"Teflon Tom" gets a new gig!

"The past is never dead, it is not even past."~William Faulkner

---

In case the Herald "forgets" to run this item in the paper tomorrow I'm posting it herewith: TOM FIEDLER NAMED DEAN OF BU'S COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION

I'm sure many local bloggers and pundits much smarter than I will be weighing in over the next few days on Tom's appointment.

However I couldn't let this line in the press release pass without commenting:

"As the newspaper’s executive editor, Fiedler was a stickler for journalism ethics, particularly after reporters working for The Herald’s Spanish-language sister publication, El Nuevo Herald, were caught moonlighting for a US-government-owned, anti-Castro news service in 2006."

Ahh; if only it were that simple.

There are tons of stories on the El Nuevo scandal archived on the Internet if anyone wants to take the time to look them up. There's a little something for everybody.

There are stories that make it look as though Tom Fiedler is God's gift to journalism and of course there are those who think that Fiedler is the devil incarnate. And who can forget Tom's hilarious ruminations comparing Spanish-language radio listeners and chihuahuas?

I'm sure the press release writer at Boston U ran the final version by Tom. But I wonder if the writer bothered to read this story about how Tom "caught" those El Nuevo reporters and the sh*t storm that followed.

An internal review of The Miami Herald's coverage of reporters at el Nuevo Herald accepting fees for appearing on the government-sponsored Radio Marti and TV Marti found the initial story was flawed because of its Page One placement and "accusatory tone," incomplete background, and decision to have it "rushed into print."

The story is about a report written by former editor Clark Hoyt (who is now ombudsman for the NY Times) on the numerous blunders made by the Herald in the reporting of the El Nuevo scandal...under Tom's leadership of course.

Herald publisher Jesus Diaz was jettisoned from the Herald in Oct. 2006 in the wake of the scandal.

And there are some who believe that Fiedler's "retirement" announcement soon after in late 2006 was no coincidence although according to this report he'd been seeking to leave the Herald for some time.

As for Fiedler being a "stickler for ethics" who can forget his ham-fisted handling of the firing of Jim Defede? Or this bit of intrigue!

So in case the Herald "forgets' to print the news tomorrow of Tom's appointment or if it does but "forgets" to print everything about Tom's tenure just remember that you read it here.