Lee Abrams Sends One Last Email

[DToTheJ]

The now-former Tribune employee today sent out a lengthy mea culpa email to several recipients - including Forbes Magazine media columnist Jeff Bercovici, who confirmed the validity of the email address used by Abrams. "I was in email contact with Abrams, at a different address than the one used to send this note," Bercovici says, "shortly before his resignation."

Long email short: he apologizes not necessarily for sending that infamous email, but for "the timing and the results" that followed. "It saddens me that in light of the remarkable challenges that old media faces, there would be such an uproar over this clip." Also, he denies having "created a hostile and sexist environment." Lee says the thought of that is just downright "depressing if not insulting."

Gee, what a guy, huh?

The full email is here:
http://blogs.forbes.com/jeffbercovici/2010/10/19/tribunes-lee-abrams-defends-himself/

 

[gr8oldies]

Sorry, but Abrams made valid points, and in context, what in the world was the uproar about? They played those same Onion clips in a sales meeting! Obviously it's no easy task to drag an old-line, old-thinking company kicking and screaming into the present, when there is a ton of resisitance from people who want to stay in 1975 (sound familiar from a million postings on Radio-Info?)

 

[Tennessee Cowboy]

So Lee is gone because some people can't take a joke? Crucify him why don'cha.

 

[TheBigA]

In my view, this is more of the traditional anti-radio stuff that's been coming from newspapers since the 1920s. So they win a small victory by getting rid of the crazy radio people. But they're still bankrupt, and with no real plan for survival. I'm no fan of Michaels, but Lee Abrams is a thinker who sees media from a broader place than anyone in the Tribune organization. They win a battle, but they lose the war.

But hey, there are a lot of people in radio who couldn't handle Lee's brand of reality. Lot of radio people who don't see they're just one step behind newspapers in the land of obsolete media. Maybe Lee will come back to radio, and help some company reinvent itself.

 

[petercavanaugh]

I've known both Randy and Lee for more than thirty years and consider both men to be brilliant thinkers, charismatic strategists and exceptional leaders. It is terribly sad that prevailing circumstances brought about Lee's departure from the Tribune, an exit I suggest will prove much less detrimental to Lee than those he left behind. As far as those "offended" by Lee's final memo are concerned, such pathetic protestations reveal a shocking paucity of functional contemporary sophistication.

 

[gr8oldies]

So now Randy Michaels is gone, and will be replaced by a four-member board? I can imagine all or most of Michaels' hires will be gone as well. So WGN Radio returns to a 55-and-over radio station and no, or few, ad buys.

 

[uncamark]

So now Randy Michaels is gone, and will be replaced by a four-member board? I can imagine all or most of Michaels' hires will be gone as well. So WGN Radio returns to a 55-and-over radio station and no, or few, ad buys.

Do you really want WGN to become (or I guess stay) just another right-wing talk station?

 

[gr8oldies]

I want Mike McConnell to stay. I never listened to the old line, sleepy WGN even when I lived in daytime range.

 

[Marc0n1]

This must have been made a few days ago, waiting for today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Si0bck6mm1o

 

[ChiefEngineer]

Lee is brilliant and makes a point. "Old media" couldn't take a change and the problem noted here is the in building workings by Tribune employees to sink their Titanic.

If anyone with a small dose of sense could simply can the spies within that were out for themselves working with another newspaper to plant a story it might result in getting rid of the problem. And how high up did the problem go? As Jimmy Hoffa is still unfound the perpetrators who did this are not being sought out internally. Since the whole issue crossed State lines and involved a concerted atempt to oust the Tribune CEO isn't this corrupt business practice? Maybe the New York Times won't print that story.

 

[TheBigA]

Maybe the New York Times won't print that story.

No but someone ultimately will, and that's a further example of why the people have set out to create their own media...because the traditional one is only interested in pursuing its own agenda. So the Times chips away at the credibility of the Tribune, while the former subscribers of both say "A pox on both your houses, we're reading Huffington Post!"