Once again I have to hand it to NY Times‘ media reporters David Carr and Tim Arano who–along with Vocalo.org’s Rober Feder–have consistently dug up important details and original reporting on Randy Michaels and Tribune. Thanks to Carr and Arano I learned that Michaels will not be walking away with an enormous severance as I had previously worried he would. Instead he will receive six months’ salary and health benefits. While this is not exactly chump change compared to the salaries of most Tribune employees, it also isn’t the 2.5x his salary and bonuses that was promised this past summer.
I also learned form Carr and Arano’s article that the Tribune board had twice since hiring Michaels retained an independent counsel to investigate claims of harassment at the company, the most recent happening right after the first Times article hit the news.
Who knows how much the Board spent or was ready to spend to learn what most employees at Tribune, and several reporters outside the company, already knew. Whatever Tribune pays Randy Michaels to split is too much, and is just more good money after bad. Nevertheless, I’m sure many employees are still glad he’s gone.
