Adam Ash

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Thursday, July 13, 2006

US Diary: finally, a media mogul with a spine

A Maverick Media Mogul Takes on Mainstream Spinelessness -- by Katrina vanden Heuvel

"I will tell you that there won't be any corporate considerations. No earnings per share issues, No worries about advertisers and what they might think." Okay, you probably think these are lines from a recent Nation editorial or Bill Moyers' latest speech.

It's actually Mark Cuban blogging about his negotiations with Dan Rather to launch a program on HDNet, his high-definition cable channel that reaches about 3 million homes. (Later this week, Rather will announce that he's joining Cuban's channel--launching "Dan Rather Presents" this October. ) Cuban also owns HDfilms production company.

At a time when CBS News is run by "by bean counters and profiteers with no interest in serious news," as Moyers recently put it, the billionaire entrepreneur and owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball franchise seems ready to revive public interest journalism.

At a time when newspapers and traditional media seem clueless about their future, Cuban sees opportunity. In a recent post on his popular blog, Cuban lamented what he calls the loss of spine and guts in mainstream journalism. "Young people aren't turning away from mainstream media because they don't care about current events," he writes, "but because the media don't know how to connect with them."

(Cuban also likes to boast that HDNet News is working to hire "the young and the restless to go out and produce stories that matter. Stories that have payoff." )

Echoing any number of Nation editors/writers, Cuban adds, "Even for a 21-year old, it's not just about Paris Hilton, Bradgelina and the latest rap feud. Kids want to learn. They want to know. Journalism matters....We will produce news reports that matter to people of all ages."

I think he's one of the the most interesting media moguls around. What's appealing is that Cuban isn't just talking the talk. As Dan Rather might say, this guy "walks the walk"--putting his money into projects like "Sharesleuth," a new investigative website launched last month that will, as Cuban puts it, "do nothing but try to uncover corporate fraud." He's hired longtime business reporter, Christopher Carey, away from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, to run the site--which will go live next month.

Last Spring, Alex Jones, Director of the Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on the Press wrote that "Traditional media of all kinds are retreating from the job of covering news on politics, policy and other topics because some consider them boring--the kiss of death. What might be alternative ways to keep accountability widely available?"

Mark Cuban may just be the alternative needed to shake up the traditional media world.

(Katrina vanden Heuvel is editor of The Nation. She's also a total fox.)

1 Comments:

At 10/23/2006 6:20 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

ON SATURDAY I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM CITIGROUP THANKING ME FOR MY FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE YET THEY JUST EXPLAINED TO THE DFEH WHY THEY FIRED ME
PLEASE HELP US GET TO THE TRUTH
GETTTING THIS LETTER WAS VERY DISTURBING SINCE I FEEL I WAS WRONGFULLY TERMINATED
I HAD NO PLANS TO LEAVE CITIBANK IN CARMEL
THE LETTER EVEN STATES TO ANOTHER 5 YEARS BUT THEY FIRED ME!!!!!

Subject: IS IT LEGAL TO LIE TO THE DFEH & US DEPT OF LABOR? CITIGROUP DID & THEY LIE TO CLIENTS IN CARMEL PLEASE READ THIS LETTER SENT TO THE MONTEREY HERALD
The Monterey County Herald
Attn: Herald Executive Editor, Carolina Garcia
8 Upper Ragsdale
Monterey, CA 93940
cgarcia@montereyherald.com
(831) 646-4306

Ms. Garcia,

I have attempted through several sources to clarify my
position regarding my unfair treatment by my previous
employer, Citibank. I had no previous plans to leave
my position as Head Teller at the Citibank branch in
Carmel. After 4 years of employment with the company,
the unfair and unequal treatment of employees led to
medically supervised work-related stress. The manager
of the branch then accused me of job abandonment which
led to my termination via UPS delivery on December 15,
2005, while I was at home on medical leave.

Subsequent to my termination, I received numerous
correspondences that referenced me as terminated, no
longer with the company, and as a former employee. My
401K and pension have both been forwarded to me.
However, when interviewed by the Department of Fair
Employment and Housing, Citibank representatives
reported that I was terminated due to not personally
reporting my absence, but rather having medical
documentation reported by my physician. When
interviewed by the U. S. Department Wage and Hours
Division, Citibank representatives reported on August
8, 2006, that I was still an employee of the company
and that a letter indicating such would be forwarded
to me. To date, this letter has not been received.

