Behind closed doors, angry Tribune CEO confronts staff
Robservations on the media beat:
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Randy Michaels
Some who were there said it was an attempt to intimidate employees and identify a scapegoat. Others described it as an effort to assert authority and move beyond an embarrassing episode. But all agreed it was classic Randy Michaels: For close to 30 minutes Friday, the Tribune Co. CEO addressed a closed-door meeting of news staffers at news/talk WGN-AM (720) about the now-infamous memo banning 119 words and phrases from the airwaves. On the subject of leaks, Michaels asked individual staffers: “What do you think should happen to people who do that?” He directed much of his ire at Charlie Meyerson, the WGN news director who circulated the memo, blaming Meyerson for mishandling his directive. Also present were Jerry Kersting, chief operating officer of Tribune Broadcasting, Tom Langmyer, vice president and general manager of WGN, and Kevin “Pig Virus” Metheny, program director of WGN. Earlier the same day, Michaels issued a detailed explanation of the original memo to the Tribune’s Eric Zorn. (This time, Michaels referred to me inaccurately as “an out of work blogger.”) Here’s what Michaels wrote:
“ ‘The List’ was part of a collection of notes distributed by me to the attendees of the recent Broadcast News Directors meetings. There is neither corporate ‘banned’ list nor are there ‘forbidden’ words. The list was a collection of ‘News English’ words and phrases we’d be better off without. I was simply reminding News Directors that jargon, clichés, and misused words are not found in good writing. I was hoping that News Directors would add to the list of crutches. Thanks to all of the publicity, many great contributions have been received, but from outside the company. The ‘kerfuffle’ is a bit bewildering. Most news organizations have a style book, and the suggestions on that list are pretty basic. It is surprising that some believe that the CEO of a content company should not be concerned about content. As for where the list came from, it clearly came from WGN radio since it had Charlie [Meyerson]’s perhaps unfortunate introduction. It was compiled by a few people after the News Directors meeting. The same list went to all of the TV news directors without public reaction. Someone who works at WGN must think sending internal memos to an out of work blogger who doesn’t like us is OK. That part is the most disappointing.”
- In an interview with the Tribune’s Phil Rosenthal Sunday, Sun-Times Media Group CEO Jeremy Halbreich said the last-minute rescue of the paper from the brink of liquidation last year (by an investment group led by Mesirow Financial’s James Tyree) was a much closer call than anyone knew at the time. Said Halbreich:
“The financial situation was a whole lot more dire than people recognized. Obviously, through a bankruptcy process, if we felt there needed to be changes in certain areas . . . you’ve just been handed an engraved invitation. What pleasantly surprised me was the strength of the management team in terms of their flexibility and open-mindedness to change. There were ideas that were percolating, and they simply were not in an environment where they could act.”
- Welcome to the club: Tom Hudson, the veteran Chicago newsman who recently signed on as anchor of PBS’ South Florida-based “Nightly Business Report,” debuted Sunday as a weekly columnist for the Miami Herald. (Here is the link.) He described it as “an off-beat look at money and financial markets for the week ahead.” Hudson previously was host and managing editor of the nationally syndicated “First Business” show for Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting.
- Sheri McDonnell, promotions coordinator at all-news WBBM-AM (780) and a graduate of Columbia College, has been promoted to promotions manager of the CBS Radio station. She reports to Cher Ames Wickert, director of marketing and promotions.
- Radio DePaul, the student-run station of DePaul University, was named best college station in the nation and picked up eight other top awards from the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System earlier this month in New York. Available online and on iTunes Radio, the 25-year-old station beefed up its programming last fall 2009 to include music, talk shows, author interviews, news, sports reports and play-by-play of DePaul games. “We are humbled and thrilled to be honored by IBS as the best college station in the nation,” said Scott Vyverman, Radio DePaul’s faculty manager since 2001. “The College of Communication and I are very proud of the work of our students.”
blogs.vocalo.org
I keep thinking of an older, less contemporary Steve Dahl when I see your pictures of Randy Michaels. I wonder if Randy would hire Steve to partner with Garry Meier in the afternoons to boost WGN’s ratings after Steve’s CBS contract expires? A “Garry and Steve” show would be interesting indeed.
