You Said It....
/Outgoing WLS (Chicago) Anchor Ron Magers is not happy that a rival station took something he said and turned it into a promotion for their station.
Magers made some comments about WGN's morning show, saying, "“They do just a great job over there. They’ve created themselves as this kind of hybrid, where there is news, but it’s an awfully entertaining package as well.”
WGN was flattered enough, to put Magers comments in an ad for the station and run it in Sunday's Chicago Tribune:
This pissed off Magers, although the ad never used his photo or likeness, only the words he said.
“I suppose their argument is it was said publicly, and I’m a public figure, so they have a right to use it,” Magers told Robert Feder. “But for me personally, it’s way over the line. And I’m disappointed.
He then added, “For me this is instructive about how the business has changed. There was a time when you could say something nice about a competitor and you might get a note that says ‘Thanks.’ Now suddenly everything needs to be flogged and hammered in ads and social media. So I guess the answer is next time I’ll tell you the rest of what I think about them.”
After WGN Morning Anchor Larry Potash posted about Magers to Facebook with a copy of the ad, saying, "“Who knows more about anchors and horses than the great Ron Magers of ABC 7 Chicago? Thanks Ron!”
Magers then posted his response, “Funny. Try to say something passingly nice about competitors and it ends up as an ad in the newspaper? Things must be going well over there Larry because it’s been a while since you last applied for job at our place.”
So much for taking the high road. Magers veered off the high road and straight into a ditch.
