Talk about cutting out the middle man — what will PR people do if clients start paying journalists directly to protect themselves from bad publicity?
From the N.Y. Daily News:
A New York Post Page Six staffer solicited $220,000 from a high-profile billionaire in return for a year’s “protection” against inaccurate and unflattering items about him in the gossip page, the Daily News has learned.
In two 90-minute meetings, characterized by a shocking breach of ethics, Jared Paul Stern, a fixture on the city’s gossip scene who also edited Page Six The Magazine, asked for a series of payments from Ron Burkle, the managing partner of Yucaipa Cos., a conglomerate with interests in supermarkets, celebrity clothing lines, and media.
It was all a setup, a sting monitored by law enforcement, including the U.S. attorney’s office and the FBI, who are now investigating the extortion attempt. The meetings, on March 22 and March 31, were videotaped.
The shakedown began with a series of e-mails sent last month by Stern to Burkle … “The rest of the paper wouldn’t have to know about it,” Stern told Burkle…
When the Daily News confronted Jared Paul Stern yesterday, the New York Post scribe said from his desk that the payola allegations were “completely outrageous.”
Two hours later, the paper had suspended him “pending the outcome of … [a] federal investigation.”
“Should the allegations prove true, Mr. Stern’s conduct would be morally and journalistically reprehensible, a gross abuse of privilege and in violation of the New York Post’s standards and ethics,” Post Editor in Chief Col Allan said in a statement released by public relations guru Howard Rubenstein.
Technorati tags: Journalism, PR, Public Relations, Marketing
Tags: dallas pr, dallas public relations, ethics
It just occurred to me that we could use this story in biz dev meetings — it’s better than “equivalent ad value”!
Scott, I promise, 10K (or so) and I will have only good things to say while you’re gone.
;-p
Sadly, for those of whose who have known Jared over the years, this is all too believable. I’d like to think there was some explanation, but sounds like they’ve got the goods on him. (Let’s go to the videotape…”)
Knowing Jared, he is probably telling himself that this will be good for his career. He will rationalize it to himself as something that may hurt in the short run, but will only increase his notoriety and desirability on party lists.
Bill,
That’s for each of us, so $20K total. Or a very nice postcard.
So I guess I can finally come clean: I’m Strumpette. And for a couple bucks I’ll stop attacking you! I have a bridge I could sell you too.