NY Posty Notes

The race is on! Apparently, tryouts for the NY Post are underway this week. Daryl Lang reports over at PDNPulse "...photogs continue to feel insulted at the very idea...someone logs the serial numbers of their camera equipment. This is to make sure they have their own pro gear and aren't just borrowing it from other freelancers..." (yeah, right, and I'll sell you the Brooklyn Bridge to boot), and you, among other things listed in the article have to "Photograph a piece of artwork (as if capturing a family photo or other document out in the field)" - nice. Didn't anyone tell them that photographing a school portrait of a child when covering an accident or tragedy, while common practice, is in fact a copyright violation?!? I spoke to one photographer who's attitude was "heck, at least he's paying you a day-rate to come in to do this." My response - "this is a freelance market. If you don't like what you've been getting from your freelancers, just simply stop using them and use someone else."

On another note, The NY Post is reporting that there were a few colorful words uttered at a "well-lubricated" office party at the Times by a top editor.

It seems that the word used to define a bundle of sticks but has more inappropriate uses to refer to male homosexuals was uttered. A combination of Gawker.com and the NY Post report that "an insider told Page Six the editor in question is Michele McNally, the director of photography listed on the Times masthead as an assistant managing editor" and that "McNally allegedly directed the hateful epithet at one of the male photo editors in her department." which resulted in ""An investigation was launched," said our source. "Her two best friends on the staff told investigators it wasn't true."

The Times Spokeswoman, according to the Post "told Page Six: "It's our practice not to comment on personnel matters. I can tell you the matter is closed." Hmmm, why then, did Wednesday's in-house newsletter reprint the company's harassment guidelines, and last week why did the paper establish a "Diversity Council" that sent out a missive which detailed it's initiatives in political correctness?

Honestly, while I've never met, nor worked for Michele, her reputation does precede her, and it may well be that she never said that, or, if that word passed her lips, it was meant in jest or good fun, and not in a derogatory fashion. The party was, as it was reported, "well lubricated", and further descibed as a "raucious farewell". Either way, let's get some perspective, give her the benefit of the doubt, and let's move on here, people, nothing to see here.

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