everywhere else, except that when I worked in Syracuse there were far worse places to be sent than Meekatharra....like Canton, Massena or Watertown.Just ask Pete Zicari.<hr></blockquote>... When I was hired in Batavia, the possibility of going to Watertown (the flagship of the Johnson chain) was actually presented as an incentive.

ADKbrown · **Posted:** Sat Apr 17, 2004 9:49 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by EMorse:
... When I was hired in Batavia, the possibility of going to Watertown (the flagship of the Johnson chain) was actually presented as an incentive.<hr></blockquote>One thing about Watertown worth noting is that it is the setting of Frederick Exley's A Fan's Notes.

Bumfketeer · **Posted:** Sat Apr 17, 2004 10:00 am

That ADK...always putting the best damned face possible on everything.

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Ha! Had me going for a second!

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