The N&R’s Jonathan Jones responds to this post calling his comments at ConAlt’s unprofessional. Fair enough.
This is a very interesting situation. The fact that a newspaper is on the other side of a public relations crisis is interesting enough. Even more interesting is the fact that employees are skirting any planned crisis control by turning to the very medium that’s responsible for their employer’s current situation. The joke’s on the N&R higher-ups for thinking they could bury the story on on B-4.
There’s little doubt comments by employees on local blogs is further damaging the N&R’s reputation and credibility. Readers and subscribers now know that morale is low and working conditions are not good at the local paper of record.The reputations of editor John Robinson and columnist- star reporter Lorraine Ahearn have been called into question. It’s all going to be in the back of readers’ minds from now on.
But the problem with employees huddling up and letting the bosses to the talking is the bosses aren’t saying much. No doubt they’re practicing their own version of crisis control. Too late.
Then again, maybe they just think it’ll all blow over by Monday morning.
