A A A
Avatar

Lost password?
Advanced Search

— Forum Scope —




— Match —





— Forum Options —





Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters

sp_Feed Topic RSS sp_TopicIcon
Jodi and being late- a different perspective
June 4, 2019
8:21 pm
Avatar
Greg TV News
Guest
Guests

Hi all!

We’ve heard from one of Jodi’s coworkers in particular who said she frequently arrived late.  Many people on the forum assume that this is true. However, I would like to offer a contrary point of you to challenge this accepted truth that we really don’t know to be fact.

For one thing, everyone agrees that Jodi was very passionate about her job at KIMT.   People who love their work and want to shine in their positions, typically, go out of their way to do more than is required of them.  In fact from what we know of her journals, Jodi wrote about her passion to succeed in broadcasting.

We know that Jodi’s news director Doug Merbach said he never knew of her being late until AFTER her adduction.

 Now here’s where I can offer some real perspective. I work as an anchor early morning in a small market TV station. I know without a doubt one of the worst kept secrets in a newsroom is a coworker’s lack of effort, especially doing the minimum required. Small television stations usually require all hands on deck to complete each newscast— especially mornings nags. At my station, we are very shorthanded in the mornings.  That’s exactly the way it was for Jodi  and the staff at KIMT. 

With this in mind. When one person is slacking, the station and the newscast suffers. I find it highly doubtful that EVERYONE would be loyal enough to keep Jodi’s chronic lateness a secret. This is especially true when you consider the competitive nature of this business. Someone is always looking to move up.

 I have a problem with one of Jodi’s closest coworkers who stated herself that Jody was chronically late. She also stated in a subsequent interview she always want to Jodi’s job but not the way that it happened with Jodi disappearing. We also later have an interview conducted by this website where THE SAME employee indicated JodI was difficult to work for. That they weren’t friends. She claimed Jodi would sometimes shout at her.  She is the first person who described Jodi in such a matter. Everyone else has  always complemented her positive, genuine personality. 

 With that in mind, what better way to move up than to report JodI if she truly were a slacker and a frequently late? AND HOW AOUT THIS? What is my motivation to cover for someone who yells at me sometimes and can be mean to me?

Remember the day before her disappearance, Jodi attended a charity golf tournament for the station. She stayed late. Maybe on this particular Tuesday morning she decided to sleep in or accidentally overslept this one time, one of the only or few times she was ever late 

It’s NOT fair so many people take the word of one person JodI was late so frequently. 

As a morning anchor in a small TV station, I can assure you if I were repeatedly late, I would be reported to the boss by someone who wanted my spot or at least wanted  to get me into trouble or reprimanded so that I begin to pull my weight.

 I don’t mean to imply that any coworker had anything to do with Jodi’s abduction. But I think it’s time someone offered this perspective because the assumption widely held that Jodi was cavalier about her job and late ONLY  matches allegations of one coworker, as opposed to many who talk of how dedicated she were to her job.  And that one coworker had no motivation to keep Jodi’s secret if she wished to move up.

 I sincerely do not want to offend anyone even Jodi’s former coworker. But this is always bothered me about the widely accepted “fact” Jodi was always late.

 And one more thing: if Jodi answered her phone that morning and said she would be there in 10 minutes, and then no one could get her back on the phone, the police should have been called BEFORE the newscast. Someone could have called and asked for a welfare check prior to the news. 

I would certainly hope my station would call police for a welfare check on me if I said I were on my way and didn’t show up.

I want to apologize again if this comes off judgmental because I was not in the shoes of Jodi’s coworkers that morning. But I’m curious as to what some of you think about this point of view.

June 14, 2019
12:50 pm
Avatar

Case Contributor
Members
Forum Posts: 24
Member Since:
November 9, 2012
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Spot on ...

July 26, 2019
3:14 pm
Avatar
SueS
Guest
Guests

I always wondered why no one from the station went to check on her. If the station was so close, she was late, she’d been reached by phone so they were expecting her to get there. People knew that she had been at the golf event, it was likely a later night, she was likely drinking at some point. If I were a coworker, I might have thought she’d simply fallen back to sleep and as a last resort sent someone over to bang on her door to wake her again to get the heck out of bed and get to the station. Your post sort of clears this up for me because if it is all hands on deck with smaller morning staff, then no one would have been able to leave because of all the prep work for the show. It wouldn’t have crossed my mind that a crime had happened because you’re not expecting that. 

November 27, 2019
12:22 pm
Avatar

Case Beginner
Members
Forum Posts: 1
Member Since:
November 27, 2019
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

Greg TV News said
Hi all!

We’ve heard from one of Jodi’s coworkers in particular who said she frequently arrived late.  Many people on the forum assume that this is true. However, I would like to offer a contrary point of you to challenge this accepted truth that we really don’t know to be fact.

For one thing, everyone agrees that Jodi was very passionate about her job at KIMT.   People who love their work and want to shine in their positions, typically, go out of their way to do more than is required of them.  In fact from what we know of her journals, Jodi wrote about her passion to succeed in broadcasting.

We know that Jodi’s news director Doug Merbach said he never knew of her being late until AFTER her adduction.

 Now here’s where I can offer some real perspective. I work as an anchor early morning in a small market TV station. I know without a doubt one of the worst kept secrets in a newsroom is a coworker’s lack of effort, especially doing the minimum required. Small television stations usually require all hands on deck to complete each newscast— especially mornings nags. At my station, we are very shorthanded in the mornings.  That’s exactly the way it was for Jodi  and the staff at KIMT. 

With this in mind. When one person is slacking, the station and the newscast suffers. I find it highly doubtful that EVERYONE would be loyal enough to keep Jodi’s chronic lateness a secret. This is especially true when you consider the competitive nature of this business. Someone is always looking to move up.

