Scott Hancock Doesn’t Understand My Blog

Scott emails:

So I didn’t really understand your Blog. I guess I do now.

I assumed you (and the other 40 companies I submitted to) did news. But wasn’t aware you did not.

I don’t visit your site that often and when I have I could have swore I saw news. But maybe I was mistaken.

Rest assured, henceforth, LIB is removed as such and, in addition, persona non grata.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Also…I do now understand how you have no issues with posting anything anybody writes or says, regardless of the truth or substance of the information.

So feel free to post anything we discuss…but it’s not very salacious. So, therefore, not interesting to your readership. And, baring what will no doubt be an insistance to appear fair and balanced (uniquely appropriate statement of LIB), you will have one less interested reader.

I love this. Like I am going to get hurt that I have one less reader. I love it when people make a point to tell me that they don’t read my blog. Why do I care? What I write affects people and their businesses whether they read it or not. If anybody puts out information that affects you by definition it affects you, whether you read that person or not. If you don’t read them, some of your friends do.

I love this. A company owner who doesn’t have the first clue about my blog sends me an irate email complaining that I did not publish his press release. When I tell him I don’t publish press releases (with few exceptions), he replies that he assumed I did "news." Since when is a press release news? PR releases are the product of publicists who are by definition paid liars.

I love this. Scott takes it personally that I don’t publish press releases. I am now "persona non grata." Do you know how long that will last? Till I have a story that powerfully affects him and/or his companies.

Then Scott says something I hear all the time: "I do now understand how you have no issues with posting anything anybody writes or says, regardless of the truth or substance of the information."

How does he know what I post and do not post? He has no clue how much information comes my way that I do not publish. I get a lot of gossip that I do not publish for various reasons.

I would never dream that I know how to run a company. I don’t send company owners irate emails telling them how to do business. Where do people who’ve never reported a story get off lecturing me on what is news and how to operate a blog? Everybody thinks they can act, host a talkshow and run a news operation.

Here are some photos and video of me hanging out at Scott’s place in happier times. Here’s video of my interview with Scott.

Scott emails:

Luke — Mon ami. Let’s be clear:

 

– I did not expect you to post the entire Press Release. For that matter the whole point was the non response. Most things that I have seen you post simply have one line and they might have some quip or other information. Information, in all kinds, can be useful. It’s information. However, it is your blog. You can post what you like. So be it. Rather than simply email me back you decide to turn this into fodder. That is pretty base.

– Now I much more aware of your niche in our business. Once again I apologize for not understanding and taking the time to understand the nuances and purpose of your blog. I thought I was clear when I said I misunderstood and apologized as such. This is normally a sign of civility and extension of openess to create an open dialog. Instead you seek to try to belittle and justify said actions and said capitulation.

– I wrote the Press Release. There are no lies. No puffery.

– I am sorry you have an issue with a visualization of the aforementioned Lela. It sounds more like your issue was personal and somehow otherwise related.

– Persona non grata is a clear phrase. You understand it. But for those who don’t it means literally in Latin "an unwanted person". It’s appropriate and I stand by it 100%. And no, I will not be interested in using LIB for any reason as such, advertising or submittals or any other related interaction.

Lastly, it seems to me that this is some sort of personal issue with people when they are not inured to your system or your blog construction. I was not. This was my first (and as it has become my last) interaction with you outside of our brief conversations two months ago. If you re-read my email the first point I made that it was unnoticed and uncommented. If you recall YOU sent me a few emails inquiring for me for information. I responded promptly and accurately. I believe in a sense of community and kinship amongst in the same business. I assumed you would be the same. My mistake.

If you ask me why I even bother to take the time to write you back, well that’s a good question. The answer is that I want to get this link of this page so when anyone asks me what I think of LIB…I can point to this page.

Take care, S.