Steve Rhodes: I resigned from NBCChicago.com over ‘ethics 101′
Steve Rhodes is a very active new media journalist. Rhodes runs the must-read Beachwood Reporter, which is a Chicago news and media site. Rhodes has also written for the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, Newsweek and just recently blogging for NBCChicago.com. That is, until Thursday night when he resigned.
Rhodes explains the ordeal on his site today, claiming that NBC honchos in New York asked local editors to take down a blog post about Tribune CEO Randy Michaels. The post called out Michael’s former life as a shock-jock and mentioned a frat house-like working environment that Michaels had been a part of. According to sources inside NBCChicago.com, someone from the Tribune company called NBC in New York, who called NBC in Chicago, ordering them to take the post down.
The blog post disappeared from the NBCChicago.com. Rhodes found out when someone complained about a broken link. When Rhodes went to the top over this issue, he got the run-around. So Thursday night, Rhodes resigned.
I had a chance to talk more with Steve Rhodes about his resignation and about the decisions that went into leaving his job.
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blogs.vocalo.org
Justin,
Great report on a Great Guy and his battle with some supreme dopes. Steve Rhodes is a credit to journalism.
Steve Rhodes was the only person worth reading at the miserable NBCChicago website. When will they learn that some people in Chicago appreciate news and commentary from people who really know the city and how it works? Instead, all we have is a steady diet of celebrity moron news and models slipping on the runways. If I want worthless trash,there are plenty of better sites on the internet to supply it. NBCCHicago could try and supply relevant news and information, but they once again go straight for the lowest common denominator. I will no longer be visiting NBCChicago.
This is an interesting story, and Rhodes has been around for a while, but can anyone tell me specifically why Beachwood Reporter is a must-read?
I’ve tried for years to figure out what the heck it is and why people think it’s so good. Rhodes has talent and wit, but the site is poorly organized, unattractive, and for my money, a waste of time. I just. don’t. get it.
alp, go to the site and read today’s post. Then tell me where you have seen ANY similar coverage of the Cook County race that is even near as honest and direct. I wish I had seen Chicago Tonight last night. If they did a better job of advertising, maybe I would have. But, if you rely on NBC Chicago for coverage, you are SOL.
Good on Rhodes for showing some ethical standards. And good on you, Justin, for your interview with him.
I have worked in radio most of my career, including a couple of years in the 70’s with Benjie. None of what Rhodes reported, including the link to the 2001 Salon piece, is a surprise to anyone in the business. It’s information that is relevant to the continued operation of the Tribune Co. Sad that the corporate folks are behaving badly.
Steve:
There’s a reason that we consider you a real, ethical, credible journalist rather than just a hack. This is the reason.
You did the right thing. Period.
At some point these corporate jack-in-the-boxes are going to realize that they can’t control and censor the news like they used to. Worse still, though, (since this is clearly one of your fortes–media criticism) for them to even TRY to squelch you just shows how clueless they are. NBC is going to learn it the hard way it seems.
Cojones, my friend.
ScottsBigMouth
@nicholas…good commentary, for sure. But seriously…what else is there on this site? I’m totally confused. I’m legitimately asking what the appeal is, without trying to dig on Rhodes.
Just wanted to thank everybody for their kind comments here. It means a lot.