At Flagging Tribune, Tales of a Bankrupt Culture

I was shocked while reading this article. The title of a Bankrupt culture was right on, my shock came as to it being our culture; the image that formed in my head was a media industry version of Sodom and Gomorrah. In the article, David Carr, tells of how controlling shareholder, Sam Zell, of the Tribune Company has run the company bankrupt. Mr. Zell along with his top executive Randy Michaels have not only run the company into financial bankruptcy but moral bankruptcy as well. Mr. Carr's report has pages of accounts of morally wrong and even illegal acts that where done and endorsed by the executives of the company. The Tribune Company is a collection of company's including The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, The Baltimore sun, The Orlando Sentinel, The Hartfor Courant, WGN America and until recently The Chicago Cubs. Mr. Michaels was a former radio shock jock before becoming the executive. After receiving his position he hired on many other radio "friends" in the higher executive positions. One of their first steps was re-writing the employee handbook, which basically told everyone to expect and accept that they "might" hear things that they wouldn't like or attitudes that they don't share because it was going to be a loose, fun, nonlinear atmosphere. They also included that this should be of no surprise and not considered harassment.

It is remarkable, the amount of influence the leaders of this company have on their employees. I can not imagine the amount of pain that the leaders have cause and are still causing their employees. It reminds me of Wilson's chapter on help and healing leaders. It is always upsetting to hear about leaders stealing the trust of those who follow or employees, by permitting sexual act, but to the extent that this company permits is alarming.