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|  | | | | Candor Costs Journalist Her Job | | | | | found on: The Washington Post
written by MAYORBOB, edited by John (Plastic) [ read unedited ]
posted Fri 28 Jun 1:51pm | | | | |
 | "Rosemary Armao used to be managing editor of the Sarasota Florida Herald-Tribune. Rosemary Armao apparently has no problem in being up front and honest, when asked a question. Why Rosemary Armao used to be a managing editor has a lot to do with how candid she is," MAYORBOB writes. "Armao's paper recently ran a two and a half page spread on Republican congressional candidate Katherine Harris, Florida Attorney General during the 2000 Presidential election cockup. When one reader registered a complaint that Harris' Democratic opponents were not getting anywhere near the same treatment in the paper, Ms. Armao decided to tear off an email. Among the pearls of wisdom included in the email:
"Katherine Harris is an international figure, like her or not...she's going to be the next congresswoman from this area, like it or not...I have no intentions of covering each of the Democratic candidates to the same extent...I do not intend to vote for Harris...I blame the Democrats for not finding a better candidate...and I blame our culture for craving as its public figures, women like Katherine who are very pretty, hard-working and without original ideas that I can find."
[CONTINUED...]
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| | | When the existence of the email became known to Armao's bosses, the ending to the saga was just a matter of when, not if. Armao decided to resign rather than be fired. The situation is ironic because Armao does not count herself as a Harris fan, indeed if anything, she would say she stands in opposition to Harris and her brand of politics. Janet Weaver, the executive editor of the paper said that Armao should not have offered her opinion of Harris to the complaining reader and, above all else, should never have predicted an outcome to the election. Weaver, in an editorial in the paper said, "I believe that newspapers must maintain impartiality in their coverage." Armao, although she fell on her sword, apparently contends that the complaint was critical of an editorial decision of the paper and deserved an honest and open answer. "
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[ more plastic... ] |
| | | | | | | 1. Unfortunate, but fair outcome
| | | | by ElyasM |  | | | at Fri 28 Jun 2:08pm | score of 3.5 compelling | | | | | | |
When Armao replied to the reader she was acting as an official representative of the newspaper. As such, she should not have stated her personal opinions in that reply unless the reader specifically asked for them. I agree with her assertion that newspapers must remain impartial in their coverage. Weaver, the executive editor, is responsible for the paper failing to do so, thus the complaint probably should have been directed to her. It would have been better for all parties if Armao had simply published her opinion of the paper's treatment of the candidates as an editorial, not as a private e-mail that could be construed as an official policy of the paper.
Apparently there is a difference between an argument I am capable of rationalizing and a rational argument. Who knew?
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| | | | | | 4. i wouldn't have said that
| | | | by coquito |  | | | at Fri 28 Jun 2:27pm | score of 2 interesting | | in reply to comment 1 | | | | | |
funny, i thought the opposite. it was a private e-mail (in the sense that she didn't publish it for a mass audience) and as such i see no reason why she shouldn't have been able to speak frankly. if Weaver had had an issue with her actual "coverage," like she complained about, that would be one thing. but this e-mail wasn't coverage, it was just a response to a reader (and, i think, a reasonable one at that.)
i didn't think stripping her of her job was called for. it sounds ridiculous to me to argue that she can't speak for herself in her own e-mails.
In Hindu, you have not one God, but many, many, many, many, many gods -- learned Hindu scholar
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| | | | | 5. Re: i wouldn't have said that
| | | | by petiex | | | | at Fri 28 Jun 3:09pm | score of 3 astute | | in reply to comment 4 | | | | | |
I think she got screwed, too. But I think the lesson here is that, if you send something from an email account with your employer's name on it, like R.Armao@Herald-Trib.com, then you had better recognize that it might legitimately be viewed as an official expression of your employer's views. At any rate, it sure isn't a private e-mail message anymore.
"Astute and Helpful Bear." - Owl
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| | | | | 6. Re: i wouldn't have said that
| | | | by unsung | | | | at Fri 28 Jun 3:18pm | score of 2 | | in reply to comment 4 | | | | | |
I classify any correspondence that originates from my work email account as being property of my company and not particularly 'private'. If my customer complained about my product and I responded curtly and aggressively, my boss would say that I did my job poorly. I think this applies to Ms. Armao. She basically picked a fight while on duty and suffered the consequences.
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| | | | | 10. Re: i wouldn't have said that
| | | | by Anonymous Idiot |  | | | at Sat 29 Jun 5:20am | score of 0.5 astute | | in reply to comment 4 | | | | | |
There's nothing magical about email. What if the reader called to complain, and Armao picked up the phone and went off like a Roman candle like that? Would that be private as well?
