If I owned the Tallahassee Democrat – Part 2

If there is a bigger name in local Tallahassee politics than State Attorney Willie Meggs, tell me.

On Monday, the prosecutor who investigated numerous state politicians and conducted a high-profile probe into rape allegations against Jameis Winston announced he was ending his lengthy career. Meggs said would not seek re-election next year when his current term expires. The 72-year-old Meggs has been the lead prosecutor for six North Florida counties since 1985.

As best as I can tell, the Tallahassee Democrat broke this story at approximately 11:00 a.m. (via a poorly constructed Tweet by senior reporter Jeff Burlew, but we’ll deal with that later.)

That the Democrat broke this story is not noteworthy. It’s suppose to do that. When a big -time local pol hangs it up, it should have the goods.

However, if I owned the Tallahassee Democrat, I would be besides myself why NO ONE AT MY DAMN NEWSPAPER IS NOT CLOSE ENOUGH TO WILLIE MEGGS SO THAT HE BREAKS THE NEWS OF HIS RETIREMENT THROUGH MY NEWSPAPER!

Meggs announced his decision about 18 hours before the next edition of the Democrat hit the streets. It’s almost as if he didn’t want the Democrat to have the news.

That would not happen in my newsroom.

My Democrat would empower the kind of reporters who would know about his decision well in advance. Meggs would confide in us and we would keep his secret. Then, instead of the news being Tweeted and not in the newspaper until the next day, MEGGS WONT SEEK REELECTION would blare from Monday’s front page. The story would be accompanied by a look back at Meggs’ storied career along with another piece speculating as to who might fill his shoes.

Our lead columnist would weigh in. Our editorial board would offer a first draft of history’s judgment about Meggs’ career.

And that’s what we’d have ready before folks finish their breakfasts.

Our online coverage would be All Willie, All The Time for the next 48 hours.

As for social media, none of our reporters would broadcast lame tweets like Burlew’s.

@JeffBurlew: State Attorney Willie Meggs won’t run for re-election in 2016. #Tallahassee Democrat

That kind of social media’ing is flatter than a pancake. Why is Burlew including “#Tallahassee Democrat”? Does he know how hashtags work? Obviously not or he would have hash-tagged #2016. Maybe he thinks he needs to tout the paper via Twitter. Well, if Burlew was working at my Democrat, he’d never have to tell people what newspaper he worked for — they’d f*cking know or he’d be an adjunct at TCC.

Meggs bestrides Tallahassee like a Colossus and my Democrat would cover his announcement like the thunderclap it is.

What my Democrat would not be publishing the weekend before one of our most important political figures announces he’s not running for re-election is this:

“Five goldfish rescued from Saturday fire.”

Karl Etters is probably a decent reporter. But if I opened up the Democrat I was publishing and I saw this story, him and his assignment editor would be looking for work the next day.

I don’t care how slow a news day it is, one rule my newsroom would have is WE’RE NEVER WRITING ABOUT GOLDFISH BEING RESCUED FROM A FIRE.

That’s if I were the publisher of the Tallahassee Democrat…

—

Material from the Associated Press was used in this post.