Your two cents and then some
We encourage public input in the blogosphere/newspaper industry. That means, us reporters have to take the good with the bad.
A reader (if you can call her that) came to our newsroom the other day wondering if there was a person she could talk to about why the Daily Bulletin sucked so bad. I hated to break it to her but if there was such a person, that position would have been laid off by now.
"There's no local news in your paper except shootings," she said. "I can read the whole paper in three minutes -- five on a good day."
The comments didn't make me feel good but I try not to take these things personally unless it gets, well, personal.
Just one month after I started working for the Daily Bulletin, I received the most angry, albeit, colorful message ever. I had just reported on a City Council spat between then Mayor Bill Alexander and Councilman Rex Gutierrez. One reader (if you can call her that) was pretty upset the tiff was in the newspaper.
"Rex Gutierrez is scum," she uttered into my voicemail box. "And you're beneath him."
Do I ever get positive comments, you ask. Occasionally, yes.
I once wrote about the Hill couple, who own a silk screening business and was recently recognized by the White House. After the article was published, the Hills sent a thank you note.
"Your writing style magnified our story -- this is one of your TRUE gifts!," they wrote. "You carry the torch of freedom and we thank God for that! Thank you for being the true spirit of America!"
Who knew I was this complex? Both scum's underbelly and the nation's true spirit all in one persona.
A reader (if you can call her that) came to our newsroom the other day wondering if there was a person she could talk to about why the Daily Bulletin sucked so bad. I hated to break it to her but if there was such a person, that position would have been laid off by now.
"There's no local news in your paper except shootings," she said. "I can read the whole paper in three minutes -- five on a good day."
The comments didn't make me feel good but I try not to take these things personally unless it gets, well, personal.
Just one month after I started working for the Daily Bulletin, I received the most angry, albeit, colorful message ever. I had just reported on a City Council spat between then Mayor Bill Alexander and Councilman Rex Gutierrez. One reader (if you can call her that) was pretty upset the tiff was in the newspaper.
"Rex Gutierrez is scum," she uttered into my voicemail box. "And you're beneath him."
Do I ever get positive comments, you ask. Occasionally, yes.
I once wrote about the Hill couple, who own a silk screening business and was recently recognized by the White House. After the article was published, the Hills sent a thank you note.
"Your writing style magnified our story -- this is one of your TRUE gifts!," they wrote. "You carry the torch of freedom and we thank God for that! Thank you for being the true spirit of America!"
Who knew I was this complex? Both scum's underbelly and the nation's true spirit all in one persona.
As the only person near our counter that morning, I was the unlucky sap who had to deal with the reader (if you can call her that) who took time out of her busy schedule to tell us how awful we are.
(She must read our paper too quickly because she had no idea who she was speaking to.)
She was so rude, I thought about going to her house, handing her 50 cents (the price of a Daily Bulletin) and complaining about her decor.
oh yes, it's always great to hear from readers, especially the ones filled with vitriol and hatred. I especially like it when they swear and threaten reporters.
What would our communities look like, or how would it be different, if we didn't exist?
p.s.
I would like a David Allen action figure from Santa!
The David Allen action figure, equipped with a No. 2 pencil that turns into a light saber, was sold out just hours into Black Friday. Information about the 2009 model might be found on this blog later in the year. Thank you for inquiring.
As someone who also occasionally gets the pleasure of dealing with someone(s) who are less than pleased with what I do, I just rationalize things by telling myself that if what we do didn't matter, no one would care in the first place. (And once I get home, a drink or two rationalizes things even better... :] )
And hope you and DA have a great holiday season!
RK