There is micromanaging and then there’s this…
Tribune Co. CEO Randy Michaels has developed a list of phrases not to be used during a newscast on WGN-AM (720) in Chicago – a mere five floors below his office in Tribune tower. The list contains such standards as “After these commercial messages” and “Our top story tonight.”
WGN-AM news director Charlie Meyerson even goes so far as to introduce Big Brother-like tactics to help ensure conformity:
But Meyerson takes it a step further, directing his staff to keep tabs on each other’s compliance: They’re to report any on-air infractions by their co-workers, making sure to note the precise time and date on “bingo cards” he provided that contain a random assortment of Michaels’ forbidden words. If you ask me, that’s just plain creepy.
If anything, Michael’s has created the greatest drinking game of all time for college journalism majors.
Randy Michaels…..one major reason radio has been ruined.