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Yahoo!Will the Masses Show Up for Wake Up Wendy Wednesday?
(Illustration by Bob Aul for the OC Weekly)
On Wednesday, February 21, at noon in De la Guerra Plaza,
hundreds of people are expected to show up to support the unionized
newsroom staff of the Santa Barbara News-Press and call
for owner Wendy McCaw (cartoonized her as a lawsuit-wielding
Medusa) to return
ethical standards to her newspaper, rehire the reporters and
editors wrongfully terminated, and remind her that owning a
newspaper means caring about your community and acting like a
responsible professional. 
It is expected to be one of the biggest
rallies since
the meltdown began last July and the first one in 2007 to be
organized by community members, and not the unionized employees or
the Teamsters union.
Rally organizers are encouraging participants to wear creative costumes and carry witty signs as they picket outside of the News-Press headquarters. Speaking at the event will be city councilmember Brian Barnwell, KCSB radio and community TV journalist Elizabeth Robinson, SurfDog seller Bill Connell, sports fan Kathleen Rodriguez, and John Zant, the sportswriter who was fired two weeks ago after 38 long years at the paper. Some of Zant's colleagues will also speak.
The event also marks the kick-off of Operation Cold Shoulder, the newest tactic to put financial, social, and professional pressure on McCaw to address community concerns and negotiate with the Teamsters, who have represented the newsroom since a 33-6 unionization vote in September 2006.
According to a press release, Operation Cold Shoulder is the community's response to "the continuingly abhorrent behavior practiced by the News-Press, such as terminating loyal employees who write the truth, refusing to meet with neutral community leaders, intimidating local small businesses, suing other journalists doing their job, declining to publish well-reasoned but contrary opinions, allowing the important news to go unreported, and other insults."
The operation will call for more cancelling of newspaper subscriptions; urge advertisers to stop buying ads both in print and on the radio station KZSB; advocate individuals, public figures, community organizations, and political leaders to stop sending press releases to the News-Press and cease doing interviews with the paper or radio station; ask the public to stop using the newspaper for classified ads, calendar listings, garage sale notices, wedding announcements, and obituaries; stop inviting News-Press society page writers to nonprofit events; write letters to the Federal Communications Commission to complain about the ownership of both the newspaper and radio station in town; remind the community that McCaw also owns the Goleta Valley Voice, El Mexicano, and Blue Edge Magazine; and call for picketing outside of the newspaper every Wednesday at noon until the end of March.
For observers of the N-P crisis, the Wake Up Wendy Wednesday rally marks another opportunity to judge the Santa Barbara community's response to owner McCaw's trampling of basic journalistic ethics and angry disregard for her former employees. While those monitoring and commenting upon the affair on the blogosphere continue to grow at amazing rates everyday, many are wondering how much the everyday Santa Barbaran cares.
It's possible that there's already too much indifference over newspapers in this media-soaked age for anyone to care enough to use their lunchbreak to protest. Of course, those of us in the business hope that's not true, because we still believe that an active, responsible daily newspaper is a key to both a healthy democracy and an enjoyable life. Does the rest of Santa Barbara feel the same way? Wednesday will give some clues to that answer.
IN OTHER NEWS: The illustration above was done by Bob Aul, who drew if for the OC Weekly. Why was he drawing a cartoon of a lawsuit-happy Wendy McCaw? Because the OC Weekly, like a number of papers throughout California and the rest of the world, felt that the News-Press meltdown was such a travesty that they too had to write about. See Gustavo Arellano's article from last week here. Thanks to Bob for letting us use the image.
Double-clicking on any word or phrase in this story will open a reference window with definitions and links to other reference material.
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Comments
Discussion Guidelines
The readers and the advertisers do not care. That is what we are hoping for, to pretend the Empress still has some clothes.
Arthur von Weisenbergenshlagenen
February 20, 2007 at 8:24 p.m.
Matt,
What is the dig button all about?
laz
February 20, 2007 at 9:20 p.m.
Digg.com is an online news aggregate website whose top stories are determined democratically by its users. I think our publisher added it recently to all our posts under the idea that it helps grow readership and interest in our site and individual articles. I put a few articles on Digg.com awhile back and some attracted quite a few readers while others were not at all popular. Kinda hit and miss.
matt k
February 20, 2007 at 9:28 p.m.