Oh Benjamin…, what have we learned? If you are the CEO of a major radio station and get into a major PR jam of your own doing, throw the nearest underling under a bus.
Randy, you just don’t get it. You stormed into WGN Radio like a tyrant and then expect everyone to snap into lockstep. You insulted the intelligence of a newsroom that has been respected for years. Unless the rubber penis you’ve flaunted actually doubled as a writing instrument, I doubt that you ever wrote news copy in your life. This won’t be as easy to fix as you thought. No amount of blame passing will get you out of this one. You might as well get a $5 Taco Bell Big Box for temporary solace. That’s what Chaz Barkley does. Just make sure it’s a Diet Pepsi. That will teach you to piss in the well, Benji.
ONE MORE THING: I highly recommend reading “The WGN Memo You Can’t Ignore,” by Jerry Del Colliano . Please read it right now, if you can:
http://insidemusicmedia.blogspot.com/2010/03/wgn-memo-you-cant-ignore.html
Hey Ba Ba Re Bob! That was one kick ass link! Colliano is hilarious and right on! Randy “Au Jus” Michaels has quite a reputation. Did he think he could just roll over competent radio people without a pushback?? Oh this is really good and just the beginning of the end for Jumbo Benji.
This reminds of the Seinfeld episode where Kathy Griffin plays a comic that recently quit the business. Jerry with his frustrated antics and words directed her way, continually gives Sally Weaver (Griffin) more and more material for her fresh new act. The act, which turns into a successful one-woman show, later even lands her a cable special! As Jerry says at one point, “…well that’s it, I’m not giving her any more material. We are incommunicado.” My advice to Randy is to listen to Jerry’s words because at this pace, Uncle Rob, whose reporting and writing has been better than ever, may even end up snatching Oprah’s soon to be open television time slot.
Regarding WGN and “the memo,” it definitely seems like someone in a high floor of the Tower is systematically destroying a once-great radio station. On the other hand, as others have pointed out, fans of tight, concise radio writing will find many phrases on that list that really shouldn’t be heard on the air, especially not at 5 a.m. in the morning.
‘Our top story’ – the ‘perfect storm’. A smackdown from Mr. Feder last week and now Mr. Del Colliano has ‘lent a helping hand’ with a beatdown of epic proportions. Well done, sirs. And much deserved Mr. Michaels. This was a ‘no brainer’.
Mr. Michaels – it’s time to come out from ‘behind closed doors’. Man up. You’ve put WGN ‘in harms way’. Quit micromanaging and get your organization back to the standards that we have all come to expect. Something ‘went terribly wrong’.
If he does not like people who leak info, is his next memo going to his reporters telling them not to use leaked info for their stories?
Hasn’t Michaels learned, Feder is the same guy who hid in a closet to get a story. He can’t win, so why try. Robert Feder will be around long after Randy Michaels goes away (which is soon, I hope).
There may be a bright side to this. Mr. Michaels can start taking people who mock him off his Christmas Card list.
Would someone grab the shovel from this idiot? He’s digging himself a media grave. God, I’m so glad Feder is back to hand these guys their asses.
Is it just me, or does Randy Michaels seem woefully out of touch with 21st century media? Alas, poor Tribune company, I knew it well.
“What do you think should happen to people who do that?”
Uhhh… They should be made Tribune Co. CEO when you’re pushed out in six months?
Mr. Michaels, since we know you are reading this forum, please take some advice and truly focus on the content of your station, as in talent and line-up. Send Jarrett packing, move Cochran to mornings, and fire Steve and Johnnie. These simple actions would bring your station into the 21st Century, improve the content instantly, and hold on to the dwindling listener base you and Pig Vomit/Virus seem intent on alienating.
But RM of all people should understand that in this age of technology, NOTHING is confidential anymore. It all ends up on Twitter, blogs, etc. That’s the challenge. And Dr.L.F. – Garry is FINE alone, NO STEVE DAHL! Steve was relevant in the ’80s but became painfully boring during his last 10+ yrs (too many on-air spats w/his wife – who cares? plus we all got tired of him back-stabbing his co-workers on air).
