Recently, Keith Olbermann, on his MSNBC news show, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, cited Fox News as the “worst persons in the world.” He claimed that the Fox News Channel is blatant right-wing propaganda. He also noted that President Obama, in a recent TV interview (the same interview, incidentally, as the now-notorious fly-swatting incident, in which, according to news reports on MSNBC, NBC, CBS, CNN and elsewhere, the President demonstrates his “remarkable fly-swatting skills”) claimed that there was at least one news channel dedicated to undermining his administration at all costs. Olbermann suggests that the President was referring to Fox News.
Back in the day when the Republicans controlled both houses as well as the Presidency, a period that might well go down in history as a modern-day Dark Ages or Reign of Terror, the Fox News channel was considered to be the bastion of credible news. So much so that all other news agencies were too afraid even to question their authority.
Fox News, owned by Australian media magnate Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., had started on the premise that conventional news sources like CNN and network news operated on a principle of a subtle left-wing cultural bias resulting from the educational and social milieu of their journalists. The solution that Fox News apparently proposed was to dedicate a news channel to supposedly “fair and balanced” news coverage. “Fair and balanced” became their watchword, but it soon proved to be ironic. Over time, their supposedly objective news coverage has been exposed as right-wing propaganda that was pretty blatantly pandering to the Bush administration while they were in power.
This brings us to MSNBC’s news lineup. MSNBC is a news channel that is produced as a joint venture, as the name suggests, between Microsoft (the monolithic software giant founded by Bill Gates) and NBC. Their lineup of news shows supposedly offers us the alternative to Fox News, but, as implied by Keith Olbermann, what they are really offering us is left-wing propaganda that panders to the Obama administration.
The tragic consequence of all this government pandering and institutional propaganda is that the number-one casualty in mainstream news coverage is credibility. Where are the Woodwards and Bernsteins of today, with their stunning expos
As the Spanish soccer league approaches its 2010/2011 season, Spanish La Liga news is filled with changes. The La Liga Table is changing, with three teams from the 2009-2010 season-Real Valladolid, CD Tenerife, and Xerez CD-moving down to the Segunda Division and Real Sociedad, 2009-2010 Segunda Division champs, along with runners up Hercules CF and Levante UD, are all moving up. The move to La Liga represents a return to the top Spanish league for Hercules after an absence of 13 years.
Speculation concerning Jose Mourinho’s impact as the new coach for Real Madrid is rife in the Spanish League. The move of Mourinho from Inter Milan to Real Madrid ignited fresh hopes that this longtime La Liga powerhouse would return to the top. Mourinho became Real Madrid’s 10th coach in 10 seasons, replacing Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini after only one season. On becoming coach, Mourinho said that he wanted to learn more about the team before deciding on any changes, but initially he wanted to develop team unity instead of focusing on individual talent. Already, he seems to be making an impact. Reports coming from the team credit Mourinho with instilling the club with a lot of confidence going into the new season. Certainly the coach with a no-nonsense attitude-he reportedly has installed beds at the training grounds to keep his players from leaving for home for a siesta between morning and afternoon practice-seems poised to have a major impact on Real Madrid’s performance during the 2010-2011 Spanish soccer league season.
Spanish La Liga transfers also figure to have a major impact on the 2010-2011 season. David Villa’s transfer from Valencia to Barcelona for a fee of 40 million Euros is thought to have an impact on not just one but both teams. With the loss of two stars in Villa and David Silva, who transferred to Manchester city, speculation is rife over whether or not Valencia can compete with the league’s powerhouses Real Madrid and Barcelona. The most Valencia can hope for after the loss Villa and Silva, many say, is to compete with Atletico Madrid and Seville for third spot in the Spanish league.
The major question concerning La Liga for the 2010/2011 season is which team is the favorite-Real Madrid or Barcelona. Barcelona begins the 80th Spanish season a favorite to win their third title in a row. But the team has money problems, failing to pay its players at the end of June and having to take out a $197 million dollar loan to do so. In addition, the move of Mourinho to Real Madrid have many speculating that the coach who led Inter Milan to its first European Champions League cup in years is just what that team needs to return to the top of La Liga. So, if Mourinho can live up to the speculation and Barcelona can stay afloat, once again it’s clear that while there are 20 teams in La Liga, the contest in 2010/2011 is really only between the two Spanish powerhouses.
Delivering bad news, whether communicating up, down, or across the organization, is a difficult task. Two questions often come to mind on this dilemma:
(1) How to structure the bad news message and
(2) How to communicate the bad news.
How to Structure the Bad News Message
Answer the tough questions up front. The best way to structure a bad news message is to answer the tough questions up front. For example, if a manager must announce layoffs, he should answer his employees’ specific questions first rather than beat around the bush. The employees’ questions will likely be: How does this affect me? What is my severance package? When will this take place?
Be direct. Be honest, but be sensitive. Avoid language that attempts to evade responsibility or obscure the issue. In addition, speak in the active voice to show that you accept accountability. For example: “I have reviewed your request for a marketing assistant, but unfortunately I can’t squeeze any more out of the budget this year.”
Use clear language. Too often, unclear statements result in misunderstandings and misinterpretations. Rehearse what you need to say beforehand to prevent making any misleading or vague statements. Use straightforward sentences and language to convey the bad news.
Focus on what can be done. In the midst of a crisis, we often react negatively to the things we cannot control. Or we express what cannot be done. In a bad-news message, focus on the positive, on what can be done. For example, if talking with a customer about a delayed shipment, replace the negative language, “We cannot possibly fill your order by June 19,” with positive language, “We will be able to fill your order by June 30.”
How to Deliver the Bad News Message
Avoid e-mail. If you’ve ever opened an e-mail containing bad news, you may have sensed a lack of respect and empathy, if not blatant passive-aggression. No doubt, e-mail is a highly impersonal method of communicating bad news. Most people can better interpret and accept the bad news message when it is delivered in person.
Use one-to-one dialogue. Face-to-face communication allows for gestures and body language to help in conveying the tone and genuine expression of regret and concern. It also allows for interaction and feedback, and possibly greater acceptance of the bad news. If face-to-face interaction is not available, use the phone. Since the person you are talking to cannot read your body language or see your facial expressions, it is critical that you keep your voice energetic and your tone positive.
Listen. The recipients of the bad news will likely have questions and concerns. Show them that you understand their feelings by focusing on what they’re saying. Take notes, ask clarifying questions, and paraphrase their concerns. For example, say, “I hear you. I know this isn’t easy to accept.”
Be calm and composed. Pay close attention to your behavior and attitude when under stress. It is easy to become consumed with the reactions of others and resort to defensive behaviors. Maintain control and self-monitor your feelings, words, tone of voice, and body language.