Lee Abrams — the Tribune's former chief innovation officer who resigned earlier this month over a memo he sent to staffers which contained links to Onion videos, including this one — appears to be doing some personal damage control.
After his firing, he sent out another defending the memo and explaining his rationale.
According to Business Insider, Abrams sent along the now-infamous memo on Monday, to put the NSFW link(s) in context.
Here's the full memo forwarded to the site by (reportedly) Abrams:
THINK PIECE: ENCOURAGING FORWARD MOVEMENT
WPIX REFLECTS NEW YORK: Take a look at the attached WPIX promo(and John's note below).
We are now doing streets in other languages. I've told the team I want a different language at least once every 2 weeks and we are not allowed to just repeat Spanish. I want a Farsi-speaking cab driver and a thick Irish-accented bartender and a Jamaican, etc.
This is so right. Instead of screaming, We're local with a picture of the skyline, they are truly matching the mood of New York, in its pan-ethnic and gritty reality. This is one, small step toward reinventing TV for the 21st Century, not to mention one of the few cases of AFDI'ing something that's been in discussion for years. Of course the key is consistently doing it vs. a one off. Incidentally, these are not finished pieces, but will give you an idea of the direction
INSTANT STAFF MEETING: Below are a list of videos that Ray Brune, the Executive Producer of our new morning concept, put together for our first Bootcamps with the new staff. Many have been circulated, but I am always surprised how many have not yet seem these. Always pretty inspirational or at least interesting stuff:
BOOT CAMP DAY #1/DISC #1
DID YOU KNOW (POPULATION): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECDZbrzkTxk
ONION:
* STUDENTS DON'T GIVE A SHIT http://www.theonion.com/video/in-the-know-are-tests-biased-against-students-who,17966/
* Firefighter http://www.theonion.com/video/incredibly-sexy-firefighter-tragically-dies-in-ste,17549/
* Sluts http://www.theonion.com/video/vh1-reality-show-bus-crashes-in-california-causing,14390/
* Boston Globe http://www.theonion.com/video/boston-globe-tailors-print-edition-for-three-remai,17572/
DID YOU KNOW (HUMAN CAPITAL): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzCQ219bxl8
THE SURPRISING TRUTH ABOUT WHAT MOTIVATES US: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc
A DATE WITH YOUR FAMILY (Cut Down): http://www.archive.org/details/DateWith1950
SELECTIVE ATTENTION TEST #1: http://viscog.beckman.illinois.edu/flashmovie/15.php
SELECTIVE ATTENTION TEST #2:
DO YOU KNOW (SOCIAL MEDIA): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8
STIMULATE CREATIVE PROCESS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPC8e-Jk5uw
TED SPEECH LARRY LESSING (LAWS THAT CHOKE CREATIVITY): http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/larry_lessig_says_the_law_is_strangling_creativity.html
DO OUR PROPERTIES LOOK LIKE BANKS? I think often yes.
http://positivesharing.com/2007/03/12-ways-to-pimp-your-office/
THEN, THERE'S THIS RASMUSSEN STUDY: It s a battle out there.
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=136373