Makes you wonder what Michaels is trying to accomplish, other than (to quote Mel Brooks) save his phony-baloney job. All commercial-based media are suffering from a time of massive transition, and the first people to figure out what people want will win. Michaels is too busy trying to protect what he wants: a nice, cushy CEO job that will outlast WGN’s present ownership.
People seem to like news and opinion presented in a conversational manner. In this, there is no one more accomplished in Chicago than Charlie Meyerson. The “voice of doom” is too 1990s. Randy, let him redefine the news operation without burning the carpet out from under him every time you take some criticism. Stand behind your memo; if it was wrong, take the heat and move on. If it was right, stick by it. But don’t shift the blame on the guy who’s flying the plane.
Watching the stunning collapse of the once venerable news organization known as the Tribune Company, it seems to me that Randy Michaels would have a lot more to do and worry about than lists of banned words or who is leaking what to an online journalist. See, this is the problem with the bloated all about me class of managers in the news business today. They think it’s about them and their taste when it’s really about readers, viewers and listeners. Michaels thinks he’s a content king, a verbal wordsmith of stunning skill and expertise. In reality, he’s a goat lapping up the riches even in bankruptcy which has been so finely fashioned for him by the chief goat herder, Sam Zell.
Unfortunately, the same pitiful example of leadership is being replicated across the country at Tribune properties including the once respected Hartford Courant, the oldest continuously published newspaper in the U.S. Firing journalistic veterans by the dozens, the newspaper is now reduced to plagiarizing the work of competitors and publishing it as their own (which they are being sued over) and providing more columnists than stories who spout more opinions than facts.
The Fourth Estate used to stand for people’s right to know; for it’s check and balance on power and The Tribune Co. embodied all that it means. Now, thanks to Michaels and Zell, it’s a piggy bank to be exploited and a list of words. How sad is that?
I wonder how the late Bob Collins would have dealt with someone like Randy Michaels. Now that would have been entertaining radio.
Brilliant writing Robert and thanks for the heads-up article by Jerry Del Colliano. Randy Randy needs to remember that old saw, “What goes around, Comes around!”
I’m not sure how one can produce a list decrying stilted news-speak and then use the word ‘kerfuffle’ to describe the resulting reaction to it.
“Tribune’s online footprint is still unremarkable.”
http://insidemusicmedia.blogspot.com/2010/03/wgn-memo-you-cant-ignore.html
Maybe the blogger should refer to his newly created Rule #121. Most companies would kill for Trib Co’s online presence.
I laugh at how Randy Michaels just keeps digging a deeper hole for himself! To further intimidate staff and NOT think it would get to Feder is foolish on his part. For a communications professional, he’s a horrible strategist in prolonging this PR mess by rounding up staff to defend himself and naming Charlie as the scapegoat. What’s even crazier is that if he simply would have taken a different approach to dealing with his staff, he could have avoided this debacle. Think about it: it’s really not the banned words we have a problem with…it’s Michael’s tough-guy approach and his obvious lack of respect to WGN staff. Now I know why he doesn’t care at all about alienating his longtime audience. He treats his own staff the same way. Morale? Who needs morale?
What a perfect editorial for today, the “Ides of March.” Michaels appears to be a high practitioner of self-directed mismanagement.
In regards to blogger Colliano’s mention of a youtube Zell rant, well over a year ago, youtube featured a nine minute piece of an informal meeting between Sam Zell and some of the L.A. Times editorial staff. I was stunned by the unnecessary foul language Zell pelted at these professionals and his short man thug-like behavior towards them.
I’m really curious as to what current media students think of this current drama.
To MarkGN,
You may as well stop lobbying for Jarrett to leave…It won’t happen until the Clear Channel guy(s) are gone…
You must’ve forgotten the screwing that John Williams took in his shift changes, all orchestrated to bring Jarrett in
(interestingly, without any staffers even knowing about it)quickly. . . Perhaps someone (hint–Robert Feder) ought to write about the most recent “contract extension” offer made to Steve Cochran where he was told to prepare to work any shift EXCEPT the am drive…
Ad Jerry Agar LIVE (from Toronto)?
THIS IS WGN ???
With the Cubs perenial disapointment and now the Blackhawks doing their “Cubs” imitation, the only thing worth listening to on ‘GN these days is Mr. Fixit !!!!! Perhaps Mr. Michaels could call in and ask Mr. Manfredini how
to get rid of the MOLD growing within. A Mr. Fixit cap to wear arount the office might look good on him….
