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Identifying yourself gives you creditability
Taking phone calls from readers is an everyday occurrence. Usually the caller wants information on how to get a letter or guest opinion in the newspaper. I tell him or her that letters must be no more than 250 words, unless it’s election season, in which case endorsement letters are restricted to 150 words. Guest opinions can be up to 600 words but the author must have some expertise on the subject he is writing about. Otherwise, everyone would want to do a guest opinion and there’s not enough space to allow that.
Then there are phone calls, at least a couple every day, from irate readers. They’re upset at an editorial, at someone else’s letter or often they just want vent about the world situation.
Sometimes I even get phone calls that compliment me or The Oakland Press. They like the editorial or the fact most of the letters supported their particular position.
I don’t mind taking the phone calls and I pride myself on returning all of my missed calls as quickly as possible. They are readers and so any chance I can get to explain why we do something, the better it is for myself and for the newspaper. Most people usually accept my explanations and are genuinely grateful for the insight.
But amid the diplomacy and my cordial demeanor, I do have one fairly strict rule — I want to know who I’m talking to so I insist that they them give me their names. I have a simple slogan that goes with this rule — “If you can’t give me your name, I won’t give you my time.”
Time is precious and there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done that you’d like to — and often there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything you need to do.
So I want to know who I’m talking to — they know who I am. My theory, right or wrong, is that if they are afraid to stand behind what they are saying to me by not giving me their names, then they lose most, if not all creditability with me.
Usually those that don’t give me their names are calling to complain. As I’ve said, I have broad shoulders and I can take the criticism, but not from people who are too afraid to give me their names. If they can’t trust me, I don’t have time for them.
It may sound to be a bit harsh but it works for me and when you think about, it’s not really that unreasonable a rule.
When you give me your opinion, then give me your name to show you stand behind what you are saying.
Then there are phone calls, at least a couple every day, from irate readers. They’re upset at an editorial, at someone else’s letter or often they just want vent about the world situation.
Sometimes I even get phone calls that compliment me or The Oakland Press. They like the editorial or the fact most of the letters supported their particular position.
I don’t mind taking the phone calls and I pride myself on returning all of my missed calls as quickly as possible. They are readers and so any chance I can get to explain why we do something, the better it is for myself and for the newspaper. Most people usually accept my explanations and are genuinely grateful for the insight.
But amid the diplomacy and my cordial demeanor, I do have one fairly strict rule — I want to know who I’m talking to so I insist that they them give me their names. I have a simple slogan that goes with this rule — “If you can’t give me your name, I won’t give you my time.”
Time is precious and there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done that you’d like to — and often there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything you need to do.
So I want to know who I’m talking to — they know who I am. My theory, right or wrong, is that if they are afraid to stand behind what they are saying to me by not giving me their names, then they lose most, if not all creditability with me.
Usually those that don’t give me their names are calling to complain. As I’ve said, I have broad shoulders and I can take the criticism, but not from people who are too afraid to give me their names. If they can’t trust me, I don’t have time for them.
It may sound to be a bit harsh but it works for me and when you think about, it’s not really that unreasonable a rule.
When you give me your opinion, then give me your name to show you stand behind what you are saying.
posted by Allan Adler at
5:01 PM
1 Comments:
To Allan Adler: You state that you take Guest Opinions from persons who have "Some Expertise" in the selected subject. So a Blogger(B. Fealk/Roch. Citizen)has enough "expertise" to Write an Opinion on Economics(Sept.2010?)and your Paper gives him space for a "report" on the Progressive rally in D.C.,complete with the epiphet"Teabagger". Mr Fealk's Business Is "Political Consultant'(Linked-In),so I suppose he has expertise, of a sort. But he is DEFINITELY not a Journalist of the form your august publication represents.So, A Suggestion: Show All the Purported Bonafides, of the Writer in question,or at least a more complete run-down. No Demands,Just some ponderables,Sir Thank you for your time,and attention.
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