At Flagging Tribune, Tales of a Bankrupt Culture (Dinosaur Media Death Watch)

New York Times ^ | Ocotber 5, 2010 | David Carr

[lbryce]

In January 2008, soon after the venerable Tribune Company was sold for $8.2 billion, Randy Michaels, a new top executive, ran into several other senior colleagues at the InterContinental Hotel next to the Tribune Tower in Chicago.

Mr. Michaels, a former radio executive and disc jockey, had been handpicked by Sam Zell, a billionaire who was the new controlling shareholder, to run much of the media company’s vast collection of properties, including The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, WGN America and The Chicago Cubs.

After Mr. Michaels arrived, according to two people at the bar that night, he sat down and said, “watch this,” and offered the waitress $100 to show him her breasts. The group sat dumbfounded.

“Here was this guy, who was responsible for all these people, getting drunk in front of senior people and saying this to a waitress who many of us knew,” said one of the Tribune executives present, who declined to be identified because he had left the company and did not want to be quoted criticizing a former employer. “I have never seen anything like it.”

Mr. Michaels, who otherwise declined to be interviewed, said through a spokesman, “I never made the comment allegedly attributed to me in January 2008 to a waitress at the InterContinental Hotel, and anyone who said I did so is either lying or mistaken.”

It was a preview of what would become a rugged ride under the new ownership. Mr. Zell and Mr. Michaels, who was promoted to chief executive of the Tribune Company in December 2009, arrived with much fanfare, suggesting they were going to breathe innovation and reinvention into the conservative company.

[lbryce]

The MSM's relentless march towards inevitable death, eventual relegation to the dustbin of history continues inexorably down the path to ignominious anachronistic obsolescence.

[hinckley buzzard]

Umm...so...did the waitress flash her boobs? Gotta finish the story.

[mmercier]

Such stories rarely originate without a basis.

[mmercier]

Such stories rarely originate without a basis.

[ArmstedFragg]

That’s like a non-denial denial. Was it February, 2008?

[DontTreadOnMe2009]

You see? I have been telling you over and over in my posts that that is what these people are like.

Meet your new overlords.

They own you. They charge 29.9% interest on your credit cards. They make movies about death and torture and mutilation so as to degrade you–I know, because I live there, and I listen to them talk about it–and the example that you have cited is laughably small.

These people are so rich that they now own us all, and it is a central tenet of their philosophy that with money they can make people do anything.

Why do you think George Soros wishes to rule America I using his $13 billion?

How do you think he can do it? Because he is $13 billion and you do not. Ask them, if you get the chance, do you think that any human being can me made to do any disgusting things on television or radio just by using your money?

I, for one, already know his answer.

[Deagle]

Sounds like normal activity for these type of people (MSM) of all types. Would have liked to see some pictures though... at least you could treat us stupid uncivilized non-readers of your rags to a treat or two...

[dr_lew]

$100 seems a little low. I could imagine a story where he offers $1000, and she says make it $10,000, and he says OK, and everybody’s happy ... but $100 ?

[2ndDivisionVet]

How is it that you interact with these individuals? Fill us in...

[LomanBill]

>>Because he is $13 billion and you do not.

Soros: Waiter, therthz a bar of thoap in my thoup.

Tyler Durden: Maybe somebody is telling you to clean up your act, Sir.

 

Aside from the 1s and 0s in cyberspace that could simply go "poof",  folks like George Soros should keep in mind that the Laws of this Republic are responsible for maintaining the records that say he "owns" things in this country.   They go,  HE goes.   

Destruction of the Republic would be VERY bad for folks like George.  VERY BAD.

 

Bon apetit.

[Brad from Tennessee]

[Mr. Zell has acknowledged that the deal has not turned out how he hoped.]

Zell is just one in a long line of wealthy rubes to be undone by the newspaper industry.

[dr_lew]

I, for one, already know his answer.

Cf. The Magic Christian ... Together, they set out to prove that anyone--and anything--can be bought with money.

[Gondring]

If you think his holdings are just here...

And remember, the wealth of America is largely based on what others are willing to value.

[mainsail that]

These guys are scam artists, they 'buy' the company by issuing company debt and then decimate and leach of it until they (try to) unload to on an IPO. The company is of course, doomed by the debt load and we probably bailed the banks that financed this--after a nice chuck was booked as a profit and half was given as a bonus to the geniuses that came up with the idea.

Zell only placed $300 million of his own money, I wish they find a way to hold him personally responsible, after it was his doing.

[DCBurgess58]

Michaels, who was promoted to chief executive of the Tribune Company in December 2009, arrived with much fanfare, suggesting they were going to breathe innovation and reinvention into the conservative company.

What the heck? Did they just try to smear conservatism there? There's no way that any company that includes The Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times is a conservative company. I guess they are trying to link the offering of $100 to a stranger to show her breasts as conservative behavior.

[infowarrior]

Ask them, if you get the chance, do you think that any human being can me made to do any disgusting things on television or radio just by using your money?

Upon which I would tell that individual, "For all your wealth, you could not even afford a short-term rental of me, let alone an outright purchase..."

the infowarrior

[LomanBill]

>>If you think his holdings are just here...

I’m aware of that. Regardless, the illusion of property ownership in the USA is only as real as the ability of the Republic to say it’s real.

>>wealth of America is largely based

The wealth of America is her people’s commitment to our founding principles.

[LomanBill]

>>“I have never seen anything like it.”

Sure you have, think harder.

It’s insanity characteristic of the late ROMAN EMPIRE.

[LomanBill]

>>The wealth of America is her people’s commitment to our founding principles

And once that’s squandered America will be just another dead empire.

[Tzimisce]

Typical liberal douche bag.

What do you want me to say?

Company is going under, but he’s throwing money around.