Comments on: Gombossy, Speaking Freely http://www.courantalumni.org/2009/09/29/gombossy-speaking-freely/ Where The Latest On Former Hartford Courant Employees Can Be Found Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:18:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: george gombossy http://www.courantalumni.org/2009/09/29/gombossy-speaking-freely/comment-page-1/#comment-1746 george gombossy Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:12:48 +0000 http://www.courantalumni.org/?p=3464#comment-1746 The difference is that I was assigned to be the Watchdog and the Courant has a written policy saying all subjects of stories will be treated equally. When I was fired for writing columns a couple of advertisers objected to, its not the same as having debates over news stories where the sole issue is not whether the advertiser will be happy or unhappy. As we all know there can be many other issues - accuracy, fairness, sources,..... If the Courant wants to legally protect its advertisers from negative publicity, it should remove its mission statement and instead publicly say that key advertisers will have a free pass from even being reported on when the attorney general says he is investigating them. but it can't have it both ways. It can't pretend that it has the highest ethics and then attempt to force its reporters and columnist to do unethical things. George The difference is that I was assigned to be the Watchdog and the Courant has a written policy saying all subjects of stories will be treated equally. When I was fired for writing columns a couple of advertisers objected to, its not the same as having debates over news stories where the sole issue is not whether the advertiser will be happy or unhappy. As we all know there can be many other issues – accuracy, fairness, sources,…..
If the Courant wants to legally protect its advertisers from negative publicity, it should remove its mission statement and instead publicly say that key advertisers will have a free pass from even being reported on when the attorney general says he is investigating them. but it can’t have it both ways. It can’t pretend that it has the highest ethics and then attempt to force its reporters and columnist to do unethical things.
George

]]> By: Paul Stern http://www.courantalumni.org/2009/09/29/gombossy-speaking-freely/comment-page-1/#comment-1688 Paul Stern Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:19:50 +0000 http://www.courantalumni.org/?p=3464#comment-1688 Like we all did, you had the right to stop working there. Of course, you didn't get fired for disagreeing with the boss, either, as George maintains. Like we all did, you had the right to stop working there. Of course, you didn’t get fired for disagreeing with the boss, either, as George maintains.

]]> By: Larry Williams http://www.courantalumni.org/2009/09/29/gombossy-speaking-freely/comment-page-1/#comment-1687 Larry Williams Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:15:19 +0000 http://www.courantalumni.org/?p=3464#comment-1687 I just caught up with this story, as I was away when it was the suit was filed. I wondered what George's grounds for suing would be. Gosh, if I had the right he thinks I had, I could have sued the Courant a thousand times. When I was doing investigations, there were debates on every project about what could be published and what could not. As you might expect, I was generally on the side of publishing, and I lost a few of those battles. I should have hired Joe Garrison. I just caught up with this story, as I was away when it was the suit was filed. I wondered what George’s grounds for suing would be. Gosh, if I had the right he thinks I had, I could have sued the Courant a thousand times. When I was doing investigations, there were debates on every project about what could be published and what could not. As you might expect, I was generally on the side of publishing, and I lost a few of those battles. I should have hired Joe Garrison.

]]> By: greg http://www.courantalumni.org/2009/09/29/gombossy-speaking-freely/comment-page-1/#comment-1555 greg Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:54:31 +0000 http://www.courantalumni.org/?p=3464#comment-1555 Not the emails I've seen on dog's site; hope he's got others if he thinks he's going to win this suit...and his lawyer is happy to take this case, win or lose, as it puts him in the spotlight.. Not the emails I’ve seen on dog’s site; hope he’s got others if he thinks he’s going to win this suit…and his lawyer is happy to take this case, win or lose, as it puts him in the spotlight..

]]> By: Paul Stern http://www.courantalumni.org/2009/09/29/gombossy-speaking-freely/comment-page-1/#comment-1554 Paul Stern Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:43:48 +0000 http://www.courantalumni.org/?p=3464#comment-1554 I admire your brass. I admire your brass.

]]> By: George Gombossy http://www.courantalumni.org/2009/09/29/gombossy-speaking-freely/comment-page-1/#comment-1553 George Gombossy Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:32:13 +0000 http://www.courantalumni.org/?p=3464#comment-1553 Trust me, the suit has a real chance of success. This is not a PR stunt. The severance that I gave up to file this suit was not a small figure. Joe Garrison is one of the best employment lawyers in this state. I don't believe he has ever lost a case against The Courant. He would never have taken the case if he did not believe we have an excellent chance of winning. Both he and I have put a lot of chips on the table because we both believe its worth the risk, not only for us, but for journalists and the public and we believe we will win. Getting by the first issue of being fired will be easy - lots of emails. The dog Trust me, the suit has a real chance of success. This is not a PR stunt. The severance that I gave up to file this suit was not a small figure.
Joe Garrison is one of the best employment lawyers in this state. I don’t believe he has ever lost a case against The Courant.
He would never have taken the case if he did not believe we have an excellent chance of winning.

Both he and I have put a lot of chips on the table because we both believe its worth the risk, not only for us, but for journalists and the public and we believe we will win. Getting by the first issue of being fired will be easy – lots of emails.
The dog

]]>