Anyway, it doesn't matter what email address she sent the letter from. If you respond to a letter to your company, you're speaking for your company.
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| | | | | 11. There's the fact that she used the company email
| | | | by MAYORBOB | | | | at Sat 29 Jun 5:52am | score of 2 astute | | in reply to comment 4 | | | | | |
to respond. And then there's also that bit about identifying her position in the company in the body of the email. A good rule of thumb when you're pissed and you feel like responding to something is to compose it and review it about an hour later. That will likely give you the time to think over the wisdom of what you're doing.
Tending to final details.
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| | | | | | | | 3. Maybe if she had a different opinion?
| | | | by Saige | | | | at Fri 28 Jun 2:24pm | score of 2.5 astute | | | | | | |
I can't help but wonder what kind of action would have been taken had she expressed another opinion, such as support of Harris, or if her opinion had been on another topic - say wholly negative of the recent Pledge decision.
There seems to be no consistency on how people are treated with regards to voicing their opinions when they also hold positions of importance. When do we consider the opinions of an Editor as the opinion of the newspaper? When do the opinions of an employee represent the opinion of the company? When does a statement made by the president of the US represent the feelings of the country, or the official policy of the gov't, or just the personal beliefs?
Honestly, it seems that there is no consistency, that it is all about what opinion is voiced. State your feelings when they're in agreement with popular opinion, or do something everyone else does, and you can do it at any time. Disagree with popular opinion, or do something that a significant percentage of people consider wrong, and you're in trouble no matter WHEN you do it.
--'ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge' - Darwin
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| | | | | | 8. Re: Maybe if she had a different opinion?
| | | | by bitflip |  | | | at Fri 28 Jun 4:38pm | score of 1 | | in reply to comment 3 | | | | | |
As someone pointed out above, it came from her work address.
Maybe its not consistent, but I know when I started where I work, part of the orientation explicitly covered this. When I send mail from "hugeimpersonalcorp.com", I am a representative of the company. My personal opinions should not be expressed, as they have no bearing. I don't even agree with some of the things I say as a representative, but hey, they're the ones writing the checks. If I don't like it, I can go somewhere else.
So, in answer to your question, if she'd had a different opinion, it would have made a difference. Especially if that opinion was: "I'm impartial, the paper is impartial, thank you for your feedback, we'll look into it".
I'm not psychotic. I'm disturbed.
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| | | | | | 7. Whether she's right or wrong, why fired?
| | | | by ddp42 | | | | at Fri 28 Jun 3:43pm | score of 2 astute | | | | | | |
I believe that Armao's e-mail was imprudent (I'm pretty conflicted on whether it's "wrong" because she is supposedly representing the newspaper in the e-mail or "right" because she should be able to voice her own opinions), but why is it that the ultimate job penalty is viewed as the only possible reaction to what she did? Must everything be zero tolerance, all or nothing - far more reasonable would have been giving her notice that such actions are not acceptable at the paper and may well result in her dismissal if they recur. She can then choose to either quit on the spot or make sure her opinions are voiced only in clearly personal situations.
Finally, if impartiality were required in news media, there would be precious few TV anchors left. When anchors on MSNBC and CNN were asking questions regarding the court decision on the use of the pledge of allegiance, you can bet I knew where they stood on the issue - the wording of their questions and content of side remarks left no doubt. I shut the TV off in disgust.
Not all flowers open in the morning.
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| | | | | | | 13. Slight error
| | | | by ThePlague | | | | at Sat 29 Jun 1:35pm | score of 1.5 informative | | | | | | |
Katherine Harris was the Florida Secretary of State during the 2000 elections, not the Attorney General. I think she still is SOS, as this is still up.
I guess it's time to return favors, so she's a lock.
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| | | | | | 14. from the style guide...
| | | | by holgate | | | | at Sat 29 Jun 2:03pm | score of 1 | | | | | | |
women like Katherine who are very pretty, hard-working and without original ideas that I can find.
like/such as
like excludes; such as includes: "Cities like Manchester are wonderful" suggests the writer has in mind, say, Sheffield or Birmingham; she actually means "cities such as Manchester" Although perhaps, being an editor, she used 'like' accurately...
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| | | | | | 15. Re: from the style guide...
| | | | by BigBoote66 | | | | at Sat 29 Jun 3:06pm | score of 1 | | in reply to comment 14 | | | | | |
like/such as
like excludes; such as includes: "Cities like Manchester are wonderful" suggests the writer has in mind, say, Sheffield or Birmingham; she actually means "cities such as Manchester"
So she's talking about another candidate? Maybe the Democrat! Of course, her grammar doesn't exclude Harris from the domain of pretty, hardworking women - maybe the other women are "like" Harris for other reasons (toadyism?).
Couldn't the style guide have picked a better example? Sheffield isn't all that hot.
