Monday, August 15, 2005

My Journalistic Integrity Has Been Questioned

After three-and-a-half months of working for the Ennis Daily News I have finally had a conflict with a reader. The woman came in and met with Micah about the story, invoving an arrest and a domestic disturbance, and as I was walking by she asked if Mr. Cook was available. I made a 180 and asked if I could help. Micah and her asked if I had any notes about the case and I said I would see what I could find.
Luckily I keep my records for about two weeks and I found the case. I took what I had into the conference room (a part of the newsroom with a five-foot divider seperating the two) and showed what I had written down.
After some discussion and her asking me at one point if I was admitting I was wrong (which I sternfully, but politely, said no) we resolved the situation and she said she would not cancel her subscription. I'm not sure how Sandy would take it if when she got back she found out that because of me we are losing readers.
Everything worked out in the end and no harm was done. I am going to have to give Det. Roark a heads-up tomorrow morning before she shows up, just to get him up to speed.

13 comments:

Micah said...

When I worked in Corsicana, I accidentally ran the wrong crossword one day. At least five people cancelled their subscription over THAT. So...yeah...don't take it too hard that the woman wanted to cancel her subscrtption over that.

poke said...

i would never question your integrity,
journalistic or otherwise. i actually
just wanted to wish you a belated
happy birthday and apoligize for not
reading your blog regularly enough to know that you had a birthday coming up. so Happy Birthday..i hope you enjoyed sean connery as james bond cause he is the best one and on the Muppett DVD gay not gay thing...uhhh sorry but you know how i vote.

james said...

uhm... you know what would be great? if you told us what she was complaining about. apparently she thought you were wrong, but in regard to what?

Matt said...

Basically, I said it was a boyfriend and girlfriend thing when it was really a fight between husband and wife. The mother of the husband was upset because I was ruining the reputation of her daughter-in-law. She was also upset that I put the neighbors called the police when they really didn't.
I will give her credit for the complaint about the husband and wife misinformation because that makes it sound like her husband is cheating on her and we don't want people to think that he is beating women up and cheating on them. What kind of scumbag does both.
However, the complaint about who called it in is a little trivial in my mind. I could be wrong though.

Anonymous said...

F that B

MS

james said...

haha, your response to my question was funny. the beating up AND cheating part. i wish you would have told her that.

james said...

BITCH!

james said...

hey, matt - clint and i will be running sprints before the TOC tomorrow. if you get into town early, you want to run the clock for us?

Matt said...

That is what's great about drawing for seats. It's such a surprise who you'll be next to.

Anonymous said...

The last 3 comments are not relevant to this thread. We are supposed to be talking about some bitch who raised a wife beater having the audacity to question Matt's integrity.

I'm telling Danny.

MS

Anonymous said...

did this assault take place at the speedway?

Matt said...

They do mail it to out of towners. I'm not sure how much a subscription is. I will look into it.

Anonymous said...

I checked into the subcription prices. Ennis resident: 6 bits
Outside of Ennis: 8 bits