Golfweek Fires Editor Seanor*****
/Gary Van Sickle reports the news which comes in response to the dreaded noose cover. Jeff Babineau will take over. Thanks to reader Tony for spotting the golf.com story.
Van Sickle reports that Tim Finchem's comments combined with a likely advertising boycott led to his undoing. One wonders what other boycotts might have been coming had Golfweek not made a change.
**Golfweek and Seanor's standing could not have been helped by columns like this one from Michael Bamberger spoofing potential cover images for other big events.
For instance, you may remember the Ryder Cup at the Country Club in 1999, when Justin Leonard holed that monster putt to secure at the least a tie for the U.S. and the American players ran all over the green even though Jose Maria Olazabal of Spain still had a meaningful putt. The SI cover shot showed Justin Leonard, celebrating, putter in the air. Bad choice.
Here's how that story should have been illustrated: a picture of Spaniards being trampled by bulls running through the streets in Pamplona.
“We apologize for creating this graphic cover that received extreme negative reaction from consumers, subscribers and advertisers across the country,” said William P. Kupper Jr., president of Turnstile Publishing Co., the parent company of Golfweek. “We were trying to convey the controversial issue with a strong and provocative graphic image. It is now obvious that the overall reaction to our cover deeply offended many people. For that, we are deeply apologetic.”And...
“We know we have a job ahead of us to re-earn the trust and confidence of many loyal readers,” Babineau said. “Our staff is very passionate about the game. Our wish is that one regretful error does not erase more than 30 years of service we’ve dedicated to this industry.”
The magazine, with a circulation of 160,000, nearly all of it by subscription, also received about 100 to 150 demands for cancellations.
As far as was known, no advertisers have pulled out, but William P. Kupper Jr., president of Turnstile Publishing Company, the parent company of Golfweek, announced Friday morning that Seanor had been replaced by Jeff Babineau.
