Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
We were shocked to see this note in our mailbox this morning. Can this be true? Here’s the note, from Cecil Bothwell:
"Best" on Wednesday, fired on Friday
Asheville’s most popular journalist sacked
On Wednesday, Oct. 17, Mountain Xpress reporter Cecil Bothwell was tapped for the second time as Asheville’s best local print reporter in the paper’s 2007 annual reader poll. Two days later, the journalist was called to the publisher Jeff Fobe’s office and fired.
"It was almost funny," Bothwell reported. "After winning the vote, I half-way imagined that a summons to Fobes’ office might involve a raise; instead Fobes and Managing Editor Jon Elliston told me they had decided to terminate my employment."
Bothwell wrote the first cover story for the Mountain Xpress in 1994, an investigation into the widespread failure of the DARE drug education program. In the years since, he uncovered corruption in the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department, exposed back-room dealings in local government, delved into environmental hazards and became something of an expert on Asheville’s development rules. "I only know about three other people who have read the Unified Development Ordinance cover-to-cover," he said. "It’s a little dry."
In addition to features stories on subjects ranging from UFO "experts" to nuclear fuel transport to the fellow who scrubs Asheville’s monuments, his writing included book, music and theater reviews. He also served as gardening editor and columnist for the paper. Along the way, he won national awards from the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies and the Society of Professional Journalists for investigative reporting, criticism and humorous commentary. As representative of the paper, he served on the national editorial board of the AAN from 2002 to 2007. His opinion column, Duck Soup: Essays on the Submerging Culture, was syndicated nationally for 10 years and aired on WNCW 88.7FM. He was founding editor of the Warren Wilson College environmental journal, Heartstone, and served as managing editor of Mountain Xpress from 2002 to 2004. Bothwell’s books include Gorillas in the Myth, The Icarus Glitch and co-authorship (with Betsy Ball) of the local best-selling guidebook, Finding Your Way in Asheville. For three years before the Xpress began publishing, Bothwell wrote news stories and the monthly humor column for Fobes’ Green Line.
Bothwell’s latest book, The Prince of War: Billy Graham’s Crusade for a Wholly Christian Empire, will be released in November.
http://theprinceofwar.com
http://bothwellsblog.wordpress.com
Ok, everyone, come down off of those soapboxes.
All sorts of people get fired from all sorts of jobs for all sorts of reasons. None of which are any of our business unless that person was elected for said job by the public. He was an employee in the public eye, that’s it, and we are not entitled to any sort of explanation (no matter how loud many of you start clamoring for one).
So take a deep breath, and let’s focus on the elections, the personnel department that we DO work for.
"Republicans are leaning on the MtnX editor(s) or I’ll eat Mumpower’s shorts."
I’ll take those odds.
His typically Bothwellian response to this is certainly as hypocritical as anything he has exposed in other people. Even if his writing were that highly respected outside of his "choir"—- Did you see Seth Dowland’s review of the Graham book, btw?—-his manner of delivery is insulting to the average reader, at least in my experience. I meet more locals who grind their teeth when they hear the name than share his incredulous indignation over his "sacking" but I’ll admit that I don’t hide in a downtown loft and surround myself with fellow whiners. By any legitimate standard, he is arrogant and condescending both in his personal writing and that which provides MX. I would guess that this has been brewing since way back even before he decided that a counter-protest was a respectful choice in response to other groups rights to free speech and assembly. It’s sweetly ironic that he’s seemingly so judgemental of Graham’s judgementalism. And that he allegedly (I haven’t read it and won’t) disapproves of Graham’s rather public expression of personal political convictions.
Admittedly anecdotally speaking, I think his bias went beyond his proud expression of his personal and political convictions. He’s not really done with you until he’s bashed yours. You’ll find lots of support for that tactic within his ranks, but wander into the rest of the culture that is Asheville–and was before he got here and will be after he leaves–and you’ll find people who typically agree with what he says but are still chagrined whenever he says it.
It’s not always the message. Sometimes the messenger does it to himself.
The mystery behind Cecil’s termination continues to get ‘curiouser and curiouser’. The letter from the Editor & Publisher of the EMM-EXX offers some clues…but, perhaps properly, cites ‘policy’ as a reason that more can not be said at this time.
But stay ‘tuned’….and…just KEEP THOSE ADS COMING IN FOLKS!…..as Mark Knoffler said :’We’ve Got To Move …These Refrigerators…(and so many other products & services)…we’ve got to move these color T.V.’s’.
I am sure many of Bothwell’s readers and fans tuned into WPVM 103.5 LP Friday from 9AM-NOON…(www.wpvm.org). Cecil was typically polite and played Bob Dylan’s ‘I Ain’t Gonna Work On Maggie’s Farm No More’ in reference to his recent dismissal …AND …as it was the beginning of the fall fund drive…the UP SIDE of all of this might have resulted in a very successful beginning to that drive which helps fund the nearly all volunteer staff at that independent and vital source of LOCAL news, commentary & music. (‘Blows Against The Empire’….indeed!)
