Golfweek replaces editor over noose

yahoo ^ | 18 January 2008 | DOUG FERGUSON

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Golfweek magazine replaced the editor responsible for illustrating the current cover with a noose and apologized Friday for its depiction of a Golf Channel anchor's use of "lynch" in a comment about Tiger Woods.

"We apologize for creating this graphic cover that received extreme negative reaction from consumers, subscribers and advertisers across the country," Turnstile Publishing Co. president William P. Kupper Jr. said. "We were trying to convey the controversial issues with a strong and provocative graphic image. It is now obvious that the overall reaction to our cover deeply offended many people. For that, we are deeply apologetic."

Turnstile is the parent company of Golfweek.

The company said Dave Seanor, the vice president and editor of Golfweek, has been replaced immediately by Jeff Babineau.

A copy of the Jan. 19 cover was removed from the magazine's Web site Friday morning.

Kelly Tilghman, in her second year as anchor of PGA Tour coverage on Golf Channel, was suspended for two weeks because of comments she made during the second round of the Mercedes-Benz Championship, when she and analyst Nick Faldo were discussing young challengers to Woods.

Faldo suggested that "to take Tiger on, maybe they should just gang up (on him) for a while."

"Lynch him in a back alley," Tilghman said, laughing.

Seanor said in an interview Thursday night that he took responsibility for the cover, which showed a noose against a purple sky and the title, "Caught in a Noose." The subtitle said, "Tilghman slips up, and Golf Channel can't wriggle free."

The magazine devoted four pages of news and commentary on the topic, including a column on the back page supporting Tilghman and asking that the controversy be kept in context.

In an editorial, the magazine explained why it felt the Tilghman story deserved so much attention. It was accompanied by a cartoon that showed the Rev. Al Sharpton, who demanded Tilghman be fired, holding a noose and offering it to a pair of Golf Channel employees staring in a hole of thin ice, presumably where Tilghman had sunk.

Reaction to the noose drew a harsh rebuke from PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem.

"Clearly, what Kelly said was inappropriate and unfortunate, and she obviously regrets her choice of words," Finchem said in a statement. "But we consider Golfweek's imagery of a swinging noose on its cover to be outrageous and irresponsible. It smacks of tabloid journalism. It was a naked attempt to inflame and keep alive an incident that was heading to an appropriate conclusion."

The tour issued a statement Friday that said Finchem's comments were "not a call to action, but rather a response to an inquiry and an expression of the tour's dissatisfaction with Golfweek's choice of a cover image."

The tour said Golfweek's decision on its editorial leadership was an internal matter.

CBSSports.com reported Thursday that Jack Peter, chief operating officer of the World Golf Hall of Fame, said that tour officials had told the magazine it might withdraw $50,000 in advertisements for the World Golf Village.

"Jack was not speaking on behalf of the PGA Tour," spokesman Ty Votaw said Friday. "I can categorically tell you the PGA Tour has not threatened any advertising pull."

It was not clear if Seanor had been fired.

Babineau, 45, has been with Golfweek for nine years, including roles as editor, deputy editor and senior writer.

"We know we have a job ahead of us to re-earn the trust and confidence of many loyal readers," Babineau said. "Our staff is very passionate about the game. Our wish is that one regretful error does not erase more than 30 years of service we've dedicated to this industry."

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This image released by Golfweek magazine shows the cover of the Jan. 19, 2008 issue

[AU72]

This year it's "Noosemania".

What will it be next year?

[Red Badger]

So “no noose” is “good noose”?.......

[Tijeras_Slim]

As silly as this PC mania is, it never fails to amaze me that folks do things like this thinking it won’t bite them.

[The Electrician]

Would it be totally insensitive of me to state that Dave Seanor was figuratively lynched by Turnstile/Golfweek?

Ask me if I care...

[popdonnelly]

The management of this publishing company are a bunch of cowards.

[silentreignofheroes]

Buy a copy,,worth more than gold..

[Gator101]

I think this is pretty ironic. I think the editor was piling on Kelly Tilghman by using the image and he got hoisted by his own petard.

Goes to show that you can never underestimate the level of offense the PC crowd can muster.

[battlegearboat]

.....playing thru here....

This just tees me off.

White people are so crazy!

That's what I'm saying....umm huh!

[geopyg]

So Kelly says something about “lynching Tiger”.

Then the magazine tries to make it better by getting back at Kelly with the picture of the noose.

Boy, give some people enough rope ... I think they all better get back to Tiger with an apology and not leave him hanging.

[nhoward14]

A noose once bit my sister...

[Proud_texan]

Oh, you dog, just beat me....

[Gator101]

What will it be next year?

Just a guess but if Hillary loses the election (and I am praying so hard for that) I think the MSM topic of choice will be “The chauvinist America that won’t elect a woman” and phrases like "ironing a shirt" will be enough to bring down the wrath of the PC'ers

[gitmogrunt]

imo .......a ridiculous cover for a golf magazine.

I don't care how the term is supposedly used by the broadcast media in reference to the game, it's still a stupid cover.

[JZelle]

They should’ve played it safe and stuck with something anti-christian.

[FReepaholic]

Welcome to the United States of the Offended.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Get a Rope Lyrics
Artist(Band):Cock Sparrer

From the streets of Aberdeen to the Brighton scene
There’s something going wrong
From the woolacomb shore to the tots dance floor
They all shout “what’s going on?”

You promised us a country fit for a queen
But the queen doesn’t have to pay
You promised us a future bright and clean
For a vote on electionday

Is there no-one left to shout?
There’s some people round here need sorting out
‘Coz for you there’s just no hope

Get a rope, get a rope

Sitting warm and snug on your council seat
In comfy shoes and tweed
With your rules and regs wrapped nice and neat
Deciding what my kids can’t read

We’re sick and tired of your liberal views
What’s politically correct?
Come judgement day, I’ll be trying the noose
And slipping it around your neck

Can’t you hear me shout?
There are a lot of people like me about
But for you there’s just no hope

Get a rope, get a rope

We want to make life one big joyride
But the roadblocks get in the way
We want to fly off the Spanish seaside
But the plane’s always delayed

We want to sing songs on radio 1
but the BBC says “no!”
We want to do deals on a mobile phone
and have something left to show

Is there no-one left to say?
There’s some people round here need blowing away
‘Coz for you there’s just no hope

Get a rope, get a rope
Get a rope, get a rope
Get a rope, get a rope

[stainlessbanner]

The editor hedged on selling more copy by highlighting Tilghman’s comment. If anything it should have been a small paragraph in the entire issue, not a front-page cover story.

[Williams]

This is absurd and I’d just like to point out it all proves exactly the OPPOSITE of widespread racial discrimination against blacks.

This, and about a million state, federal and local laws, programs, groups, institutes, seminars, lawsuits, grants, scholarships, set asides, affirmative action, state apologies for slavery, news programs, magazines, tv stations, celebrities,Academy Awards, firings of white officials, scientists, teachers, and on and on.

[goodnesswins]

Yeah....seems to me they are TRUMPETING it!