Reporters are the congregation, carrying forth the words from their masters.
Posted on 12/25/2002 1:02:11 AM PST by Timesink
Posted on Tue, Dec. 24, 2002
CNN has fired at least two veteran reporters in the past 10 days, and rumors are flying around the network's bureaus that other dismissals are on the way as part of a new round of layoffs.
Reporters Mark Potter, based in Miami, and Allan Dodds Frank, based in New York, both confirmed Monday that they were fired earlier this month for what CNN told them were economic reasons.
''What's happening is clear,'' said Frank, the featured reporter on CNN's Moneyline who recently won the prestigious Gerald R. Loeb broadcasting award for stories on the financing of the Sept. 11 attacks. ``They're getting rid of anybody whose contract is up who is not a superstar anchor or a 25-year-old willing to be paid in Canadian dollars.''
CNN officials did not return phone calls Monday night about the firings.
The network laid off more than 400 employees shortly after its parent company, Time Warner, was acquired by America Online in 2001 and has been steadily tightening its belt ever since.
Neither of the firings has been officially announced by CNN, either publicly or internally, and journalists in the network's Washington and New York offices say they believe other reporters have been dismissed during the past week. ''With everybody on vacation, it's hard to tell,'' said one CNN editor. ``We keep asking, but we don't get any answers.''
Potter, one of three reporters in CNN's bureau here, is a veteran of 26 years in the Miami market, including stints at WSVN-Fox 7, WPLG-ABC 10 and the ABC News bureau. He joined CNN in 1998.
''Given the extremely busy and productive year I had, I was shocked and very disappointed to get this news,'' Potter said.
He hung out at the local Chanel 13 studio, drinking coffee and eating sandwiches in one of the only buildings with electric power in the entire county (generator) while his camera crew went out and did his "reporting" for him. I was working there as weather-caster at the time.
Later in the day when they came back with the video and script for him to record as his story, he acted like a spoiled brat, jumping all over them about every tiny detail. Of course they shot his piece outside to make it look like he was in the thick of the hurricane destruction.
He was working for ABC then. He had better hope there are still some more lower rungs on that latter the he is descending, because he sure trated his co-workers badly while he was higher up.
Reporters are the congregation, carrying forth the words from their masters.
http://www.cnn.com/fyi/interactive/teacher.resources/launch.newsroom.bios/rudi/content.html
That's the sound coming from Ft. Lee, NJ - the folks at pMSNBC are like rats deserting a sinking ship.
There's an inspiration for some impure thoughts...
Productive!? Productive!!!?....Hey Potter! Get a clue! You don't 'produce' anything! You are a talking head and nothing more. Now go out and get a real job and try helping the economy.
Here is CNN's message to its reporters:
"MERRY CHRISTMAS-----YOU'RE FIRED!"
WOW! She looks a lot like Petra Verkaik in the face. Of course, I would need to check out the rest of her to see if the resemblence extends to other places.
Don't disparage Ft. Lee like that! MSDNC is located in a scummy industrial park in Secaucus.
Trust me, it isn't even close. :)
Gee. Just like every other company in the US. Welcome to the real world, newsies.
How can anyone worth $ 10 billion have teeth from "Deliverance"?
He's taken a big, big hit lately on his Time/Warner stock. He mighta stopped going to the dentist to save a few pesos.
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