Wednesday, December 05, 2007

McCaw vs. Roberts Arbitration Underway


The hearing has finally begun in News-Press owner Wendy McCaw's lawsuit against former editor Jerry Roberts.

Presentation of the evidence in the case, which is being heard by an arbitrator, began on Monday.

It is believed that McCaw initiated the litigation by suing Roberts for breach of contract. Roberts counter sued claiming constructive firing. McCaw responded by upping the ante and asking for $25 million in damages from Roberts.

The hearing is taking place in a conference room at the Double Tree hotel here in town but it's a confidential proceeding and is closed to the public.

McCaw's lawyers are putting on her case this week. Roberts presentation of his defense and evidence to support his counterclaims is expected to begin next week.

And that clinking sound you hear is that of Wendy's lawyers raising their champagne glasses each evening and toasting the high goddess of the billable hour.

* * *

Cliff Redding, the copy desk editor who was fired in the flap over the mock front page of the paper that was intended to be given to a departing copy editor, but instead ended up on the paper's website, has caught on with Noozhawk where he will be working part-time.

Prior to working at the News-Press Redding spent time with the Baltimore Sun, New York Newsday, the New York Daily News and the Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Virginia.

* * *

Back working at the News-Press copy desk after being "fired" once himself is Jeff Craig.

Jeff's copy desk heroics were reported here back on July 3 of this year when he made sure that the late-breaking story about the Ranch fire made it into the Sunday paper.

* * *

Fired business reporter Tom Risen's position is being advertised on journalismjobs.com.

* * *

The staff of the UCSB campus newspaper, the Daily Nexus, is featured in a documentary that premieres tonight on UCTV.

Appearing in the documentary along with the student journalists who put out the school’s daily newspaper is publications director Jerry Roberts.

It can be viewed “on demand” on the Internet at www.uctv.tv. Contrary to what I previously reported, it is not being shown on the Santa Barbara Channels on the Cox Cable system.

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