I have continued to be in contact with several clients
that have stated that Citibank representatives
indicated that I was either on vacation, or that I
voluntarily resigned in order to work with my husband
in his new business. This is absolutely untrue. It was
my intention to continue my employment as the benefits
were extremely important to me, as well as to my
family.

Clearly, there has been a gross misrepresentation by
Citibank, either to its clients or to the U. S.
Department Wage and Hours Division. It is my position
that I was unfairly terminated by Citibank. The
unscrupulous behavior of Citibank and its
representatives, locally and at the corporate level,
is unacceptable.

It is also my opinion that if a corporation as large
as Citibank is representing itself on a local level,
the local management and staff should act accordingly.
A large part of the attraction of the Monterey area is
the sense of community that is felt here on a day to
day basis. If Citibank is allowed to misrepresent its
actions to clients and government agencies, where will
the corporate takeover end?

Sincerely,




Damari Stratford
dcsbears@aol.com
dcsbears@aol.com wrote:

Subject: Re: Your message to the governor was received
THE GOVERNOR HAS WRITTEN ME TWICE AND SAID HE WOULD
HELP,, CITIBANK HAS LIED TO THE DFEH AND US LABOR DEPT
WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION AND TO THEIR CLIENTS ABOUT MY
STATUS, I NEED HELP, HOW CAN I FIGHT WHEN THIS
CORPORATION IS TELLING LIES AND HAS ALL THE LAWYERS
THEY NEED AND I CAN'T AFFORD ONE. HOW MANY TIMES ARE
THEY GOING TO GET AWAY WITH MISTREATING EMPLOYEES
ON 8/8/06 RONAN FROM THE US DEPT OF LABOR WAS TOLD BY
A CITIBANK ATTORNEY THAT THEY WOULD SEND ME A LETTER
EXPLAINING MY STATUS AS STILL AN EMPLOYEE, I HAVE YET
TO GET THIS LETTER, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PUT A
LETTER TOGETHER IF THEY ARE TELLING THE TRUTH?
YOUR OFFICE AS WELL AS THE FIRST LADY'S OFFICE HAS
CALLED ME BUT WE AREN'T GETTING ANYWHERE. IT HAS BEEN
7 MONTHS SINCE I FIRST WROTE THE GOVERNOR. CITIBANK
ATTORNEYS HAVE CANCELLED 2 DEPOSITIONS AT THE LAST
MINUTE THE LAST INE THEY CANCELLED WAS AFTER TALKING
TO THE US LABOR DEPARTMENT,WHY?
MY JOB WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO MY FAMILY AND I PLEASE
HELP ME AND MY FAMILY AND ALL THOSE BEFORE ME THAT
HAVE BEEN WRONGFULLY TERMINATED BY CITIBANK FOR NO
GOOD REASON
WHY IS EVERYONE SO AFRAID OF CITIGROUP? WHY CAN'T I
FIND AN ATTORNEY WILLING TO STAND UP TO THEM ON A
CONTINGENCY BASIS? I VOTED FOR THE GOVERNOR AND I NEED
HIM NOW
PLEASE CALL ANN FROM THE DFEH AT 408-277-1916 THEY
TOLD HER THAT I HAD CALLED IN ILL ON 11/15/05 AND THAT
I TOLD THEM I WOULDN'T BE IN, THIS IS A LIE I WORKED
THAT DAY AND I CAN PROVE THIS WITH MY IME CARD, THEN
THEY SAY THEY MADE AN ERROR
PLEASE CALL RONAN AT 415-744-5590 EXT 226 FROM THE US
LABOR DEPT TO VERIFY WHAT CITIBANK ATTORNEYS SAID. THE
ONLY REASON THEY OFFERED ME FMLA IS BECAUSE I FILED
FOR DISABILITY, BEFORE THAT THEY HAD PAID OUT MY FINAL
PAYCHECK, FIRED ME VIA UPS, SENT ME COBRA INFORMATION.
PLEASE HELP US PLEASE SEE THAT THE GOVERNOR GETS THIS
EMAIL AND ASK HIM TO MAKE A CALL ON MY BEHALF
CORPORATE AMERICA NEEDS TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF THEIR
GOOD EMPLOYEES AND NOT ALLOW A MANAGER WITH BAD SKILLS
TO FIRE SOMEONE JUST BECAUSE HE WANTS TO
SINCERELY DAMARI STARTFROD
MOTHER WIFE HUMAN BEING AND I VOTED FOR THE GOVERNOR
I MATTER TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


