News Journal Keeps It Classy

Filed in National by on April 12, 2012

The News Journal recently fired a new reporter even before he started working there because he “released” a press release on his Tumblr that contained both The News Journal’s logo and quotes from the hiring letter.

Khristopher Brooks called shortly before 6 p.m. ET to tell me that the News Journal fired him this afternoon for improper use of the newspaper’s logo on his personal sites, and for using executive editor David Ledford’s hiring-letter quotes in his press release, which is posted below.

h/t to many who brought this to our attention.

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Comments (19)

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  1. Dana Garrett says:

    That sounds awfully draconian on the NJ’s part. Couldn’t a written and/or verbal reprimand have sufficed?

  2. liberalgeek says:

    I have doubts that he actually quoted the News Journal offer letter. I didn’t see a single spelling or grammar error in that snippet.

  3. Jason330 says:

    *rimshot*

  4. puck says:

    Working for the News Journal is now officially the job of last resort for a reporter.

  5. Geezer says:

    This kid doesn’t know how lucky he is.

  6. Jason330 says:

    “I have one word for you. Just one word. Newspapers. ”

    I’m not seeing it.

  7. puck says:

    Ledford doesn’t seem qualified to lead the News Journal into the future. They may be doomed anyway and may not have enough revenue to hire and retain quality reporters, but still this seems like the wrong direction.

    Look at the TNJ blogs – they are either days out of date, or sticking to the very timid. Sports and food seem to be safe to write about though. Probably same thing happening to Twitter feeds, but I haven’t checked.

    Something is keeping the news reporters running scared. So much for the new social media engagement strategy.

  8. liberalgeek says:

    I won’t go that far. The Twitter feeds of the journalists are actually pretty good.

  9. puck says:

    Yeah, I might be forced to get a Twitter account.

  10. thenewphil says:

    How’s that “paywall” working out? LOL

  11. anon says:

    He speaks out: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/khristopher-brooks/reporter-fired_b_1421275.html

    If he thought David Ledford was someone to admire, then he’s definitely off his rocker.

  12. mediawatch says:

    No matter how the times change, the NJ (and Gannett) have a way of getting it wrong.
    This month, they fire a well-intentioned young reporter who is obviously enthusiastic about his new job.
    Thirty years ago, they had a plan to hire (and presumably rehabilitate) disgraced Washington Post reporter Janet Cooke, who was stripped of her Pulitzer Prize after it was revealed that her award-winning story about an 8-year-old heroin addict (not to mention details on her resume) was pure fiction.
    Back then, when reporters got a whiff of the Cooke rehab plan, they made some noise and management backtracked. Will be interesting to hear what today’s reporters think of Ledford’s (and corporate’s) decision.

  13. anon says:

    The budget only calls for one self-absorbed egotistical reporter on staff, and Cris Barrish already fills that slot. There are several people waiting in the wings to take over, though.

  14. JPconnorjr says:

    Starlkey is back with a xxl ego and and size 0 skill set.

  15. George says:

    JP…speaking for yourself and your low IQ boss the insurance commish, are you? You really shouldn’t be throwing stones from inside your big glass house just because the WNJ and Starkey quit kissing her ass.

  16. Doug Beatty says:

    Plenty of ad hom here. Why is everybody posting under nics? Ashamed? Scared? In the case of the latter getting a dog might help. 🙂

    @George is there such a thing as an intelligent insurance commissioner?

    Former Insurance Commissioner and current Lt. Governor Denn wants to introduce ‘anti-bullying’ legislation according to his blog.

    I can speak on that topic. Try being Ned Beatty’s kid and looking just like him when the movie Deliverance comes out and that happens to be the first year you dress out for gym class.

    Today, I have put in time with young folks in my area and criminals who want to do better not because I’m remotely qualified but because here I am.

    One ‘at risk’ teen I’ve taken fishing and whose family has been welcome at my place was born with serious health issues, is small for his age. That young Delawarean gets by on guts and style but has been bullied.

    Another young person that often comes over for home cooking when his buddies are eating fast food used to be a bully. Both have remorse over the downside of peer pressure. Neither believes that ‘centerpiece’ legislation is the answer.

    I can tell you that a lack of legislation didn’t cause me any problems. Lack of enforcement of laws that were on the books in 1971 and still exist today was.

    I had an insurance license to sell health insurance in the first state circa 2004, I was raised by my stepfather an insurance executive, and I can tell you sir…. I ain’t even gonna say the ************** rest, y’all know what time it is. Apologies to Outkast.

  17. Doug Beatty says:

    In case, per usual, I’m being too cryptic, bullying is something we teach our children. It stems from the way children observe adults treating each other. Just sayin’

  18. Doug Beatty says:

    @anon, I may tend to agree.