Al Neuharth's current fight with Publisher Dave Hunke isn't the first time the USA Today founder has gone public with his unhappiness over the newspaper's management. Consider this April 2004 column he wrote for USAT, where he appeared to be undermining the top editor, Karen Jurgensen, over her role in the Jack Kelley scandal, engulfing the newspaper at the time.
Earlier: Neuharth, Arkansas, Jack Kelley and me
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
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I remember that column because if anyone was responsible for Jack Kelley, it was Al Neuharth. Neuharth picked Kelley as the writer for the Jetsacapes and Buscapades, and backed his promotion afterwards before he retired. I read this column as Neuharth trying to dodge his responsibility for creating this monster.
ReplyDeleteLight travels faster than sound…that is why so many people appear bright until they speak
ReplyDeleteJ Kelley's magnetism had all hemisperes fooled, not just Al.
ReplyDelete9:58 am: In fact, all parties were not fooled. The extensive Kelley Report found that more than a few employees raised doubts about his performance, and protested to senior managers. And more than a few of those warnings were minimized, when they weren't ignored outright.
ReplyDeleteKelley thought his years with Neuharth blessed his career at USA Today, and I agree with his opinion. Were it not for the protection given him by higher-ups, he would have been exposed earlier and before he did the damage his fabrications left behind.
ReplyDeleteJack K. aside, Al's central point is correct. The buck stops at the top. Or at least it should. Unfortunately, USAT heads don't see it that way. They duck and hide and dodge all sorts of bullets. They stick their heads in the sand, then when the "s" hits the fan...well, you can fill in the blank. In general, they won't go to bat for anyone. This phenomenon has worked its way down to mid-management. It has been going on for at least 10 years and has made for an uninspiring, sometimes deceitful work environment. Few wanted to address reports about Jack because he was one of the favorite sons. At USAT, speaking against anyone perceived as a teacher's pet, even if they are clearly in the wrong, will find you on the to-be-laid-off list pretty quickly. Such a toxic culture. Jack was a product of this unaccountable environment.
ReplyDeleteNot to belabor the obvious but the same environment that created Jack K. is going to prevent USAT from being successful now.
ReplyDeleteThat is the point, 8:06. After ripping itself apart with the Kelley investigation, USAT slipped back into the old ways in no time. Look at the protected pets in the newsroom and the climate of fear and intimidation that is insenstive to any criticism. Kelley was a bitter lesson, but it was a lesson that was not learned.
ReplyDeleteWhy is this always complaining about the "protected pets" in the newsroom? Advertising far outweighs the number of pets.
ReplyDeleteThis ... At USAT, speaking against anyone perceived as a teacher's pet, even if they are clearly in the wrong, will find you on the to-be-laid-off list pretty quickly.
ReplyDelete... is such bull----.
What infantile analysis of a real workplace with real problems, yes, but this paranoid us vs. them sophomoric viewpoint is just total crap.