The No-Drama Zone

There are some days when I wonder what is in the water up north.

It does makes me happy to be way down south.

I've never seen Jim Romenesko's Poynter.Org column so full of odd tales about the Chicago-area media scene. If reporters aren't swimming with sources then editors are defending the ethics of ... No, not journalism. Promotional ads.

Tuesday morning, I received an odd "anonymous" e-mail accusing me of posting something on the Northwest Herald Web site. The e-mail was mostly remarkable for its – losing – struggle with grammar.

I went to nwherald.com and discovered that a "CWARD" had posted a link pointing to this blog with some derogatory comments directed at the Northwest Herald's editor.

I immediately e-mailed good friend and former colleague Cliff Ward ("CWARD," get it?) about the situation and he called back astounded. I didn't even have to ask; I knew he had nothing to do with the comments. Cliff and I are both former editors of the Northwest Herald and neither of us has any desire to involve ourselves in any drama or insanity NOT of our own creation. Regardless of the intention, we both object to having our names utilized on that site in such a manner.

Hey, if you like my blog, great. Feel free to share. But, please, do so in a way that is above board and honest. Use your name; don't hide behind a fake identity and don't play games another person's name or reputation. Personally, I don't like Web sites that allow unmoderated comments. So often, as I learned first-hand here, that concept seems to negatively impact the maturity of the comments posted. And what's with anonymous e-mail? Please...

I don't need to post my work on someone else's Web site. That is why I created Mark's World! If you didn't read it here, it's likely I didn't say it.

More later,


Mark