Me v. Scientology

[Bereta_Eder]

Originally posted by Gatekeeper
basically, the people who work the trenches and put the paper out on a daily basis.

Aye same here.

[Bereta_Eder]

Just some words of caution Evil Knevil:

These kind of cults are like vampires, powerful in the shades and the veil of night but dissolving and powerless in broad daylight.

The more "exposure" they get, the more they will retreat and the more safe you're going to be.

The paper SHOULD back you. If they don't they are propably afraid for possible lawsuits. Bastards but they are all too common.

[TCO]

Originally posted by Gatekeeper
GP:

I'm not among the "big fish," so to speak, when it comes to journalism. Been out of journalism school for four years now and number myself among the "rank-and-file" reporters, copy editors and whatnot — basically, the people who work the trenches and put the paper out on a daily basis.


Gatekeeper

Cool. Is it a big paper (don't have to say which one). What field do your work in? local news?

[Evil Knevil]

I say go after them. You'll have our support.

Hooray, I have the support of Apolyton.net


GP, etc

I've been looking into the story for almost two weeks now, I wasn't particularly knowledgeable about the structure of the religion until this week (the realisation made me do this thread). Now, I've read all of the important pro/anti Scientology websites, and two biographies of Hubbard;
Bare Faced Messiah -Miller and A Piece of Blue Sky by John Atack

Both very revealing, I've actually developed slightly more respect for Hubbard after reading his biographies

Just so you know GP, I'm a journalist of the lowest morals, but of the best possible research, as I said earlier, my Editor called me
"A bastard, but a thorough bas****".

As far as my rank goes, I'm a few steps up from the lowest of the low, my work is sometimes published, I have a contract to publish a weekly article for a regional newspaper (where most of my money comes from). Features and such are usually freelanced, --recently I had to ghostwrite a professors essay to a magazine-- or on a weird short-term contract with my paper's affiliates, such as computer magazines.
This is a weird contracted piece, but for the regional paper I normally work for. Unfortunately a clause in my agreements allows them the right not to publish the story(standard clause, go figure), and therefore place any responsibility on me.

What can I say except I'm talking to the News Editor, and I've got a meeting with the main Editor soon, so I can put on the hard sell. I really think I've got some seriously good info that can expose the Church, some of the info I've got can maybe force a police investigation, definately shows the Church in a bad light.


Maybe I'm young and headstrong, thinking I can take on Scientology, but I know what I know and its really important that the public is informed.

I can't believe I'm suffering a moral crisis!

know what I would do, which is go ahead and do it and be prepared for having to deal with these f****rs for a long time. If you have any pretentions of being a great journalist, that's gonna happen sooner or later.

Good point, I might even make my name, but you're not the person being sued!

Update Phonecall at 23:30 today. Too tired to go into specifics, just that I should stop writing the article since I'd harm the church (long story about how they got this conclusion). If they phone any later, I swear I'll kill them. I asked the woman (same person!) to stop calling so late, she said she would, I stopped spreading rumors about the church. She seems to be getting worse with every phonecall.


IW: What are the rumours that you've been hearing? :scared

[TCO]

EK,

There is a funny story by Tom Wolfe about when he was a young journal at the New York Herald and they wrote a funny expose on The New Yorker in 1961:

The editor at The New Yorker was really pissed about this. He sent an indignant letter to the editor of the Herald. Which of course, the Herald printed so as to milk the issue even more...

So remember jui-jitsu. Try to use your opponents attacks against them...

[Richelieu]

I have had some experience with a couple of scientologists. Since i did not know what they stood for at he time i did some reading on them.
From what i know and from my lextures i'd say that if you don't NEED to do this, don't do it.
They're just relentless. In your case, i'm guessing that they will keep on callig you and harass you until you give up. They may even threaten legal actions - and if they feel it's worth it, they'll go through with it.

[TCO]

Originally posted by Evil Knevil


GP, etc

I've been looking into the story for almost two weeks now, I wasn't particularly knowledgeable about the structure of the religion until this week (the realisation made me do this thread). Now, I've read all of the important pro/anti Scientology websites, and two biographies of Hubbard;
Bare Faced Messiah -Miller and A Piece of Blue Sky by John Atack

Both very revealing, I've actually developed slightly more respect for Hubbard after reading his biographies

Just so you know GP, I'm a journalist of the lowest morals, but of the best possible research, as I said earlier, my Editor called me
"A bastard, but a thorough bas****".

Good man. Way to be. I don't care if you're a liberal, sneaky reporter if you're an honest one. Oh smart and thorough is nice too.

As far as my rank goes, I'm a few steps up from the lowest of the low, my work is sometimes published, I have a contract to publish a weekly article for a regional newspaper (where most of my money comes from). Features and such are usually freelanced, --recently I had to ghostwrite a professors essay to a magazine-- or on a weird short-term contract with my paper's affiliates, such as computer magazines.

1. Congrats. I'm glad we have people like this at Poly. Seriously.

2. Try to make sure that you can at least free-lance the piece if it gets rejected. You have your time to recoup...

What can I say except I'm talking to the News Editor, and I've got a meeting with the main Editor soon, so I can put on the hard sell. I really think I've got some seriously good info that can expose the Church, some of the info I've got can maybe force a police investigation, definately shows the Church in a bad light.

Make sure to emphasize how juicy you think the story will be. He may be more interested in selling papers than doing social justice. You could also appeal to any sort of rivalry you all have with other papers. (I.e. "this is something that will make The Times take notice of our little rag!" )

[Immortal Wombat]

not very specific, except that you don't go walking the dog up there at night...
oh, and the houseparties can be quite interesting.

[Gatekeeper]

GP:

My paper is the third largest in the state with a paid daily circulation of around 16,000 and a paid Sunday circulation around 18,000. So it doesn't rank up there with USA Today or the New York Times in terms of subscribers, but we dominate our region (not kidding ... our market penetration rocks).

As one of seven or so copy editors, I am responsible for the content and design of a variety of pages ranging from the front page to state news pages, national news pages and world news pages and last, but not least, certain speciality pages.

It's a good job, but not exactly high-paying. But I like it, and that's what counts in the end, IMHO. Eventually I'd like to move up the ranks and/or run my own outfit. But that's years down the road.

Gatekeeper

[TCO]

Originally posted by Gatekeeper
GP:

My paper is the third largest in the state with a paid daily circulation of around 16,000 and a paid Sunday circulation around 18,000. So it doesn't rank up there with USA Today or the New York Times in terms of subscribers, but we dominate our region (not kidding ... our market penetration rocks).

As one of seven or so copy editors, I am responsible for the content and design of a variety of pages ranging from the front page to state news pages, national news pages and world news pages and last, but not least, certain speciality pages.

It's a good job, but not exactly high-paying. But I like it, and that's what counts in the end, IMHO. Eventually I'd like to move up the ranks and/or run my own outfit. But that's years down the road.

Gatekeeper

Very cool. I'm sure that as you hone your craft, good things will come.