-BbT
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| | | | | 16. AP says:
| | | | by MoJoe | | | | at Sat 29 Jun 3:47pm | score of 1 | | in reply to comment 14 | | | | | |
"like, as: Use like as a preposition to compare nouns and pronouns. It requires an object: Jim blocks like a pro." So, she should have said, "Cities such as Manchester are wonderful."
Thanks AP... you make me type "Web site" among all the websites.
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." -Ferris Bueller
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| | | | | | | 18. Even though she resigned
| | | | by timelord | | | | at Sat 29 Jun 6:57pm | score of 1 | | | | | | |
the Tribune had every right to fire Armao for her immature response and glaring bias in the name of the newspaper. How somone would expect the paper to turn a blind eye to her reply is anyone's guess. I was supprised to find that I actually know the reader who sent the complaint, (he's part of our local astronomy group) so I'll have to ask him what he thinks.
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| | | | | | 19. Candor requires discretion
| | | | by nuckferr | | | | at Sat 29 Jun 10:07pm | score of 1 | | | | | | |
...especially for a journalist.
Candor is a good when facts, no matter how uncomfortable, disruptive or disturbing, are reported for the public. But personal candor is not appropriate for a journalist. It is evidence of bias.
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| | | | | | 20. Let us Consider
| | | | by alternadox | | | | at Sat 29 Jun 11:10pm | score of 1 | | | | | | |
that one of the contenders, a certain Candice Brown-McElyea, main hook was that she was not Katherine Harris. She 27, a former TV news reporter, married to a Sarasota Police SWAT member, and looks like a freshly hazed sorority candidate working toward her MRS. degree, and her issues pages reads like a stale, factory-spec Democratic platform. She really stands for nothing.
A rumor has circulated that she will be sued by publishers and her web site hosting/developing service for unpaid bills, and will soon relocate her headquarters with intent to burn her landlord, a former supporter, on rent and utilities. This is a rumor, but being a Sarasota county resident who is a degree and a half from McElyea, it has proved to be near-true.
I had the chance to meet McElyea and I found her to be another meritocrat of the Gore ilk. She held a fundraising event for 30-something professionals at the Silver Cricket, a tony, trend-o-phile joint where you can rent a pony tail at the maitre-d's podium.
Again, the Democrats are to blame for providing their constituency more of the booring, achievement-starved closet plutocrats that marginalized Gore in the last Pres. election.
Florida gets more interesting by the day.
-alternadox
- Win at Losing and Fail Successfully
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| | | | | | 24. Re: Let us Consider
| | | | by superdude | | | | at Sun 30 Jun 10:17am | score of 1 | | in reply to comment 20 | | | | | |
One of the bumper stickers for Brown-McLea's campaign is apparently "Anyone but Katherine."
This is all she has to offer? At least she's candid about it.
As for blaming the Democratic Party for not promoting better candidates to oppose Harris: Look, if Katherine Harris can run there without being booed off the stage, I'm going to assume that it's a hard-right conservative district and a Democrat probably doesn't have much of a chance there. I don't blame the Democrats for not expending resources in places where they can't win. Especially when the governor of the state is a Bush and the Bush in the White House owes the Republican candidate a big favor.
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| | | | | | 23. Insane and inane professional values
| | | | by boogabooga1114 | | | | at Sun 30 Jun 2:09am | score of 2.5 astute | | | | | | |
As a guy in the news business, I was amazed that a managing editor would speak her mind so freely --- surely by the time you've climbed that high on the ladder you've learned the routine.
At the same time, I was dismayed by the Pharisee-like hypocrisy in the newspaper racket. Opinions of all types on all subjects --- on esoteric policy matters and the breasts of the courthouse clerks, but most especially on politicians' characters --- are freely and loudly shared in every newsroom. But at the same time we try to pretend in public that we are the high priests of truth. It's bullshit and both readers and the newsies know it (with perhaps the exception of the typical executive editor --- there's some sort of ASNE brainwashing involved).
Anyway, it seems that if the M.E. of the paper has such a low opinion of the candidate cum international GOP rock star, but the Democratic reader opened his paper and saw a two-and-a-half page puff piece, then the editor's bias is obviously not much affecting the news coverage. That, it seems, is a sign of professionalism.
More typical, I think, are the editors whose biases infect the entire news report but who insist they are maintaining the most strict standards of objectivity.
It seems like the paper lost a good one.
Of course, aside from any question of bias or journalistic judgment, what it all comes down to is that Armao's e-mail was widely forwarded, and that's an embarrassment to the paper. Rule No. 3 or so is to never write anything down that you wouldn't be willing to see published. That especially counts for e-mail, which doesn't even require a barrel of ink to spread far and wide.
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