Kathleen Rodgiguez is the spouse of John Zant and a highly articulate speaker. Matt K did not seem to know that.
Friend of Kathleen
February 20, 2007 at 10:13 p.m.
I found this comment posted at Blogabarbara tonight. Make mine a double XL.
----------------------------
Anonymous said...
Mr. Pritchett et. al.
To encourage participation in Operation Cold Shoulder and the Wednesday rally, We'll be giving away away free protest T-shirts.
We printed the shirts at our own expense and will give them to anyone who wants one on Wed. at De La Guerra Plaza. (while they last)
Get Your "I've been sued by Wendy McCaw", "I've been fired by Wendy McCaw" or "I've been disloyal to Wendy McCaw" T-shirt just by showing up tomorrow at noon in De La Guerra Plaza.
2/20/2007 8:55 PM
David Pritchett
February 20, 2007 at 11:25 p.m.
There's a bunch of us on the inside who'd like to be on the outside at the rally Wednesday, but then Wendy would fire us all!
We want T-shirts, anyway
February 21, 2007 at 2:21 a.m.
Hello Everyone,
I wish I could join you at the rally, but I'm afraid of being fired.
I still work at the News-Press, but any day now could be my last. Every day I come to work I wonder if my card key will click at the employee entrance door. That's how you know you've been fired - the card key doesn't click and the door doesn't open.
I'm tired even before I get to work. I don't sleep well and I feel scattered and disorganized. The stress is causing my hair to shed, and a skin rash from long ago is back.
My department is shortstaffed and many of my co-workers are looking for new jobs. We don't talk about it much, and when we do we whisper, especially after Wendy had her private investigator follow Sarah Sinclair to a conference. And with the new security cameras and monitors inside the building, I wonder if I'm being watched.
My workload keeps geting worse. It takes a long time to hire new people because they now have to have criminal background checks in addition to drug tests.
The friends from work I used to socialize with I don't see anymore. We call on the phone from home or send emails so we won't be seen together.
Although I get good performance evaluations, I haven't gotten a raise in years.
I remember when Jerry Roberts and some of the top editors walked out last July. Wendy's memo that she just gave to employees is so far from the truth that it's scary. My family wants me to quit.
I want to see the News-Press become a community newspaper again, but I sure hope it's soon. I can't stay much longer.
Prisoner of Wendy
February 21, 2007 at 3:13 a.m.
By the Teamsters:
http://www.mydd.com/story/2007/2/21/6542...
From the blogosphere...
February 21, 2007 at 6:03 a.m.
I'll second Prisoner of Wendy's post. Virtually everything he or she wrote applies to me as well. I love journalism and what the N-P was, but now it's virtually unbearable.
I'd join you in the plaza today, but I need this job for as long as I can milk it.
Fill up the plaza today. Those of us inside need all the help we can get.
still there
February 21, 2007 at 6:51 a.m.
To the person who prepared and paid for the t-shirts: thank you, and can you please set aside some for pro-union staff still on the inside who can't come out to join the protest?
SBCitizen
February 21, 2007 at 7:03 a.m.
Hey Still There, Prisoner of Wendy, We Want T-Shirts and the others still trapped inside:
Have you seen the full page ad on page A-4 of today's News-Press? This is YOUR Management Team's version of the 'facts' in YOUR newspaper. Ugh! Are you represented by this? By Wendy? Arthur? Yolanda? Travis? Scott? Steve? Should I add David, Nick & Norman as well?
YOU know that this is not only about the teamsters. It is about respect, honesty and communication. It is about how things used to be vs how they are now.
Ask yourselves: Were you happier in your job two years ago or now? Were you more optimistic about the future of your newspaper two years ago or now?
It is your individual decision to stay or go. But it is also your decision how you spend your lunch hour. Watch through the bars or come outside and listen. (remember, she doesn't pay you for your lunch hour.)
ps: she doesn't know your names anyway.
sweet freedom
February 21, 2007 at 7:18 a.m.
Sweet Freedom -- the problem is that her private investigator will tape the demonstration. He will let her know and we will get fired.
head down for now
February 21, 2007 at 8:43 a.m.
Speaking of "Operation Cold Shoulder", I keep getting the Newspress dropped off even though we cancelled our subscription quite some time ago. I just called and asked them to STOP leaving it on my driveway. If that is happening to any others out there I urge you to do the same. It disgusts me that Wendy still adds me in her subscriber count to the NP advertisers.
