One of our editors got a surprise in the mail today – a Flip video camera in a black velvet pouch emblazoned with the World Wrestling Entertainment logo.
Stamford-based WWE is owned by Vince and Linda McMahon. Linda, a Republican, recently spent $50 million on an unsuccessful self-funded bid for U.S. Senate.
The $200 phones were sent as holiday gifts to other colleagues in the media as well (Clarification: More accurately, one other colleague that I know of), although they do not appear to have been as widely distributed as the WWE paraphernalia Vince shipped to reporters in the final week of his wife’s campaign.
I e-mailed WWE spokesman Robert Zimmerman and asked him for additional details about the Flip phones.
“Just like many other media/entertainment companies do at the holidays, it is a holiday gift that was sent out to select people that WWE has done business with during the past year,” Zimmerman wrote back. “Nothing more, nothing less.”
We’re talking about donating it to a high school journalism class.
Zimmerman responds; “it is a holiday gift that was sent out to select people that WWE has done, (business), (with), (during the past year).”
Are there any legal eagles following along? Zimmerman has made comments in the past representing both WWE and McMahon. Walking even stepping over that very fine line and no one really calling the foul.
Question; what business would a campaign, er, excuse me, media relations guy, have with an (editor) any editor, NYT’s included?
A reporter yes, can see it occurring, often and in all those instances its inappropriate.
Hearst Advertisement Department?
Yeah ok, can see that, little less inappropriate, brand novelty items, less than say 50. to the sales people, sure. Acceptable.
A news (EDITOR)? 200 beans?
Editors?
Arent they like judges, having the power bestowed and trusted to them?
Who moved the line?
Oh yeah, of course, how could we have forgotten?
The Mr.Gotgobs’rs, make the line.
This is preciously why our system is so completely dysfunctional and unaccountable. Every one’s integrity, the values their mothers instilled in them, seems to fade and even disappear completely, like the sun setting on the oceans horizon, by the lure of material greed, oftentimes in time like these for basic need. In times like these when people are shortsticked, significantly, wages lowering, workloads increasing, whole industry’s obsolete or outsourced, when everything seems to cost double than the year prior but wages and jobs, remain flat, even sliding further. The ranks of those trapped in poverty and repression are swelling as the middle class shrinks significantly, that should be eye opening to all. In times like these, when people are desperate and fearfull, the opportunist snake oil pitchmen and women, (equal opportunity in the crook industry to steal from the mislead and uninformed peasantry), swoop in like vultures and pick everything down to the bone. Starting with the eyes.
There is a big story there and some a’ law bending and outright law breaking going on.
It is refreshing to see that Hearst even let this get out.
Will they follow up? Say, if nothing else in the spirit of the ideal of independent journalism and honoring their mother?
There was a day when bad guys got caught and journalist played a crucial role in the checks and balances of power. An era when they actually sold papers and turned a profit being ethical. Are those days gone forever? Or with the introduction of the internet is there hope? Hope, now, that not everyone’s integrity can be bought and or silenced.
Maybe we need a “medialeaks” to get things moving in the right direction like our forefathers envisioned and our mothers raised us.
If the gift was say 20,000 instead of 200. Would it be known?
Just proves that you can’t BUY your way in…..Thank God
Which one of your editors received the expensive gift from the Republican senatorial candidate, who is likely to be the senatorial candidate again in two years? Did he keep it? If so, how does he and Hearst Newspapers justify his receiving and keeping a gift of significant value from a political candidate whom his newspaper is supposed to be covering in an objective manner?
And why was that particular editor given a gift? Was he/she known to be a supporter of McMahon’s? And please tell us which other colleagues of yours in the media also received and kept gifts from McMahon.
Journalism class? Ok, that works. But that was the last suggestion, you didnt include the first. Ok we know, its G rated copy.