Redskins vs. Washington Post, Part LXXVI

Say you were running a multi-gazillion dollar company widely regarded as a civic touchstone, one of the few things holding a diverse and fragmented community together. Say that another civic landmark–down on its luck, to be sure, but still with a brandname that resonates internationally in its quest for truth–was tasked, as one of its duties, with covering your company. Say that you didn’t like how that media company was doing its job, that you particularly lamented the use of anonymous sources by one of that media company’s star employees. How would you handle this potentially destructive situation?

1) Go out to a business lunch with the leaders of Civic Landmark II, force everyone to down a couple Martinis, agree to disagree about the use of anonymous sources, but figure it’s not worth torching an important relationship.

2) Fight “Anonymous Sourced Information” with “More and Better Sourced Information,” leaking every bit of positive and negative news to your own paid media members, thus rendering Civic Landmark II and their anonymous sources wholly irrelevant.

3) Quietly steam for a few days, and maybe even have dart-throwing contests at the center of Star Employee’s Blog, but find consolation in this logic: in the long run, if the anonymous sources were proven incorrect, Civic Landmark II’s reputation would be the one to suffer, and if the anonymous sources were proven correct, then no harm no foul.

4) Have one of your paid media members create a mocking “Source Meter” paired with mocking references to “Sourcery,” and then have him broadcast an “interview” with an “out of work anonymous source” clad in sunglasses and ski cap, during which the anonymous source’s palm will fall open and the paid media member will say “why is your hand always out,” this being to subtlety what FedEx Field is to “luxurious NFL game-day enjoyment.”

I mean, really? This is what things have come to? The noted media critic (and always-very-kind-and-charitable-to-me) Larry Michael openly taunting Jason LaCanfora through fake interviews with fake sources? On Comcast SportsyNet, the same network that supposedly has a working relationship with The Washington Post?

Either way, it’s great fun. I can’t wait for today’s episode of Redskins Radio, airing daily on Comcast SportsyNet from 4-5. (See everyone? That right there is how collegial back-scratching is accomplished.)

blog.washingtonpost.com