@MarkGN: “Send Jarrett packing, move Cochran to mornings, and fire Steve and Johnnie. These simple actions would bring your station into the 21st Century”
.
How?
If you’re in media and you don’t want to look ridiculous, don’t circulate ridiculous memos. When, oh when, will broadcasting companies again be run by mature men and women who love and understand the medium for which they’re responsible?
Feder has always been the smartest guy in the room and Michaels is just figuring this out? When Rob writes 20 years ago that someone got promoted from shoe shiner to car parker and now is an executive, you gain a lot of loyalty. In Michaels case, “the leak” could have been anyone in the room. Rob – everyone is thrilled with your continuing reporting of the truth. Your columns are better than ever. Congratulations on your success and relevance in the Chicago radio and TV industry.
Cher Ames Wickert is a class act.
Jacqueline Gerber: When, oh when, will broadcasting companies again be run by mature men and women who love and understand the medium for which they’re responsible?
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When? Easy question.
When the congress takes action to anti-trust the monopolistic media megaliths into a thousand little pieces and return the airwaves to their rightful owners…the public.
Until then corporate America will simply use radio (as a loss leader if necessary) to push a pro-corporate agenda.
This simple graphic shows exactly what’s wrong with media today, please take a look.
http://www.corporations.org/media/media-ownership.gif
@Myeyesarerolling #24, maybe Mr. Fixit isn’t so safe either. Let’s just hope that Benji “Moo Moo” Michaels doesn’t prohibit Sweet Lou from using phrases from a “repair-speak” memo.
“Lou, you are no longer allowed to say ballcock, threaded nut or nipples when describing plumbing jobs.”
@ #29, not the answer either. Welcome back. This is reality. You can’t legislate people to operate stations this way. That infringes on liberty and freedom too. The way to change things… listeners. An audience isn’t stupid. Turn the station, the radio company loses listeners and ad revenue until suitable content returns. If it doesn’t, guys like Benji will be gone, hopefully. But Fairness Doctrine legislation, as you propose, is never the answer.
You know when Rob first broke this leaked memo story the first guy I worried about was Charlie Meyerson. I hope he doesn’t end up out on the street because of this. Brining in Charlie was actually one of the best moves ‘GN made in a long time.
Congratulations Sheri!!!
Kent Brockman, please re-look at the graph provided by #29. As you will see, it speaks the truth with its clarity and invaluable context.
Compare Randzo the Clown to the beach bully who kicks apart the other kids’ meticulously crafted sand castle.
This has nothing to do with building a new audience for the radio station or bringing Tribune out of bankruptcy. This is personal.
Way deep in his sick little tyranical heart, it’s revenge time for a teased and tormented fat boy whose lifelong antics have made him the laughingstock of an industry he covets.
Hi Mr. Feder,
I was hoping you’d host our annual Brunch for out of work bloggers. You came highly recommended from Randy Michaels! It’s this Friday at the Waffle House off exit 162 / highway 80 in La Porte, Indiana. Call me…
Your pal,
Mark
@Tony.Smith #35, I have looked at that graph. There are valid points to be made regarding corporate greed. The website that #29 references also has an agenda. Graphs are tools to simplify a point or agenda. The graph in question makes its point to meet its agenda. The name of the website is “Corporate Accountability Project” and sounds very noble and idealistic. However, dig deeper and you will find that it has a socialist slant with topics such as “How to Overthrow Corporate Rule in 5 Not-so-easy Steps”.
How will our economy in general be helped by eliminating Corporate Rule? It is necessary to have strong relationships with corporations and Corporate Accountability is also necessary. Eliminating corporations in a capitalist economy does not solve the problem. Those that think a social economy will solve problems with power and corruption are just being naive. Operating a corporation in a responsible manner WILL solve most problems. This is something that Randy “Bag-O-Donuts” Michaels has not learned yet, and may never. If he doesn’t, then it’s Bye Bye Benji.
We have laws to ensure Corporate Accountability, the government just doesn’t enforce them.
