Bill Mick LIVE

Bill Mick LIVE

Bill’s been a morning staple on the Space Coast since 2001. Call the show at 321.768.1240 weekdays from 6am-9am.Full Bio

 

INSIDER COLUMN: WHEN YOU’RE OVER THE TARGET

Friday I was on the receiving end of the most unprofessional communication I have ever received from a member of the media. I knew the man was upset before he called. I expected anger and even outrage. 

What I got was the most juvenile outburst I have seen from an adult who is not a Brevard State Representative. 

The first minute and half or so was a profanity filled tirade from a member of the media who didn’t like my on-air take on a recent news story. When I asked if there was a reason he was cursing me or if he always talked that way (not that I am unaccustomed to such language- I was a cop and collegiate and minor league umpire in real life), his reply was that he was f-bomb pissed!

He went on to tell me how it was unprofessional of me to characterize his motivations and the veracity of his article without talking to him first. Apparently first amendment privilege only extends to those in his world-the print media. Yes, irony abounds in this story. 

I let him get the frustration off his chest as he continued the profanity laden monologue uninterrupted. When he stopped for a precious few seconds of silence I asked if that was it. He responded by asking for my response. 

While there were many things going through my head, one of us had to remain professional in this exchange (thank you, Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring and 17 years of police work before that). I replied that A- I do not work for him, B- opinion is my job, and C- I don’t really care what he thinks of my work. 

He continued to cite his experience and his perspective of how my world should run (my commentary on my show), at least in his view of the world. 

Eventually the conversation calmed to a more professional level as we discussed the story in question, how I may contact him if I have questions about such things and how we as managers handle issues with our coworkers. I warned him that I show prep 24/7 and those calls or texts could come at any time. 

The language he used was not unfamiliar to me. It was, however, unexpected. If I lived in the cancel culture universe as opposed to ridiculing it, I suppose I would be after his job or at least contacting his superiors about his conduct with me. Why would I do that? We are both adults and presumably professionals who had the discussion and brought the issue to a conclusion, at least for now. 

He had even brought up the story of how his entity handled it when the aforementioned state representative had disseminated false information about me in an attempt to cost me my job. He seems to recall his company’s portrayal of that and related incidents perpetuated by the act a bit differently than I do. But, I don’t try to tell that entity how to do its job, though I do criticize it from time to time. It goes with my job. 

You don’t do his job or mine without having broad shoulders. I have no expectations that everyone, in the media or out, will like me. It comes with the territory. But, as Mike Huckabee once said, if you’re taking flak, you must be over the target. 

Thinking of that, I suppose I should tell my new friend thanks for the confirmation and the compliment. 


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content