Peter Schorsch
See, this is the way it’s suppose to be done!
On Friday, the Associated Press reported that Fred Piccolo, the communications director for House Speaker Richard Corcoran, had been working until recently for the company that owns this website. Although I was very unhappy with how this news got out, it’s a relevant story. Because of it, we admittedly have some egg on our faces.
That’s why you should read the latest edition of The Capitolist’s Monday Mailbag, which pokes (a lot) of fun at the “Piccolo Payola” scandal and Florida Politics.
That’s right, I am asking you to read a post that takes a direct shot at me and our website. Why? Because it’s funny. Because it’s both insider-y and snarky. And because it was (we hope) written in good spirits.
That’s what this blogging, new media thing should be about.
It should be about bustin’ chops, but not in so harsh of a way that it ruins friendships.
It should make you laugh the same way you would at a roast, because the joke is so close to the truth that even the person being roasted has to smile.
It should be about agreeing to disagree.
Somewhere along the way, the conflict between old and new media (which was occurring at a time when traditional media was suffering tremendous economic losses) turned into a bloodsport. This is especially true here in the Florida media.
Instead of traditional reporters and new media mavens grudgingly respecting each other, the legacy reporters all but ignore the good work of bloggers and other newcomers, which, in turn, forces the new media operators to set their hair on fire to get attention.
I admit I’ve been a big part of this vicious cycle. And I probably won’t be doing anything any time soon to break it.
But if I had to do it all over again, I’d welcome more of what Brian Burgess wrote this morning on his website. Because if you can’t stand the heat, you shouldn’t be in the kitchen.
Now, I just have to cook up something to get back at him 🙂