WGN forgot the oldest lesson in broadcasting a few years ago when they started fooling around with what they had. The lesson; “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” still holds true today. They had the number one station and became obsessed with the 25-54 age group instead of selling what they had. The break-up of Kathy and Judy was the beginning of the slide down the hill to mediocre broadcasting and lower overall numbers.
Agreed. Kent, No. 29 wasn’t advocating a Fairness Doctrine, just de-consolidation. Back when companies could only own one AM and one FM in a market, tooth-and-nail competition and local control and content made ALL radio better. Tom Langmeyer knows this from his KMOX days. … Also, I’m heartened to see that the Michaels defenders in the last two Feder blogs are mostly silent this time, now realizing the man’s true nature by his paranoid and self-centered actions: throwing his news director under the bus and issuing not-too-veiled bush-league threats. Had he ever listened to WGN, he’d have known that this list was not only unnecessary but an insult to 720’s fine staff — but he obviously doesn’t.
@Mark… Ironically, I live in La Porte, Indiana. I didn’t even know we had a Waffle House! Cool! Or an exit 162 as our exit is #49… Hey, wait a minute… oh, never mind. On the upside, we are just down the road from New Buffalo, summer haven for the Chicago elite. And we even get our local radio and TV stations from the big city!
Hey Rob. For an “out of work blogger” you sure are rocking the town.
@Boondocker #39, the words “Fairness Doctrine” are never uttered by those promoting it. #29 does support a FD based on prior comments and I’m sure they would admit as such. That’s a slippery slope. It’s one thing to have a point-counterpoint philosophy in media, it’s great radio with spirited debate. But where does it end? Is every minute of the broadcast day to be diced up for every special interest group? “And here we have commentary by the group representing 6 legged puppies and the aliens that love them.”
But regarding your post, I mostly agree with you about the other points in your comment. #29 showed the graph, it shows the many stations owned by very few. Is that fair? Probably not. But it would be worse if only ONE entity controlled the media… the Government. The Government has no business BEING in business. Regulating and breaking up monopolies is a tricky business all on its own. Look how many times the phone companies have been through this and it’s still a mess. The Government’s role is spelled out in the Constitution, but it currently seems to work outside the lines anyway. Enforce the laws already in place and much of this garbage will go away.
Now Robert has to worry about the 1-2 punch of Michaels and the lightweight Sean”buttkisser”Wasson. I have followed in print Chicago media since the days of Gary Deeb. For Michaels and Wasson to the shots at Robert are funny but sad.Robert has always done his homework before putting anything down in print.Michaels biggest worry is how to fix the train wreck that is A.M. 720.
Gentleman, stay on topic. You’ve all made your point!
@Justin #44, point taken. A topic was thrown in the mix of the board, I just gave an opinion. I appreciate your thoughts. I don’t won’t invite the wrath of Sledgehammer. ;-)
@Mark Cosenza (36)…
Great choice of places! Waffle House…yea!
Might want to wait a bit, though, and include any WGN staffers laid off after the newsroom moves to the 4th floor (next to the men’s room).
I suspect there will be one less reporter. Maybe more. And no, Randzo, I haven’t pickpocketed your clown costume to find out. Just prying into that nasty mare’s nest you call a brain.
Didn’t Feder say after he left the Sun-Times (in the landmark WTTW interview of Feder by the late John Callaway) that he was tired of having to cover the minutia of the broadcast beat?
I ask this because Sheri McDonnell’s elevation from promotions coordinator to promotions manager feels like it would fall into that category — it *is* a job change at the legendary WBBM-AM, but still. It’s not even like Sheri is *joining* 780; she’s merely getting a modest change in title within the same organization. It’s the kind of blurb that used to populate his old Sun-Times column, but that has been blessedly scarce since he started blogging here at Vocalo.
Any reason why you decided to run this one, Mr. Feder?
Yes, I ran it because I was in a giving mood today. I’ll try to avoid that in the future.
Kent Brockman, thanks for picking up on my mental wave to write an articulate response…I was leery of the sledgehammer and was hoping that you take the ball and run.
Mr. Tribune spews even more Pig Vomit.
Wow, looks like Randy Michaels’ jowls have been “kerfuffled.” That is one jowly guy!