CITIBANK IN CARMEL LIES TO CLIENTS ABOUT WHY I AM NOT
THERE. THEY TELL PEOPLE THAT I AM ON VACATION OR THAT
I LEFT TO WORK FOR MY HUSBAND INSTEAD OF TELLING THEM
HAT THEY FIRED ME AFTER MY DOCTOR FAXED IN A NOTE AND
CALLED IN FOR ME TO PROTECT ME FROM HAVING MY BLOOD
PRESSRE RISE. JEFF URSINO AND KATHLEEN MUNOZ LIES TO
ANN AT THE DFEH AND THEIR LAWYERS LIED TO THE US DEPT
OF LABOR. KATHLEN WAS DOING THE OVERDRAFT ON HER
DAUGHTERS ACCOUNTS AND REFUNDED HER OWN DAUHGTER MONEY
WHILE THE MANAGER WAS ON VACATION. SHE LIES ABOUT
BEING FIRED FROM WELLS FARGO, SHE LIED TO THE WORKERS
COMP PEOPLE AND WILL LIE TO ANYONE. KATHLEEN HAD
INSTUCTED THE OTHER TELLERS TO COOK THE BOOKS BY
HAVING THEM PUT IN FALSE REFEERALS AND JEFF URSINO DID
NOTHING ABOUT IT BUT I GOT WRITTEN UP FOR MISSING WORK
WITH A DOCTORS NOTE. THEY STATE TO ONE AGENCY THAT I
WAS FIRED AND TO THE OTHER THAT I AM STILL EMPLOYED,
THEY STATE I WAS FIRED FOR NOT CALLING IN YET I WAS
RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH TO HAVE MY DOCTOEOR CALL IN AND FAX
MY NOTE IN DUE TO THE STRESS AND HARRASSMENT BROUGHT
ON BY JEFF AND CITIBANK, WHERE ARE THE ETHICS IN THIS
COMPANY


NOW THEY ARE TELLING MORE LIES TO THE DEPT OF FAIR
EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING JEFF TELLS THEM WHY I WAS FIRED
AND THEIR LAWYERS TELL THE US DEPT OF LABOR THAT I AM
STILL EMPLOYEED
PLEASE HELP US GET THIS STORY OUT TO THE WORLD IF IT
ISN'T TOO MUCH TO ASK:) HOW DO YOU FIGHT LIARS, HOW DO
THEY SLEEP AT NIGHT
CITIBANK IN CARMEL 831-624-8258 CALL AND ASK THEM
WHERE I AM ASK FOR KATHLEEN AND ASK HER WHY SHE LIES
THIS WOMAN WAS HAVING CITIBANK PAY FOR HER DAUGHTER
OVERDRAFTS AND HER A TELLER REFUND HER OWN DAUGHTER
MONEY WHILE THE MANAGER WAS OUT ON VACATION SO WHY
SHOULD ANYONE BELEIVE THIS UNETHICAL PERSON JUST AS
JEFF URSINO THE MANAGER OF THE CAPITOLA BRANCH LIES TO
HIS BOSSES TO MAKE HIMSELF LOOK BETTER PLEASE HELP US
WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME
HOW DO YOU FIGHT A CORPORATION LIKE THIS
Extra! Extra! Read all about it!
DAMARI AND CITIBANK HERE IS THE TRUTH!!
To set the record straight!
Damari was fired by Citibank in Carmel!
Damari did not leave the bank to go work for her
husband!!!!
DAMARI HAD NO PLANS TO LEAVE CITIBANK!
DAMARI PLANNED ON STAYING FOR ANOTHER 16YRS.
THE BENEFITS WERE VERY IMPORTANT TO HER FAMILY!!
DAMARI WAS FIRED VIA UPS WHILE AT HOME ILL DUE TO WORK
RELATED STRESS BROUGHT ON BY THE MANAGER AND THE
UNFAIR AND UNEQUAL TREATMENT OF EMPLOYEES
ALONG WITH BEING THREATEN AND HARASSED
BY THE MANAGER FOR JOB ABANDOMENT.
SEVERAL OF
Citibank clients have TOLD HER that they have been
told by the staff at the Carmel branch :
THAT SHE LEFT TO GO WORK FOR HER HUSBAND!
THIS IS AN OUTRIGHT LIE!!!!
What else will they lie about?
Are they ashamed of what was done??
WHY DO THEY FEEL THEY NEED TO SAY SHE LEFT TO GO WORK
WITH HER HUSBAND
( I DO NOT WORK FOR MY HUSBAND)
( I DO NOT WORK FOR JND PLUMBING)
(NOR AM I ON VACATION)
INSTEAD OF JUST TELLING THE TRUTH ?
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE CARMEL BRANCH THAT COULD SWEAR
TO THIS? NO!
You can reach Damari at dcsbears@aol.com
ENOUGH WITH THE LIES CITIBANK!!!
IF YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS PLEASE SEND HER AN EMAIL
CITIBANK TOLD
THE US LABOR DEPT WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION ,
ON 08/08/06
THAT I AM STILL AN EMPLOYEE
YET I HAVE LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS
THAT CLEARLY USE THE WORDS
TERMINATED
NO LONGER WITH THE COMPANY
FORMER EMPLOYEE
AND MY 401K AND PENSION HAVE BEEN SENT TO ME AS OF
8/24/06 I HAVE YET TO GET THE LETTER FROM CITIBANK
WHICH EXPLAINS HOW I AM STILL AN EMPLOYEE! HOW LONG
DOES IT TAKE TO WRITE A LETTER IF YOU ARE TELLING THE
TRUTH HOW CAN THEY SAY TO THE US DEPT OF LABOR THAT I
AM STILL AN EMPLOYEE YET THEY TELL THE DFEH THAT THEY
FIRED ME FOR NOT CALLING IN, WHAT IS THE TRUTH
CITIBANK??????????
CITIBANK STATES THAT I WAS FIRED FOR NOT CALLING IN
YET MY DOCTOR CALLED IN FOR ME THE DAY BEFORE AND ALSO
FAXED IN A NOTE FOR ME WHICH THE MANAGER RETURNED TO
ME WITH MY LETTER OF TERMINATION. THEY KNEW THE DAY
BEFORE THAT I WASN'T COMING IN SO WHY WOULD HE CALL TO
ASK IF I WAS COMING IN IF IT WAS CLEARLY STATED ON THE
NOTE AND TOLD TO THEM BY MY DOCTOR TO PROTECT MY
HEALTH
JUST MORE LIES BY THE CITIBANK STAFF IN CARMEL