There is GOOD NEWS for my MacBook’s CAPS KEY. <sigh>
The BLOG about Bothwell’s upcoming Graham Expose’…over at Cecil’s former employer …has now included word that ‘Dr.Grammar/Matters’ and Cecil are, indeed, NOT one in the same. Dr.Philip Breeze knows a thing or two about journalism, grammar, and life ….and has a resume to prove it. I trust his posts to be both alliterative AND accurate.
I will concede, however, that such a wise and well educated gentleman might side with ‘Alex’ about my CAPS KEY FETISH…so, in honor of Dr. Breeze’s erudite comments to the upper management at my ‘former favorite local newspaper’….I’ll try to tone it down….A BIT.
There’s stink all over this. Republicans are leaning on the MtnX editor(s) or I’ll eat Mumpower’s shorts.
WHO KNOWS THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION RE: THE EDITOR?
marsha hammond, west asheville
Cecil claims that they cited his contribution to Elaine Lite? All things aside, this brings up an interesting moral debate – where does the journalist’s private & public life divide? Is there a genuine problem regarding them leading on their readers by expressing their personal support politically?
Personally, I did notice that his name was there, and I had been pondering this issue since that week. There has been a lot of printed support for her in the MX, and it made me think twice – yet due to my subsequent communications with the MX, I’ve felt comfortable believing that there wasn’t any conspiracy of support – just people expressing their opinions, and if Lite got dealt a good hand for a couple weeks, that’s not the dealer’s fault. So I’d much rather debate some hypothetical ethics here than muse on theories regarding this firing – not until more details come out.
Melissa-
My observation about Rebecca Bowe (and other MX staffers) was typed too quickly and not proofed. I meant to say, and still do, that the MX supplements, and in a valuable way, the ACT.
In many towns, the alternative weekly will often dig deeper and be more critical of the power structure. Cecil, especially, probes into places where other reporters don’t. That, and his warm friendliness, is why he is so popular, in my opinion.
An MX without Cecil will be blander.
I fear other reporters, who work for the MX, ACT and other publications, will take note of what happened. Perhaps there will be more stories on litter, and less on corporate pollution.
I believe you when you say that the ACT didn’t dictate the "stories and angles" you wrote, however.
Alex: My dang CAPS BUTTON is a bit ‘stuck’….thank you for your alliterative. observations.
Now …back to your comments about the possibility that "Dr.Grammar/Matters" might actually be Mr.Bothwell. I’ll bet my CAPS KEY that they are not one in the same person …but I could be wrong.
And …about your explanatory reference to ‘sports teams which bench or trade a star player’ …does the FIRST AMENDMENT (oops) …<first amendment> …ring any bells in your alliterative ears?
i am sure you are a big fan of e.e.cummings….am i write <sic> …er whut?
*****
Thanx for the space Ash …..keep the cyber-ink flowing ! -Twain 🙂
*****
I have no axe to grind, Gordon, in fact I’ve enjoyed many of Cecil Bothwell’s columns. It just struck me immediately as a pretty ballsy thing for the Xpress to fire their most popular reporter. I’ve seen situations where superiors bowed to those below them because of that person’s popularity, and when that happens it usually doesn’t signal good things for that business in the long run.
Just to reiterate: The point I was trying to make, and which I thought I had done fairly cogently, was simply that it takes gumption for an organization to dismiss someone who is popular with the populace (pardon the alliteration).
An analogue that comes to mind (though I’m sure there are much more exacting examples (okay, that time it was on purpose) and that other commenters here will waste no time in defaming this analogy), would be when a professional sports team has to bench or trade a star player who hasn’t followed team rules or standards.
Just an observation…
Twain, I think you may want to check your keyboard, it seems that your caps lock is stuck in the on position…
When asked about the firing via e-mail, here was Cecil’s Response:
"My campaign contribution to Elaine Lite was cited by both Fobes and Elliston during the meeting in which I was fired.
No other specific cause was mentioned.
-c "
I have to echo the naturally occuring thought that it’s suspect Bothwell was fired on Oct. 19th, which is the very day after the debate on the comments portion of his book review, including the fiery commentary by the elusive Dr. Manners/Grammars, concluded. I don’t think there’s any need to attack anyone about voicing these thoughts as an effort in ax-grinding- when someone is abruptly fired and draws attention to this fact with no real explanation from either party, people are going to look at all they have to look at. And the comments on that article are pretty weird.
Ash – you know, from my past posts about ‘The Media’ … why all this troubles me in particularly personal way … however…unlike the seriously deluded and outrageously smarmy ‘Alex’…(Perhaps’? Perhaps???? facts never stopped a ‘wit’ like YOU….and YOU ALEX …are more full of BEAR SCAT than any black bear in GSMNP!)…I CAN BE OBJECTIVE.
Writers write…..editors edit…publishers employ …and differences of opinion happen.
I AM QUITE SURE ASHEVILLE …and OUR PRECIOUS MOUNTAINS …WILL CONTINUE TO BENEFIT FROM CECIL BOTHWELL’S WIT, WISDOM, WORDS and VOICE.