To WGN or any GM in radio listening -
Bring back Dahl and Brandmeier – the best talent in Chicago radio that have totally been dissed – wake up – want ratings, a supportive audience, and advertising $$$ – pay off their contracts – negotiate something, but get them back on the radio – they will help any decent station that wants true listeners
Just a quick clarification on KA’s point, way above, about the word “kerfuffle.” That was MY perhaps infelicitous choice of words in querying Randy Michaels about the, um, contretemps (does that work for you?) and he was merely quoting me back to myself. Either way, though, I don’t think it qualifies as dreaded “news-speak,” but reasonable Feder readers can disagree.
Randy Michaels just doesn’t get it! I am hoping that the news staff will continue to focus on content even if it means telling us that two youths fled the scene.
Oh my God. I worked for and with Randy when he was still a nobody (1979-80), before I wisely made my way to Chicago radio (80-88)and left him behind. He was nuts in 1979…nuttier the next time we met (2001) and absolutely insane now, yet I know people who think he’s genius! Duh! The question is: who does he have compromising pictures of, that he keeps getting amazing jobs? Don’t know, but I’d have fired him in 1979 for some of the (you wouldn’t believe it) things he got away with. Any of the rest of us, who tried to pull his crap, would have been banned from US radio.
This guy is a MORON!
“Tom Langmyer, vice president and general manager of WGN, and Kevin “Pig Virus” Metheny, program director of WGN.”
ITS PIG VOMIT!!!! Unless I have missed something, his infamous nickname is PIG VOMIT…read Private Parts….
Virus, vomit… does it really matter? Take it easy… It’s Metheny’s nasty reputation that counts. It’s gonna get pretty hot very soon at WGN and start smelling like a “Program Director Pork Roast”. Yee Haw! “Say it with me… double-u GEEEEEEEE ennnn!”
I do think this story has run its course. I hope that’s not one of the banned phrases.
I am not unemployed, but I most certainly am UNDER-employed.
@Ed Hammerman: “The break-up of Kathy and Judy was the beginning of the slide down the hill to mediocre broadcasting and lower overall numbers.”
.
As true as this may be in the temporal sense, K&J were still a monument to ignorance.
Keep up the great work, “Bob”!
@Robert Feder
Guilty pleasure… that photo of Benji Michaels. It just doesn’t get old. Please please PLEASE promise to use that one every time you run a story referring to Mr. Roast Beef.
Looks like he’s standing in line at “IHOP”.
“Whaddya mean you’re outta pancakes?!? Ok, biscuits ‘n gravy then. Don’t skimp.”
Mr. Michaels would have gotten rid of Wally Phillips if he had the chance.
Is a broadcaster’s health fair game or not?
I recently attended a “Hometown” broadcast of WGN. It was the Greg Jarrett morniong show. I couldn’t believe how out of shape he is. What’s the Term, “Morbidly Obese”? I raise this if only because it started to thinking about how other businesses sometimes take employee fitness into account. Given the amount of advertser dollars being poured into the WGN Morning show, If I were the GM, I’d be concerned.
I think I’ll listen to WGN for the next few mornings…. Sirott is in for Jarrett until next Wednesday !
I wish Feder would do something about how John Williams’ show is flat out going down the tubes. I’ve started turning him off — he is so rabidly for ObamaCare that he’s spewing nonsense. Today it’s that the end justifies the means (in terms of legislative process) — when, really, do you think that’s what the Constitution says? He has his talking points, and I’m going to assume he’s supposed to SAY nonsense to get people to call in. I’m just overwhelmingly tired by him and his tirades. Just weary beyond belief. Don’t care for Greg Jarrett, though I did try. His sending Rob Hart out every morning is absolutely lame, though his (Jarrett’s) lead-ins and set-ups are even lamer. Unfortunately for me, I usually hear the first one as I’m driving to the gym about 5:45, 5:50. Then I hear the regurgitated version when I’m leaving to come home about 6:50, 6:55. God they’re awful. This station has gone downhill so fast it’s head-spinning.
I agree with the point many people made in the comments in the first other article. It seems to be the way he went about the list was a bit arrogant. But I wasn’t there, just taking word for it.
omg. please fire Steve and Johnnie.
I’m so sick of clueless old people calling about cameras and computers, obscure guitar music, and coughing.