DCSbears...

I whole heartedly understand you delemma, and my heart goes

out to you.

a few years back, I worked for citibank/corp. for one full year.

It was without doubt the worst job, and the worst nightmare I have

ever lived. The treatment of employees was abominable, among many

other things. .

I worked with people that had been there for years. They were not treated
any better, than I was.

I quit in the middle of the day. I sat in my car for a good twenty minutes

breathing in what was for me, the most fresh air I had in one year.

In the following year, at least six people I had worked with, and had been there

for years, were let go, with the very worst excuses ever. Of course the lost all

benifits, and retirments.

Needless to say, I have never again banked with them, or used one of their credit

cards, or have done any other business with them, whatsoever, and when asked I inform orher companies why.

I have always...and to this day, informed everyone within earshot, of that disgusting thing, know as "citibank/corp.

I am sorry they got you. I hope you get them.

FROM AOL BLOG THANK YOU FOR YOU THOUGHTS
CITIBANK FIRES ME FOR NOT "FOLLOWING POLICY " YET THEY DIDN'T FOLLOW THEIR OWN POLICY CITIBANK IS UN FAIR AND UNEQUAL TREATMENT OF EMPLOYEES
WHAT KIND OF MAN FIRES YOU WHILE YOU ARE ILL KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE WORK RELATED STRESS AND YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE IS UP? HOW HEARTLESS IS THIS CITIBANK MANAGER WHO COULDN'T WAIT FOR ME TO GET WELL?
CITIBANK MADE THE LIST OF THE 100 BEST COMPANIES FOR WORKING MOTHERS BUT AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PUT MY DAUGHTER FIRST THEY FIRED ME!!!
I WASN'T GIVEN AN EXIT INTERVIEW NOR WERE MY KEYS ASK FOR BUT THAT IS THEIR POLICY! HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE MY FINAL PAYCHECK WITH MY LETTER OF TERMINATION AND THEY DEPOSITED IT INTO MY ACCOUNT WHICH IS NOT CALIF CODE
My heart goes out for you, just know that things happen for a resound and what go around must come around!! I myself am having my own issue with Citibank!!! I was approved for a lone and used my car as collateral which later I contacted them to hand me over the Title for renewal and it’s been now 3 ½ months I have been waiting for it and now have to deal with my vehicle parked without insurance and Citibank’s excuse is that Motor Vehicle can not locate my title and the most frustrating thing is that all the time I call I must have gave my # over 20 times and never get a call back regarding the status of my situation I would have to repeat myself all over again to a new rep…….How frustrating!!! Well that is the story of life………………Drama……………….Good Luck.

