Media Black List

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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.

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