Thursday, July 10, 2008
News / News Bites Insecurity Badges . . .
Posted by Michael Miner on 07.10.08 at 05:49 PM
The backs of ID badges (left) at the Tribune used to reinforce the seven traditional "Tribune values."
But there's a new sheriff in town with a new message. The image on the right is the back of the badges being issued as of this week.
That A.F.D.I. was a Sam Zellish touch. But innovation czar Lee Abrams has put out the word that around the Tribune it will stand for "Actually Already Always Friggin' Do It," in deference to sensibilities struggling to get with the times.
UPDATE: For a nifty comment on these badges, see Whet Moser's blog on this site. "Sam Zell Jr." is of course correct [see argument below] isn't right either. It's "actually," as I knew in the first place although you wouldn't think so. As for the seven values, hmm, well, has anyone counted the Big 10 lately? Funny, but in its extemis, the Tribune is preoccupied with those values no longer worn over the heart -- at least some of them, such as Customer Satisfaction (or the lack of), Employee Involvement, Financial Strength (or the loss of), Innovation, and Teamwork. Go team.
Comments (27)
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Yeah...there were 8 values listed...but each employee was allowed to select one which he/she could skip.
Excuse me, but I heard it from Sam Zell's potty mouth directly. AFDI stands for Actually F**king Doing It. Not "Already."
hmm, interesting...they asked us to cut cost on office supplies, but they're going through the cost of re-issuing badges? doesnt that seem contrary to saving money?
AFDI is right and I don't know why I'm having so much trouble with this -- this is what I meant to write yesterday.
Zell & Company's oh-so-renegade gimmicks are just hastening the demise of the Tribune. Remember when he said he wasn't going to cut his way to profitability? Bet the "reimagined" Tribune is going to be just the thing to boost circulation and ad revenue. Right.
The best thing about the new badge is not making people wear the old badges. How many of those eight values directly improve the quality of a newspaper? Integrity, ok. Otherwise, seven pieces of pious piffle.
Some better mottos for any Sam Zell-owned property (also proving that journalists are far more creative than burned-out former radio execs): "(How Little It Matters) How Little We Know" "My Way" "Put Your Dreams Away" "All or Nothing at All"
Hey Anchor, Tribune hasn't shown any integrity for years. I really hoped Sam might turn things around. Not!
More Zellco badge mottos from a colleague: "Call Me Irresponsible" "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" "Anything Goes" "They Can't Take That Away From Me"
Sam Zell is fucking criminal. He's a crook. That worked well when he was in the "Glengarry Glen Ross" world of real estate. Doesn't work so well now in the real world. He's the Don Rumsfeld of media moguls.
I don't understand why these idiots keep cutting editorial quality instead of what they should be doing: SELLING EFFING ADS. Why is all the "innovation" on the backs of the content producers? The content is being gobbled up by people on the web. Why can't business geniuses sell some ads?
Here is an excellent article that says it all: http://www.pr-inside.com/andy-martin-delivers-free-lunch-to-r699301.htm
Tribune veterans know it can't get much worse than when they're being urged to heed the counsel of Anthony Martin-Trigona.
As a guy who worked for the Trib for almost 30 years, good time and bad, this is like walking through the Looking Glass.
Interpret this as you wish: "The Best is Yet to Come" is on Sinatra's tombstone. True.
Hey, Michael, can you splain why Tribune employees can't get together and fire Zell, since they actually own the newspaper under the ESOP? And conjecture as to why editorial employees aren't running to the Teamsters, the Newspaper Guild, the CWA or another major union to organize immediately so Zell has to fight them collecively instead of individually? What this man is doing to the Tribune is damn near criminal.
