Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Readers sound off over "sweetheart deal" at the KC Star -- Mark Zieman's newspaper publishes regular column written by his wife

Readers are perturbed that Kansas City Star publisher Mark Zieman arranged a "sweetheart deal" that allows the KC Star to publish columns written by his wife, Rhonda Chriss Lokeman.

One commenter mentions Zieman subverted the paper's Nepotism policy:
What is so sad about it is The Star implemented that Nepotism policy for the sole purpose of breaking up the Unions. Now this scumbag circumvents it for his own purposes. Just shows the value of a Capital Cities re-tread.
Another reader noticed Rhonda Lokeman is still listed on the KC Star site as a columnist like the other regular KC Star columnists.
I don't care what he says. If you go to the Star's web site and cursor over to Opinion and then check under Columnists you see Rhonda Chriss Lokeman right in between Yale Ongabonga and Miriam Pepper. He can pretend all day long that she isn't still there, but if they carry her name they own her.
Another reader thinks Zieman blew off McClatchy headquarters:
According to the articles on Bottomline she was an employee. Zieman was told by headquarter at McClatchy to get rid of her. He then found a way to keep her. Zieman can say whatever he wants but go back to where he became a publisher and look at the facts. Facts Man Facts. Can they please be honest about something there at The Red Star?
Another reader doubts Rhonda Lokeman is published in any other newspapers:
Where else does her column run since they claim it's national.
Another reader has the same question:
OK what other paper does her column run in????
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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

..Mark Zeiman is a thief of the public trust, unrepairably corrupt. Corrupt to his core beliefs and the values of his trade. Unredeemable.

Anonymous said...

I read a some of Lokeman’s columns. IMO, her writing is arrogant, moronic, and outright drivel. Affirmative action can only take you so far, the boss must be carrying her the rest.

Egad, I can’t imagine any normal paper carrying her sort of openly racist rants. I would like to know what she is paid per column.

I think she should have been cut as dead wood already, or actually, never hired in the first place. Mark needs to register under yet another name, Idiot M. Zieman.

Anonymous said...

The thing about nepotism, is that it depends on whose nep is involved. Not all neps are created equal. Some neps are more equal than others, especially if they also happen to be a diversity nep.

Anonymous said...

McClatchy has many of husband/wife pairs working in the newsrooms and editorial boards.

Often when changing newspapers, the weaker skilled spouse is "found a job".

I guess it keeps the moving costs down.

Anonymous said...

I found a site that lists Lokeman’s syndication statistics.
Checking one out, she has been let go already, scratch 52,787 off her scorecard.She wasn't there long.
---------
Columnist: Rhonda Chriss Lokeman
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
circulation 52,787

"Column change:
If you have not already noticed, Jim Hightower has joined our Sunday Commentary page lineup starting today, offering his liberal thoughts [in place of Rhonda Chriss Lokeman.]
Lokeman, you may remember, replaced the late Molly Ivins. She more than fulfilled her liberal slot, but [we were not impressed with the columns she wrote that were supposed to be sung to a well-known song. The lyrics didn't always seem to match.]"

Anonymous said...

Archer05 - thanks