Alex,
Axe to grind much?
I don’t know why they fired Cecil, but saying that his popularity lends his sackers more credibility doesn’t wash with me.
Is someone saying that Cecil acted unethically? If so, step up and say it.
Also, after reading the comment thread to his book review, does it not seem plausible that "Dr. Grammar/Manners" was actually Bothwell?
Perhaps the editors at Mtn X. found out that that was the case and that’s why he was canned…
I say kudos to the Mountain Xpress for having the wherewithal to fire someone whom they obviously didn’t feel like was doing their job well, even though that person was popular.
This makes Mtn X all the more credible in my eyes.
I wonder if you can’t speak ill of the Rev. Billy and get away with it?
No one from outside the newsroom, and that includes editorial & advertising, ever dictated the stories or angles of any article that I ever wrote or edited for the Citizen-Times in more than 8 years of my working there.
In fact, that was considered sacreligious.
The reporters and editors, for good or ill, are responsible for the articles and their play. Of course, liberals think conservatives hold sway over coverage, and conservatives believe the exact opposite. While at the newspaper, I was occasionally yelled at over the phone and sometimes received hate mail from both factions.
(Honestly, I have no idea what the above comment about Rebecca means…maybe I’m overtired? Not to be rude, I really don’t understand that sentence and how Rebecca would figure into anything the C-T does. The C-T Woodfin stories were supplemented by things she LEFT OUT of the Xpress??)
Between council members voting for the Ellington and endorsing Jan Davis, this is part of a shift towards the developers who are killing the goose that lays the golden egg. Cecil is part of what makes this town fun and good, and the fact that a local publication would print his real journalism instead of blandness spoke well (past tense) of the MX
Ash- As someone who followed the Woodfin power battle closely, I really have to question the adequacy of the ACT coverage on Woodfin. I really don’t think it was up to par. I’d have to go back to the articles, but they were often supplemented by Rebecca Bowe adding things the MX left out.
I would hope that the big money behind the Ellington (and other bad developments to follow) weren’t behind this.
Cecil will land on his feet. He always has. Still, I’d like to know what precipitated his firing, especially after just being chosen the best local print reporter. And for the record, I appreciate Cecil’s reporting and the courage, intelligence, authenticity and wit he brings to our community.
I left a message with Jon Elliston…
Gordon, I agree with you. I want to know what happened, too. Nearly everybody in town knows Cecil. There’s no avoiding the questions or concerns. I always liked him and have had good deadlings with him, personally. I certainly wish him well.
Mtn. X canned the people’s favorite reporter.
They don’t have to explain, but they really ought to. I like all those guys down there, so I’m not expecting to turn up any villainy in all of this. I’m just wondering what it’s all about.
Fair is always going to be in the eye of the beholding editor or critic.
Journalistic ideals are wonderful stars to steer by.
I doubt that political contributions had anything to do with this, as some are speculating, since Cecil’s donations are — and have been — public record and available all over the web.
I think he is a tough watchdog reporter, which we need badly, but his lefty bias is clear. Biased reporting doesn’t worry me nearly as much as the appearance of bias – copy can always be edited; actions can’t.
On a personal level, I agree with Cecil most of the time. As a journalist, and even on my own free time (like a cop, you are never "off duty") I didn’t give to political campaigns or say who I supported.
No bumper stickers, no yard signs, no attending political rallies, no attending fundraisers for people I believed in.
However, I retained my registration as a Democrat,even though most people I worked with were unaffiliated. (I couldn’t give in COMPLETELY, but perhaps I should have…?)
But, like I said, I doubt that’s the reason Cecil was canned.
Maybe this article and the exchange in the comment thread has a tiny bit to do with all this? Seems a bit…strained…:
http://www.mountainx.com/news/2007/101007graham
But in the end, Mtn X doesn’t have to explain anything, because any employee (without a contract) can be fired for "a good reason, a bad reason or no reason at all…"
Which of those three, though, we may never really know.
John Boyle, Karen Chavez, Keith Jarrett, Ashley Wilson, Clarke Morrison, Paul Clarke to name a few. On the tv side, probably Sherrill Barber and Russ Bowen.
Gordon, i know you’re itching to argue over this, but we’re just going to have to agree to disagree. is there such a thing as an un-biased, completely objective news report? probably not. can a report be fair? certainly.
Neither Fobes nor Elliston are in this morning, and no one at the Xpress seems to understand the rationale behind the firing.
I’ve been told to call them around 2pm to get either Fobes or Elliston.
For context, Ash.
Who do you think is a good, "fair", local reporter?
well, we need to hear the Fobes/Elliston side of the story. Cecil, in his press release, doesnt’ say what reason was given for his termination.
and i’ll throw my two cents worth – Cecil was a good reporter, if you like to taste your news raw, with bias and without the gravy coating of objectivity, however lean the serving may be from other news outlets. was Cecil fair in his reporting? rarely.
This is a blow to the entire community. Ceceil is a great reporter, and this move makes no sence whatsoever.