Friday, April 29, 2011

Mail | Ring dings: A tale of 'out-of-touch' rituals

[Windsor, Dickey]

Regarding U.S. newspapers chief Bob Dickey's announcement of President's Rings for 10 publishers of Gannett's 82 U.S. newspapers, Anonymous@7:15 p.m. writes:

Rings traded in London, rings handed out at the Crystal Towers. An archaic ritual and a discordant declaration. Both out of touch with reality.

Prince William demanded costs be kept down for his wedding and his wife-to-be be forgiven for not being a virgin. He changed some things to adapt to today's world. Nice going, William.


GCI chiefs, on the other hand, clung to their ring ritual like a dim-witted coach handing out MVPs to members of a zero-and-50 basketball team. The biggest star of all? A guy whose recent poor judgment and lapse in ethics embarrassed serious journalists throughout the country. It's like saying it's okay to cheat as long as you win the game.


With Gannett, everything seems within reach except good judgment, integrity and the ability to tell right from wrong.


GCI should have given the ring thing a vacation this year, promising to bring it back when there is something worth celebrating.

9 comments:

  1. We knew Zidich has no ethics. But Kate's not a virgin! The times they are a changin'.

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  5. I saw a president's ring once...looked really cheap. I was kind of embarrased for the person getting the "honor" until I heard about the cash bonus.

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  7. 4:49 I thought the same thing every time I talked with my publisher, who was a five time "winner." It looked gaudy and reminded me of a high school ring.

    Also, he was canned in the purge of July 2009.

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  8. On the flip side of the argument, some might argue that this is the BEST time to be dishing out tacky award rings. Considering everything that Gannettoids have been through in the past two years, it's an inexpensive way to recognize people for their hard work.

    Of course the issue of whether every person who received the awards were worthy is an entirely different subject. In my experience, Gannett managers were never very good at dishing out honors; the recipients always tended to be repeats.

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  9. They got rid of the All-American contests, they can get rid of the rings too.

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