 I have a problem with one of Jodi’s closest coworkers who stated herself that Jody was chronically late. She also stated in a subsequent interview she always want to Jodi’s job but not the way that it happened with Jodi disappearing. We also later have an interview conducted by this website where THE SAME employee indicated JodI was difficult to work for. That they weren’t friends. She claimed Jodi would sometimes shout at her.  She is the first person who described Jodi in such a matter. Everyone else has  always complemented her positive, genuine personality. 

 With that in mind, what better way to move up than to report JodI if she truly were a slacker and a frequently late? AND HOW AOUT THIS? What is my motivation to cover for someone who yells at me sometimes and can be mean to me?

Remember the day before her disappearance, Jodi attended a charity golf tournament for the station. She stayed late. Maybe on this particular Tuesday morning she decided to sleep in or accidentally overslept this one time, one of the only or few times she was ever late 

It’s NOT fair so many people take the word of one person JodI was late so frequently. 

As a morning anchor in a small TV station, I can assure you if I were repeatedly late, I would be reported to the boss by someone who wanted my spot or at least wanted  to get me into trouble or reprimanded so that I begin to pull my weight.

 I don’t mean to imply that any coworker had anything to do with Jodi’s abduction. But I think it’s time someone offered this perspective because the assumption widely held that Jodi was cavalier about her job and late ONLY  matches allegations of one coworker, as opposed to many who talk of how dedicated she were to her job.  And that one coworker had no motivation to keep Jodi’s secret if she wished to move up.

 I sincerely do not want to offend anyone even Jodi’s former coworker. But this is always bothered me about the widely accepted “fact” Jodi was always late.

 And one more thing: if Jodi answered her phone that morning and said she would be there in 10 minutes, and then no one could get her back on the phone, the police should have been called BEFORE the newscast. Someone could have called and asked for a welfare check prior to the news. 

I would certainly hope my station would call police for a welfare check on me if I said I were on my way and didn’t show up.

I want to apologize again if this comes off judgmental because I was not in the shoes of Jodi’s coworkers that morning. But I’m curious as to what some of you think about this point of view.  

Although I've never worked in a newsroom, I wouldn't imagine it'd be that uncommon for coworkers to cover for someone they all like and respect and get along with. I've worked places where slacking off by certain employees are never reported due to their popularity. I've also worked at a place where the one who never showed up to work, missed or left early a lot..did the bare minimum was the boss...and this carried on for a couple years and no one ever reported it due to her popularity and connections. I've been late to work at times and had coworkers kind enough who understood why and did not get me in trouble. 

 

Although ashamed to admit it, I've always had a problem getting up early and tardiness has been an issue for me. But I am still an excellent employee and devoted and dedicated and do my work well.

 

jodi could have simply been the same..just a young woman who struggled with getting up so early. Doesn't make her a bad person..makes her very human. Doesn't mean she was a crappy employee either, she could have struggled with time and been an amazing worker which seems the case since everyone sang her praises.

 

i can see a young, talented, beautiful popular lady also maybe being a bit rude or getting full of herself and being not so kind to others...again, doesn't make her bad, just makes her human.,a young person finding herself and figuring life out.

 

i have always been amazed that they did a well check with the police instead of an employee just continuing to call or going to her apartment on their own..or even just ignoring it. I've had coworkers not show up or call in and no one has ever called the police.

 

it was some quick thinking and an amazing brilliant decision to contact the police in this case..whoever had the idea should be thanked..because they got the ball rolling quickly and her disappearance was noted right away.

April 16, 2020
4:37 pm
Avatar
Greg TV News
Guest
Guests

I respectfully disagree. I’m just tired of some people just assuming Jodi was irresponsible and came in regularly five or ten minutes before the news startEd and KEPT her job. That’s not reality, especially in a small market. 

As you said, you have never worked in a newsroom. It’s not the way you perceive. 

The full of themselves and rude ones are the FIRST to be told on when they slack off— ie: repeatedly coming in two hours late when she’s one of TWO  people are putting together an entire newscast. 

As for thanking someone for calling the police, it’s a shame they didn’t do it before 6am. The police would have had an even greater start. Many news anchors have people who threaten and stalk them. When they don’t show up— and always do otherwise A) something is TERRIBLY wrong or B) they are irresponsible and get fired. Jodi didn’t have another news co-anchor. So she presented all the news portion herself.  

Amy said SEVERAL times she thought maybe Jodi slipped and hit her head in the shower, but never imaged she’d been abducted. I’d argue even a hit on the head in the shower needs an emergency call. HELLO?

Amy even told Elizabeth Vargas on 20/20, they’d discussed that something could happen to them early morning, and no one would know. Plus, Jodi had voiced concerns about a black truck following her in the months prior. 

Jodi wouldn’t have had the position for a year and a half or longer  (much less a month) had she not performed her duties. That means if she’d been late repeatedly, SOMEONE would have told whether Amy or someone in production. 

No offense intended. But if you don’t know newsroom culture, you don’t really get it. 

September 21, 2020
2:18 pm
Avatar
Breea
Guest
Guests

Was the phone call from the station to Jodi, on the morning of her disappearance verified with actual phone records?  I find it interesting that no one went to check on her after the coworker reported she would be there in 10 minutes. Also, too much of when this abduction occurred is based on the timeline of this call. Just my thoughts

Forum Timezone: America/New_York

Most Users Ever Online: 401

Currently Online:
6 Guest(s)

Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)

Member Stats:

Guest Posters: 365

Members: 2049

Moderators: 4

Admins: 2

Forum Stats:

Groups: 1

Forums: 1

Topics: 469

Posts: 2668