Susano
February 21, 2007 at 11:06 a.m.
The A4 memo and Travis's love letter to Barnwell were timed for today's rally. Since the management doesn't have the spine to come out and talk with the rally folks, they use their little newspaper to leave messages. It's time for SB businesses to wake up and show some balls..pull your ads for a month or so and send Wendy a message..loyalty is for dogs!
Sam
February 21, 2007 at 12:21 p.m.
Well your little pow wow in the plaza was pretty weak. Almost all of the insiders laughed as they walked (or drove) off for a long (quiet) lunch break away from The Red Queen (who probably wasn't even in the building. Thanks are being sent your way if you happened to make it out there to whine today.
Spend that T Shirt Money on resume paper and ink...ha ha ha ha ha
Adam Meeks
February 21, 2007 at 3:53 p.m.
Was 220, which was pretty substantial considering it was a lunch break on a Wednesday and the speakers were powerful. Anything but weak. Please stop distorting the facts, Meeks. Your allegiances are clear. It's too bad the rest of the world thinks you're a fool.
official count
February 21, 2007 at 3:56 p.m.
Oh angry "official count" I am not really the fool. I did not distort any facts. The whining was present and the laughing (an disgust) was in the air as well. It would be a better use of the funds being wasted on these things, to join a crochet club or feed the homeless park people you chased away. At least they laugh and play. They don't have anyone to whine to about their problems.
Adam Meeks
February 21, 2007 at 4:06 p.m.
Prisoner of Wendy...YOU pathetic thing!!! QUIT already, if you are really still TRAPPED in the walls of TRQ! Be free. Eat Hot Dogs, play int he park, organize pep rallies. Life's too short for such pain and suffering wah wah wah...Pleeeeze
Adam Meeks
February 21, 2007 at 4:10 p.m.
Please don't judge the depth and passion of community outrage about the News-Press disaster by the number of people who turn up at rallies or demonstrations. There are many, many of us who want our own paper staffed again with all the talented reporters and writers who have been driven away, but it's just not always possible for us to turn out for these events. We do feel strongly about the cause.
Seems like the former brilliant team at the News-Press used to win lots of professional recognition and journalism awards for their in-depth research, reporting and writing. If the McCaw administration is finally reaching satiation at having cleaned out the worst of those disloyal, biased, and incompetent staff members, I guess the News-Press will be really be racking up the journalistic laurels now, right? Right.
Jan Timbrook
February 21, 2007 at 4:34 p.m.
Drinking already Meeks?
LOL
February 21, 2007 at 4:36 p.m.
adam,
you are one mean s.o.b. sounds like 'prisoner of wendy ' really depends on that job. getting a new job ain't all easy all the time. sounds like you really have no idea what sort of stress all of those involved have gone through.
wingnut wendy
February 21, 2007 at 4:40 p.m.
Susano, when someone throws their trash on my property I call the cops and report them for littering.
Simpleton
February 21, 2007 at 4:47 p.m.
DO NOT FEED/engage the site TROLLS.
allegro805
February 21, 2007 at 4:49 p.m.
Oh yeah, I'm tying one on and reading this tripe. I just cannot understand the lack of desire to get away from something / someone you all profess to hate so much...why would you want to work in the castle? To undermine and do more damage on the inside? Like that's gonna happen..NOT!!!
Adam Meeks
February 21, 2007 at 4:57 p.m.
allegro805...funny your weakness would appear here today...I wish you had the spine to meet face to face and debate this silliness...but that would take guts and common sense, which you have neither of with name calling and skirting of the reality of this. REALITY! That's it...The Red Queen is working with a reality producer to make a fortune on the show about this drama...oh but I almost forgot it would be a fraud because none of the skirmish is based on an ounce of REALITY! Get a life! All Of You...
Adam Meeks
February 21, 2007 at 5:02 p.m.
If you haven't noticed, there's now a fairly lengthy description of the rally up on this blog. Read that and then decide whether these people should really get a life. Getting a life includes getting your job back, I would imagine.
look at the newer post
February 21, 2007 at 5:37 p.m.
"DO NOT FEED/engage the site TROLLS" a...805
DO NOT FEED/engage the site TROLLS !!!!
anonymous
February 21, 2007 at 6:06 p.m.
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