To OCC office

Thank you for your reply and for requesting information form Citibank. Citibank states that I was fired for not following policy but yet they didn't follow their own policy and guide lines nor were they equal and fair in how they treated each employee.

Citibank states that I was fired for not calling in, but I did have my doctor call in at the end of my doctors appointment on 12/12/05 and my doctor also faxed on a note. Contact was made with the bank. My doctor called in to protect my health.
I have copies of some of Citibank policy which are in the employee hand book and from what I have read Citibank and the manager didn't follow proper procedure. Before firing they are to consider your work performance and take that into consideration and my reviews were very good. I never got a verbal warning just written up and the write up was not correct with errors. Citibank gives an exit interview which I didn't get nor was I asked to send in my keys.
Citibank sent me my Cobra papers and never offered me FMLA, when they find put that I was applying for disability or that I was disabled they reinstated my benefits and made them retro to 01/01/06
Citibank then sends me a check for about six weeks worth of pay with no deductions for benefits then all of a sudden they start deducting for medical and dental and now I have to pay for these benefits out of my pocket.
Many if Citibank clients have told me they have been told that I left to work for my husband or that I am on vacation.
Lisa Austin of Citigroup mentioned that when I go back to work they would set up payments for some of these benefits but she couldn't explain how this would happened after I explained that I had been fired. Is Citibank going to fire me again via UPS when my doctor feels that I am well enough to look for work?
Citibank didn't; follow policy to the tee and fires me for not following policy to the tee but had no heart about me being ill and my doctor helping me out.
Citibank made the list of the best 100 companies for working mother to work at but as I try to put my daughter first they started harassing me with abandonment and corrective action.
My seniority didn't matter to them.
Ronon at the US Dept of labor, wage and hour division ( 1-415-744-5590 ext 226 ) was told by Citigroup attorney that I was still employed and they would send a letter to explain but the letter never came.
Citibank fired me while in the middle of a workers comp pending case.
Ann at the DFEH ( 1-408-277-1916 ) was lied to by Jeff Ursino and Kathleen Munoz, they explain to the DFEH how and why they fired me.
Again Citibank violated state labor codes and more.
Employees which are unethical are still working there and I get fired for having my doctor call in, these employees broke company policy and still have jobs.
Citibank recently sent me a letter thanking me for my five years of service and it states looking forward to another five years but I was fired on 12/13/05 a few days later a get another letter stating that yes I had been terminated and the stocks that were issued to me for being a good employee had been taken back due to an error in their system. I believe the only error is that I was wrongfully terminated and Citibank is back tracking trying to cover up their mistakes.
My pension and 401k have been sent to me due to termination and then I get the letter saying looking forward to another five years.
Jeff Ursino knew that the tellers were cooking the books and none of them were written up or fired. Kathleen was refunding her daughter money and having Citibank pay for her overdrafts and she still has a job and Jeff knew about this. Unfair unequal treatment of employees.
Why did it take Citibank a few weeks to give me a clear reason as to why I was fired? Why was my final check deposited into my account, why was I fired via UPS, Why was my final check not ordered until 12/14/05? Why did Chrys Smith call workers comp on 12/14/05 to see if my case was going to be denied but yet didn't bother telling them that they had already fired me? This is violation of code 132A.
Why doesn't the staff at Citibank in Carmel simply say "she is no longer with us" instead of all the lies?
Why was Citibank so strict with me and the policy and yet not the other employees?
Why was it ok for Andrea to change her schedule but not me and I had the seniority over her?
Citibank told the Office of Thrift Supervision that they were dealing with it internally and the office asked them to send me a letter of explanation yet they never did.
How many other state codes have they ignored and violated?
Jeff Ursino states that he was calling to see if I was coming in yet he returns to me the faxed in note by my doctor with my letter of termination which clearly stated that I would be out for a few more days? Jeff knew I wasn't coming in he just fired me because I wanted to communicate via email to protect my blood pressure and stress level. Is it against the law to protect yourself? They wamt to hold me to the letter of theit policy but don't follow their policy or state codes to the letter of policy.

 

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